KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Grant Williams scored 23 points and No. 19 Tennessee outlasted Florida at home on Wednesday night in Thompson-Boling Arena, 62-57.
Williams scored 11 of the Vols’ last 18 points, while Tennessee as a team made eight of its last 11 field-goal attempts s to edge out the Gators. Tennessee (20-7, 10-5 SEC) led by as many as 10 points on two separate occasions in the second half, but Florida fought back each time.
With the Vols leading 37-36 midway through the second half, Tennessee and Florida exchanged baskets before a Jordan Bowden breakaway dunk sparked a 15-6 Tennessee run to put the Big Orange in front by 10 for a second time in the half, 52-42.
After starting the game 2-for-18 from 3-point range, Florida then proceeded to made three of its next four from long distance to stay on pace, but the Gators never got closer than three points for the rest of the game.
Bowden made three of four free throws in the final 30 seconds to seal the game for Tennessee.
In addition to Williams’ 23 points, junior Admiral Schofield scored 16 points and pulled down a team-high eight rebounds for the Vols.
Jalen Hudson had 13 points, while Chris Chiozza and Keith Stone had 11 for Florida (17-11, 8-7 SEC).
Despite shooting just 38 percent from the field in the first half, Tennessee took a 27-18 lead into the break.
The Vols held Florida to its lowest first half scoring output of the season, as the Gators’ 18 points at the break were 11 fewer than their previous low of 29. Florida’s 26.9 percent (7-for-26) shooting performance was also its lowest percentage in any first half this season.
To open the game, Tennessee held Florida scoreless for the first 4:35, and to close out the first half the Gators made just one of their final 10 shots. Williams paced the Vols in the opening period with 10 points, while no Florida player scored more than four.
UP NEXT: UT has back-to-back road games against Ole Miss (Saturday) and Mississippi State (Feb. 27) before returning home for a rematch with Georgia to conclude the regular season. Saturday’s game in Oxford will tip at 1 p.m. ET and will be televised on SEC Network.
VOLS BREACH 20 WINS: With the win over Florida, Tennessee earned its 25th 20-win season in program history and first since 2013-14, when the Vols finished with 24 victories and advanced to their seventh Sweet Sixteen. This is the first time UT has posted 20 regular-season
LOCKDOWN DEFENSE: During the first half of the game on Wednesday night, UT’s defense held the Gators to season lows in points (18) and field-goal percentage (.269). Florida’s previous lows were 29 points vs. Gonzaga (11/24/17) and 27.6 percent shooting against New Hampshire (11/19/17).
FINISHING DOWN THE STRETCH: Over the final 10 minutes of play, the Volunteers shot 8-of-11 from the field to hold off Florida’s late comeback attempt. During the previous 30 minutes of action, UT was just 15-of-42 shooting (35.7 percent) from the floor.
BIGS DOMINATE ON OFFENSE: Admiral Schofield and Grant Williams fueled Tennessee’s offense all night, combining for 39 of UT’s 62 points (63 percent) in the matchup. Williams, who finished with game-high 23 points, scored 11 of UT’s final 18 points. Schofield chipped in 16 points.
-UT Athletics
