Gators Men’s Hoops Go Down in Knoxville

The Tennessee Volunteers have now won six-straight SEC games following last night’s 64-58 upset win over No. 8 Florida in Knoxville.

Florida struggled as they shot only 42 percent from the field and only 23 percent from long distance. Gators coach Billy Donovan was not pleased with his team’s shot selection.

Three Gators scored in double digits with senior guard Mike Rosario leading the team with 16 points, followed by junior center Patric Young with 15 points on 6 of 10 shooting. Junior forward Casey Prather came off the bench to add 10 points. He left the game with four minutes left in the second half after colliding with Rosario for a rebound. Donovan doesn’t know the extent of Prather’s injury, but he was pleased with how his injury depleted team hung around against the Vols.

For the Vols, junior guard Jordan McRae led the team in scoring with 27 points, and he was the only Rocky Top member to score in double digits. Sophomore forward Jarnell Strokes lead the team did grab 14 rebounds as the Vols out rebounded Florida. Coach Donovan thinks the rebounding of Stokes was a key turning point in the contest.

UF now only holds a one game lead in the Southeastern Conference over the Alabama Crimson Tide. Ironically enough, Florida welcomes that same Crimson Tide team to the Stephen C. O’Connell Center Saturday afternoon. Be sure to catch all the live action right here on ESPN Radio 850/900 or on our sister station, Country 103.7 The Gator starting at 11:25 a.m. Saturday morning.