GAINESVILLE, Fla. – So, simply to double-check, which crew got here into Tuesday’s night time’s heavyweight, top-10 Southeastern Convention conflict rated first nationally in protection?
Oh, and which was the No. 1 crew within the nation, once more?
Why ask? As a result of eighth-ranked Florida smothered top-ranked Tennessee into 21-percent taking pictures, together with simply 4 of 29 from the 3-point line – that is 13.8 p.c – and held the unbeaten Volunteers practically 27 factors under their season common. When the smoke (and carnage) cleared, the Gators had obliterated the Vols 73-43 in entrance of a crazed sell-out crowd at Exactech Enviornment/O’Connell Heart that not solely witnessed simply the third victory in program historical past over a No. 1-ranked opponent – and first at dwelling – however essentially the most lopsided rout of a crew atop the Related Press ballot in 57 years.
That is proper. Since Lew Alcindor and UCLA beat Elvin Hayes and No. 1 Houston 101-69 within the 1968 NCAA semifinals. It was the third-largest margin of defeat for No. 1 for the reason that AP ballot started in 1948.
“I believe we simply introduced the physicality tonight,” sophomore ahead Alex Condon stated after the Gators their consecutive dwelling successful streak to 16 video games. “They are a very bodily crew and the refs let it go tonight. I believe that was the important thing to the win.”
The sport was by no means shut, with the Gators (14-1, 1-1), who by no means trailed, leaping on their league rival for the primary dozen factors and by no means wanting again. Fifth-year guard Alijah Martin led all scorers with 18 factors and 6 rebounds, with Condon netting his second double-double of the season with 12 factors and 12 rebounds. Backup level guard Denzel Aberdeen threw in a season-high 16 factors, whereas middle Rueben Chinyelu beasted his technique to 15 rebounds and led a UF inside assault that outscored the body-banging Vols (14-1, 1-1) 40-14 within the paint and out-rebounded them 55-38, together with 19-13 on the offensive finish.
Few exterior this system might have seen this role-reversal coming. However UF coach Todd Golden, ever the believer, sensed indicators of a severe bounce-back from his crew coming off Saturday’s disappointing, largely defenseless efficiency in a 106-100 loss at No. 10 Kentucky within the SEC opener.
However a 30-point bludgeoning?
“We knew this was going to be a very difficult sport for us, however we additionally consider we’re attending to that time the place we count on to win a lot of these video games,” Golden stated after turning into this system’s second coach (alongside Billy Donovan, who did it twice) to beat a top-ranked crew. “I do know it is arduous to say whenever you host the No. 1 crew within the nation that you simply count on to win, however I believe our program did going into this sport tonight. We had good prep. I believed we had actually good mentality, had shoot-around [Tuesday afternoon], and our guys, they have been simply prepared for it. You possibly can sense if guys are nervous or if they don’t seem to be making ready the proper manner, and I believed we have been actually locked in. I believed our efficiency confirmed that.”
On each ends. No, the Gators weren’t their rip-roaring offensive selves that started the sport ranked No. 3 in offensive effectivity. Nor have been they the crew that noticed its defensive digits plummet following the unfastened efficiency towards the Wildcats. UF shot 39.7 p.c towards UT and dropped solely six of 20 from the 3-point line (30 p.c). However these numbers have been higher than the 34.9 and 24.3, respectively, the Vols had allowed of their first 14 video games. Florida’s 73 factors (with scoring chief Walter Clayton Jr. held to only seven) have been essentially the most towards Tennessee this season and 14 higher than the Vols’ 55.9 allowed per sport.
Nevertheless it was on the Florida defensive finish that the sport was turned on its head.
“I believed they have been terrific,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes stated of the house squad.
The UF protection that confirmed up towards UT appeared nothing like that one which was sliced and diced three days earlier at Rupp Enviornment, the place the Wildcats shot 58 p.c, bombed in 14 from distance in a six-point defeat that left Golden’s Gators feeling like they let an incredible alternative slip away.
Take a wild guess what they centered on most within the run-up to this one.
“We have been extra intentional, extra locked into the scout,” Martin stated of the Florida protection. “I simply noticed one thing completely different in everybody’s eyes. We have been going by means of [opposing] gamers’ tendencies and everyone appeared locked in. if we are able to do that each sport, we’ll be nice.”
They have been, no query, nice on protection this time. UT went greater than seven minutes earlier than making its first subject objective. The Vols trailed 34-15 on the half after going 4-for-29 general and lacking all 14 of their 3s earlier than intermission. SEC scoring chief Chaz Lanier, averaging 20.3 factors per sport, was held to only two factors.
“At halftime, we talked concerning the defensive sport plan and what we needed to do higher,” Aberdeen stated.
Do higher? Higher than 4 subject targets allowed?
“We principally stated popping out within the second half that we let [North Carolina last month] come again into it a bit of bit, and we weren’t proud of our second half defensive efficiency towards Kentucky,” Condon stated. “So simply making certain that we saved the foot on the fuel was a giant emphasis for us.”
Lower than 4 minutes out of the locker room, the Gators’ lead was 25. With six minutes to go, it was 36. When the ultimate horn sounded, the Vols had simply 12 subject targets and their fewest factors within the 10 seasons and 128 video games with Barnes on their sidelines.
“We have been dominant from begin to end,” Golden stated.
When the ultimate seconds ticked away, the O’Dome — with orange and blue royalty Steve Spurrier, Billy Napier, Jason Williams, Clifford Lett, Brian Hogan and Wyatt Langford in the home — celebrated one thing that had by no means occurred in this system’s historical past: a No. 1 takedown on the house ground.
“This was an ideal sport for us, clearly. I am extremely happy with our gamers and our employees, as a result of we ready rather well for this sport, and I believed our guys did every little thing that we requested them to do, after which some. They have been the rationale why we bought this consequence,” Golden stated after this system improved to 3-17 all-time towards top-ranked foes, with their first since beating Ohio State within the 2007 NCAA championship sport. “However now our largest factor is this cannot be the spotlight of our season. It is superior within the second, and we will take pleasure in it tonight.”
Then it is again to the fitness center to start working towards Saturday’s highway journey to Arkansas, simply the third sport of an 18-game SEC mine subject that is already featured two video games towards top-10 groups.
And one (as in No. 1) for the historical past books.
Electronic mail senior author Chris Harry at chrish@gators.ufl.edu
