GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Having matched the best start in program history (14-0), the top-ranked Tennessee men’s basketball team travels south to face No. 8 Florida in its first SEC road contest of the season Tuesday Saturday. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. ET.
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GAMEDAY TIMES & BROADCAST INFO
- Opponent: Florida Gators
- Tipoff: Tuesday, Jan. 7 | 7 p.m. ET
- Venue: Exactech Arena at Stephen C. O’Connell Center
- Watch Online: ESPN2
- Online: Listen Live | Live Stats
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TENNESSEE
FLORIDA
THE LATEST FROM THE VOLS
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Fans can catch Tuesday’s game between the Volunteers (14-0, 1-0 SEC) and Gators (13-1, 0-1 SEC) on ESPN2. Karl Ravech (play-by-play) and Jimmy Dykes (analyst) will have the call.
Fans can also listen live on their local Vol Network affiliate to hear Bob Kesling and Steve Hamer describing the action.
In its most recent action Saturday afternoon, Tennessee took down No. 23/RV Arkansas, 76-52, in front of a sold-out crowd at Food City Center to open league play. UT solidified its best start in program history, set 102 years ago in 1922-23, with the dominant triumph in which it led by as many as 27 and trailed for just 3:09. Fifth-year guard Chaz Lanier led all scorers with a season-high 29 points, his third straight showing with 20-plus, for the victors.
THE MATCHUP
• Tennessee’s 81 wins over Florida are tied for its fourth-most versus any foe. It has 131 victories against Vanderbilt, 99 versus Georgia, 90 versus Mississippi State and an equal 81 against Auburn.
• The Volunteers are 8-2 in their last 10 matchups with Florida , dating to 2/21/18, after going 1-5 in the prior six affairs.
• This is the fourth consecutive trip to Gainesville, Fla., in which the Volunteers are ranked in the AP top six. It had just one such visit before this streak, on 1/20/68.
• Florida will become the first team Tennessee has played thrice while in the AP top two. The top-ranked Vols earned a 73-61 home win on 2/9/19 and second-ranked UT dropped a 67-54 road decision on 2/1/23. The Gators were unranked in both of those meetings.
• After going 24-12 (11-7) and reaching the NCAA Tournament last season, the Gators placed sixth in the SEC preseason poll.
• Florida is led by senior guard Walter Clayton Jr., a preseason First Team All-SEC honoree who is averaging 18.3 ppg and 3.9 apg.
NEWS & NOTES
• Tennessee is the only undefeated team in the country. Florida and Oklahoma both lost on 1/4/25.
• UT is 5-4 in road SEC road openers under Rick Barnes, including 4-2 in the last six such contests.
• The Volunteers are 14-2 all-time at No. 1 in the AP Poll, including 13-1 in Rick Barnes‘ tenure (6-0 in 2023-24, 7-1 in 2018-19). Among schools that have played at least a dozen games as the AP No. 1 team, UT’s .875 winning percentage is tied for the 12th-best mark ever.
• The Vols are 28-4 all-time as an AP top-three team, including 24-2 under Barnes. Among teams that have played at least 20 games ranked in the AP top three, their .875 winning percentage is the co- eighth-best ledger ever.
• UT beat Arkansas by 24, 76-52, in its SEC opener. It marked the seventh-largest win over an AP top-25 foe in program history. Chaz Lanier had a season-high 29 points and Igor Miličić Jr., grabbed a career-best 18 boards, the most by a Vol since 3/23/14.
• Jahmai Mashack is co-eighth in DI with three-plus steals seven times.
• The Volunteers are 14-0 for the second time ever, joining an equal 14-0 start in 1922-23.
• Tennessee is on a 14-game winning streak for the fourth time ever, including the third in a single season and second in the last century. It won 19 straight in 2018-19 (11/28/18 to 2/13/19), 15 in a row in a three-season span from 1914-15 to 1916-17 (2/19/15 to 1/13/17) and 14 consecutive games in 1922-23 (1/8/23 to 2/20/23).
• Chaz Lanier, who leads the SEC with 20.3 ppg, has scored 22- plus points in seven of the last 10 games, with 26-plus thrice.
• Zakai Zeigler (207) is five steals behind Santiago Vescovi (2019- 25) for the UT all-time record.
• UT is 20-10 (.667) in its last 30 AP top-25 matchups, since 1/22/22. That includes an 11-5 (.688) mark with both in the top 15.
• The Volunteers’ 185 wins over the last eight years (2017-25) rank seventh nationally. Only Gonzaga (225), Houston (218), Kansas (200), Duke (197), Purdue (192) and San Diego State (186) possess more.
WINNING WAYS
• Over the last eight seasons (2017-25), Tennessee paces all SEC programs in total wins (185) and overall winning percentage (.737), plus is tied for first in postseason victories (18). In that span, UT has three SEC titles (2018 and 2024 regular seasons, 2022 tournament).
• In that same eight-year stretch, the Vols are one of only three SEC teams with an overall winning percentage above even .660, alongside Auburn (.735) and Kentucky (.706).
• In SEC play over the same eight-year period, Tennessee (87-39; .690) is second in the league, behind Kentucky (88-38; .698), in both victories and winning percentage. Only Auburn (82-45; .647) and Alabama (79-48; .622) have even 70-plus wins.
• Over just the last four seasons (2021-25), the Volunteers own an 93-28 (.769) overall record, that is good for the most victories and best winning percentage in the SEC over that span.
• In that same four-year span, Tennessee (40-15; .727) is tied with Kentucky for the best record in conference play among SEC teams.
RACKING UP RANKED VICTORIES
• TOP 25: In the past four years (2021-25), Tennessee has an SEC-best 22 AP top-25 wins, good for fourth nationally,. It is behind just Kansas (24), Connecticut (23) and Iowa State (23). Only Purdue (21) is even within two of the Volunteers, while the closest SEC school is three behind (Alabama with 19).
• TOP 20: Tennessee possesses an SEC-high 19 AP top-20 wins over that span, the third-most of any DI school, trailing only Connecticut (22) and Kansas (21). The only other schools with even 17-plus are Purdue (18) and Iowa State (17). The closest SEC program is three shy (Alabama with 15).
• TOP 15: The Volunteers own an SEC-best 16 AP top-15 decisions over those four seasons, good for second-most in the country, trailing just Kansas (19). Only Iowa State (14) is even within two of Tennessee, while the closest SEC team is three behind (Alabama with 13).
• TOP 10: Since 2021-22, Tennessee owns eight AP top-10 triumphs, second in the SEC and co- sixth nationally, alongside North Carolina. Only Connecticut (11), Iowa State (11), Kansas (11), Purdue (10) and Kentucky (nine) have more. The eight such wins in that time are against #1 Alabama (2/15/23), #3 Kansas (11/25/22), #3 Auburn (2/26/22), #4 Kentucky (2/15/22), #5 Kentucky (3/12/22), #6 Arizona (12/22/21), #10 Texas (1/28/23) and at #10 Kentucky (2/3/24).
• TOP FIVE: In that same four-year span, UT has five AP top-five wins, tied with Alabama, Arizona and Iowa State for the most in the country. Only two other schools, Gonzaga and Purdue, have even four.
…AND DOING SO EFFICIENTLY
• Tennessee, at 22-14 (.611), has the SEC’s best record versus AP top-25 opponents over the last four seasons (2021-25). Auburn (13-10 .565) ranks second, while no one else has a mark above .520.
• The Volunteers are 10 games over .500 (19-9; .679) against AP top-20 teams in that span, while just one other SEC team, Auburn (11-8; .579), is even at a .500 clip.
• UT is also 10 games over .500 (16-6; .727) versus AP top-15 foes in that time, while the next closest SEC team in winning percentage, Auburn (8-6; .571), has half as many wins with the same amount of losses.
• At 8-5 (.615), the Volunteers have the best record in the SEC against AP top-10 foes over those four seasons. Kentucky (9-8; .529) places a distant second and no one else is above a .500 mark.
• Tennessee (5-4; .556) is the only SEC team with a winning receord versus AP top-five teams in that four-year stretch. Arkansas (3-3; .500) ranks second, while all others are under a .500 tally.
• The Volunteers, despite their excellent winning percentage, have played the fourth-most games (36) against AP top-25 foes of any SEC team in the last four years (2021-25). They trail just Texas (43), Oklahoma (40) and Alabama (37) in such outings, while no other SEC school is above 31.
POLL PRESENCE
• Tennessee has played 217 games as a ranked team in the AP Poll in Rick Barnes‘ tenure, posting a 165-52 (.760) record. Over 68.0 percent of the Volunteers’ 317 games since Barnes arrived in 2015- 16 have come with the team ranked in the AP Poll, all since 2017-18 (217 of 251, 86.5 percent).
• UT is 144-47 (.754) while in the AP top 20 under Barnes, 113-34 (.769) while top-15, 87-25 (.777) while top-10, 43-12 (.782) while top-five, 24-2 (.923) while top-three and 13-1 (.929) while No. 1.
• The Vols are 30-22 (.577) in AP top-25 matchups under Barnes, including 23-15 (.605) with both teams in the top 20, 14-9 (.609) with both in the top 15 and 7-6 (.538) with both in the top 10.
DYNAMITE “D” A UT TRADEMARK
• Tennessee, through 1/4/25, ranks second first in KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency (87.1), just ahead of second-place Houston (87.2).
• The Volunteers finished third in 2023-24 in KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency (90.2) and placed fifth in DI in field-goal percentage defense (39.4).
• In 2022-23, Tennessee led the nation in KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency (87.5), holding the top spot for 15 total weeks. The Vols also led all DI teams in 3-point defense (26.5) that year, as well as ranked third in both scoring defense (57.9) and field-goal percentage defense (37.3).
• In five of the last seven seasons (2017-24), UT has finished top-10 in KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency: third in 2023-24, first in 2022-23, third in 2021-22, fifth in 2020-21 and sixth in 2017-18.
• UT, through 1/5/25, has won 42 times in a row when holding its foe under 60 points, including posting a dazzling 22-0 mark in 2022-23.
• The Vols, through 1/5/25, have won 49 straight when allowing 50 points or fewer, since 12/29/12. That includes 12 such victories in 2022-23, matching Houston for the most of any team that season.
HIGH-CALIBER COMPANY
• Tennessee and Kansas are the only two schools to earn an AP top-five ranking in each of the last four seasons (2021-25). Only two others, Arizona and Purdue, entered 2024-25 with a three-year streak.
• The Volunteers are one of only four teams to reach the AP top six in each of the past five seasons, alongside Alabama, Houston and Kansas.
• UT is one of just five programs to reach the AP top six in at least six of the last seven seasons (2018- 25), alongside Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas and Kentucky. Those are also the only five schools to enter the AP top five in at least five different years in that stretch.
• The Vols are among only seven teams to reach the No. 1 spot in the AP Poll in at least two of the last seven seasons (2018-25), joining Baylor, Duke, Gonzaga, Houston, Kansas and Purdue.
• Over that same seven-year stretch (2018-25), UT is also one of seven teams to claim an AP top-two position in at least three seasons, alongside Baylor, Connecticut, Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas and Purdue.
• Tennessee is one of just seven schools to earn an AP top-20 ranking in each of the past eight years (2017- 25), alongside Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan State and North Carolina. Just two others— Houston and Purdue—have even reached the AP top 25 in each of those seasons.
• Additionally, over the last three seasons (2022- 25), the Vols are one of just five teams to reach the AP top two in multiple seasons, joining Alabama, Connecticut, Kansas and Purdue.
POLL VOLS
• Tennessee has appeared in every AP Poll since the 2021-22 preseason rankings, a total of 69 releases in a row, vastly surpassing the prior program record of 37 from March 1999 to Feb. 2001. The Volunteers have been in the top 10 in 39 of those 69 releases, including the top five on 19 occasions.
• UT’s 69-week streak is the third-longest in the country, behind only Houston (95) and Kansas (74). No other team is at even 50-plus, while the closest in the SEC, Kentucky (31), is 38 weeks behind.
• Dating to the 2020-21 preseason poll, UT has made 83 of 86 releases (not the final three of 2020-21), with 45 top-10 spots and still 19 in the top five.
• UT reached No. 1 in the nation this season, peaked at fourth last year, ascended to second in 2022-23, ended 2021-22 at a season-best fifth and placed as high as sixth in 2020-21.
• The Vols, who hit No. 1 in 2018-19, have been in the AP top six in six of the past seven years (2018-25). It hit that mark an equal six times in program history before Rick Barnes‘ tenure (2007-08, 2000-01, 1999-2000, 1969-70, 1967-68 and 1958-59).
• UT has been in the AP top five in five of the last seven seasons (2018-25). It achieved that feat an equal five times before Barnes’ arrival (each of the above six seasons except for 1969-70).
• The 2024-25 campaign marks the eighth in a row Tennessee has earned an AP top-20 ranking. The prior such program record was seven straight seasons (1966-67 to 1972-73).
• UT’s 15-week AP top-10 streak (12/18/23 to 4/9/24) to close the 2023-24 campaign was the second- longest in program history. Three of the Vols’ five all-time double-digit streaks have come since 2018- 19 under Rick Barnes.
