KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Down two starters and playing with just seven scholarship competitors, the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team turned in a dominant performance Saturday afternoon, toppling No. 5/6 Florida, 64-44.

Senior guard Zakai Zeigler (right knee) and senior forward Igor Miličić Jr. (illness) both missed the contest for eighth-ranked Tennessee (18-4, 5-4 SEC), but their teammates excelled in front of a sold-out Food City Center. Fifth-year guard Chaz Lanier scored a game-high 19 points for the Volunteers, who improved to 7-1 all-time in AP top-10 home matchups, including 4-0 under head coach Rick Barnes, who also moved to 6-0 at home against AP top-five foes in Knoxville.

Tennessee is now, per ESPN, the first program in SEC history to win six consecutive home games against AP top-five foes. The decision, the Volunteers’ largest ever versus an AP top-five team, snapped Florida 1,167-game streak of scoring 45-plus points.

Both sides got off to slow starts on the offensive end, with Tennessee missing its first four field goals before a make at the 17:15 mark and Florida (18-3, 5-3 SEC) missing its initial five attempts before a make at the 16:23 mark, at which point it took a 6-2 lead.

The Volunteers took their first lead, 14-13, on a 3-pointer by Lanier with 8:10 on the timer. The go-ahead basket came during a stretch of 5:45 during which they held the Gators scoreless and forced six straight field-goal misses. However, the home team then missed its next six shots at the other end, going scoreless for 4:06, as Florida went back up by three.

A transition 3-pointer by Lanier, after a possession on which Tennessee blocked two shots, put the Volunteers back in front, 21-19, with 1:32 left in the stanza. They stretched the lead to a game-high three, 24-21, at the break. Both sides shot under 30.0 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes, with each logging a 2-of-13 (15.4 percent) long-range clip.

The Volunteers scored the first six points of the second frame, making it a 14-2 extended run over 4:25, to go ahead by nine, 30-21, with 18:08 left.

Buoyed by four consecutive points from junior forward Felix Okpara, they extended the lead up to a dozen, 40-28, with 14:41 on the clock and then pushed it to 13, 43-30, on a 3-pointer by senior guard Jordan Gainey with 12:59 remaining. The surge came during a span of 6:07 without allowing a made field goal, forcing five straight misses.

After a basket by the Gators, Tennessee went on a 9-0 run in just 4:07, growing the advantage to 19, 52-33, with 6:46 to play. It held Florida scoreless without a point for 4:29, as the visitors missed six straight shots until the 6:32 mark. However, even after the make, Lanier drilled back-to-back 3-pointers—sandwiched around a pair of free throws—to push the cushion all the way to 21, 58-37, with just 5:39 on the timer.

Florida got the margin down to 16 with 2:54 left, but Tennessee scored the last four points, capping the scoring with an emphatic alley-oop dunk by Okpara to claim the 20-point triumph.

Lanier’s game-best point total featured a 5-of-9 mark from 3-point range, adding with five rebounds, one shy of his season best. Gainey scored 16 points and led all players in both assists (five) and minutes (37), setting season highs—and new top marks as a Volunteer—in both categories.

Okpara totaled 10 points and a co-team-leading eight rebounds, finishing 4-of-5 from the floor and making both of his free throws. Senior guard Jahmai Mashack had eight points and matched Okpara with a co-career-high eight boards, plus recorded a season-high-tying four assists. Sophomore forward Cade Phillips added seven points on 3-of-5 shooting to go along with a game-best three blocks in a career-high 28 minutes.

Senior guard Walter Clayton Jr., finished as the lone Gator with double digits in the scoring column, pacing the team with 10 points on a 3-of-13 clip. The Volunteers held him without a point in the second stanza. Junior guard Denzel Aberdeen had eight points, shooting 6-of-8 at the line, and sophomore forward Thomas Haugh registered six to go along with a game-high 10 rebounds.

Tennessee held Florida to just 24.5 percent (13-of-53) shooting, including 14.8 percent (4-of-27) beyond the arc. The former is the first time the Gators finished below 25.0 percent in the last 20 seasons (2005-25), with the only other time they were under even 26.0 percent in that stretch on Dec. 15, 2007. The latter figure was the program’s lowest since March 17, 2024.

Meanwhile, Florida’s 44 points marked its fewest in any game in nearly 35 years, dating to a 40-point showing on Feb. 10, 1990.

The Volunteers conclude a three-game homestand Wednesday at 7 p.m. when they take on No. 20/21 Missouri at Food City Center, live on SEC Network.

To keep up with the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team on social media, follow @Vol_Hoops on Instagram and X/Twitter, as well as /tennesseebasketball on Facebook.

TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS POSTGAME NOTES
• The Volunteers, who posted their 18th sellout in the last three seasons (2022-25) and fifth this year, improved to 35-15 all-time in Food City Center sellouts, including 34-13 since the 2007-08 capacity reduction and 24-7 in Barnes’ 10-year tenure.
• Tennessee is now 92-34 all-time when playing in front of 20,000-plus fans at Food City Center, including 33-10 under Barnes, with 28 of the latter 43 over the past four years (2021-25).
• Saturday’s crowd of 21,678 marked the eighth time in 2024-25, all in Tennessee’s last nine outings, over 19,000 fans have been in attendance at Food City Center.
• Tennessee improved to 82-60 all-time against Florida, with the 82 victories surpassing its tally against Auburn for sole possession of its fourth-most versus any team.
• The Volunteers are now 9-3 in their last 12 matchups with the Gators, dating to Feb. 21, 2018, after going 1-5 in the prior six.
• Tennessee improved to 4-3 all-time in AP top-25 showdowns with Florida, with this the second time in 2024-25 the teams met as top-10 foes after it never previously happened.
• Barnes is now 27-8 (.771) in the second leg of regular season home-and-home series over the past eight seasons (2017-25) with the Volunteers.
• Tennessee has now played four consecutive games versus AP top-15 foes, its first such stretch ever, as well as five straight home games against AP top-25 teams.
• The Volunteers improved to 7-1 (.875) all-time in AP top-10 home showdowns, including 4-1 (.800) as the lower-ranked side and a perfect 4-0 (all under Barnes) at Food City Center.
• Across its active 72-week streak in the AP Poll, which extends across the entirety of the last four seasons, Tennessee has now played just 15 of 119 games as a lower-ranked team, moving to 9-6 overall, including 8-4 since Jan. 22, 2022, as well as 6-2 versus SEC foes and a perfect 6-0 at home.
• The Volunteers improved to 33-25 (.569) in AP top-25 clashes under Barnes, including 18-5 (.783) at home and 5-3 (.625) in 2024-25.
• The above mark in AP top-25 matchups in the Barnes era features a 21-12 (.636) mark since Feb. 26, 2022, and a 12-5 (.706) figure since Dec. 9, 2023.
• The Volunteers are now 8-8 (.500) in AP top-10 showdowns under Barnes, including a perfect 4-0 at Food City Center.
• Tennessee moved to 21-8 (.724) at home against AP top-25 teams in Barnes’ tenure, including 16-2 (.889) since Jan. 30, 2021.
• Tennessee is now a perfect 6-0 at home versus AP top-five foes in the Barnes era, all since Jan. 24, 2017.
• According to ESPN research, Tennessee is the first team ever to win six straight home games against AP top-five opponents, breaking the record of five previously held by Kentucky from both 1978-84 and 1956-59.
• The Volunteers upped their record to 39-40 (.494) versus AP top-25 opponents under Barnes, including 23-13 (.639) since Jan. 22, 2022.
• Tennessee is now 10-9 (.526) against AP top-five teams in Barnes’ tenure, including 6-4 (.600) since Feb. 15, 2022.
• The Volunteers improved to 8-2 (.800) against AP top-five SEC programs under Barnes, including 7-1 (.875) since March 2, 2019.
• As announced before tip-off, Zeigler missed Saturday’s contest due to a right knee injury sustained Tuesday against No. 12 Kentucky and Miličić missed the game due to flu-like symptoms, giving the Volunteers seven available scholarship players.
• Zeigler’s absence snapped a 51-game starting streak that dated to Nov. 29, 2023, at North Carolina and led to the first starting lineup change this season for Tennessee.
• Prior to Saturday, the only six games Zeigler has missed in his career were the final six contests of the 2022-23 season after tearing his left ACL.
• Miličić previously started each of the first 21 games of the 2024-25 season, his first as a Volunteer.
• Saturday marked the first time in 2024-25 the Volunteers changed their starting lineup, as the same five were on the floor for opening tip in each of the first 21 contests.
• The only other time in 58 outings over the last two seasons a Tennessee starter missed a game was March 29, 2023, when Santiago Vescovi did not play in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 versus Creighton in Detroit.
• The last time Tennessee played without frequent two starters was Feb. 25, 2023, when Tyreke Key and Julian Phillips missed the outing versus South Carolina.
• In addition to playing with just seven available scholarship competitors, Okpara picked up his second foul after just 3:08 of action.
• Tennessee has conceded 35 or fewer first-half points in 20 of its 22 contests thus far, including 29 or fewer on 13 occasions and 22 or fewer seven times.
• The Volunteers have held a halftime advantage in 17 of their 22 outings this season, including a margin of seven-plus points 12 times, double digits 10 times, 12-plus eight times, 14-plus seven times and 23-plus thrice.
• The Volunteers have held a lead of 18-plus points in 16 of their 22 contests this season, including a margin of 26 in 10 of them.
• Sixteen of Tennessee’s 17 wins are by 12-plus points, with nine by at least 20, four by at least 35 and two by 40-plus.
• Tennessee now has 15 wins by 20-plus points over AP top-25 foes, including nine versus top-20 teams, six against top-15 foes and four against top-10 squads, with this its first against a top-five opponent.
• The Volunteers’ prior largest win over an AP top-five team was 19 when it defeated fourth-ranked Kentucky, 71-52, on March 2, 2019.
• The last time Florida scored fewer than 45 points in a game was Feb. 10, 1990, when it logged 40 at Georgetown, with its next outing (Feb. 12, 1990, against Kentucky) beginning a 1,167-game streak with 45-plus points.
• The Gators previously scored below 45 points just four times in the last 58 seasons (1967-25): 40 at Georgetown (Feb. 10, 1990), 44 at Alabama (Jan. 30, 1990), 42 versus Auburn (March 8, 1985, in Birmingham, Ala.), and at Alabama (Feb. 21, 1981).
• Of Florida’s last seven outings with 45 or fewer points, three are against Tennessee, as the two prior to the aforementioned four games were Jan. 21, 1967, at Tennessee (42) and Feb. 1, 1965, at Tennessee (43).
• The Gators shot below 25.0 percent for the first time in at least the last 20 seasons (2005-25) and below 26.0 for just the second, joining a 25.5 percent (13-of-51) showing versus Georgia Southern on Dec. 15, 2007.
• Saturday marked just the seventh time in the last seven seasons (2018-25) the Gators shot under 15.0 percent from 3-point range, including the first since a 7.7 percent (1-of-13) performance March 17, 2024, in the SEC Tournament title game versus Auburn in Nashville, Tenn.
• Florida is the first team to shoot under 30.0 percent in both halves against the Volunteers since Louisville on Nov. 9, 2024.
• Gainey, who made 61 starts in his two years at USC Upstate, earned his first such nod as a Volunteer.
• The 36:42 of action for Gainey eclipsed his prior season high if 34:18 at Illinois, while his five assists surpassed his previous top tally of four Nov. 9, 2024, at Louisville.
• Fifth-year guard Darlinstone Dubar, who made 106 starts across his four seasons at Iowa State (seven) and Hofstra (99), registered his first start at Tennessee.
• Dubar had multiple assists for the first  time as a Volunteer, notching three, plus played a season-high 25:49, eclipsing his prior mark of 17:26 set both Jan. 11 at Texas and Jan. 28 against Kentucky.
• Freshman guard Bishop Boswell played 10:53, 19 seconds shy of his career high, and tied a career best with three assists.
• For Phillips, who played 28:06, his previous career high in minutes came Dec. 3, 2024, versus Syracuse when he earned 26:10 of court time.
• Lanier has now connected on at least three 3-pointers in 16 of 22 outings at Tennessee, with four-plus in 12 and five-plus in seven.
• The eight rebounds for Mashack equaled the eight he tallied both March 29, 2024, versus Creighton in the NCAA Sweet 16 in Detroit and Feb. 18, 2024, at Kentucky.
• The prior outing this season in which Mashack had four assists—the mark is one shy of his career best—was Nov. 27, 2024, against UT Martin.