Tennessee's Dalton Knecht and Florida's Riley Kugel, left, go after the ball Tuesday in Knoxville, Tenn.

Another Road Loss For Gators’ Men’s Basketball

The Florida Gators men’s basketball team’s road woes continued Tuesday night in chilly Knoxville, Tenn., after an 85-66 loss to the No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers.

The Gators (11-6, 1-3 SEC) dropped to 0-3 on the road this season, the seventh consecutive loss to the Volunteers (13-4, 3-1) away from home.

 

The Dalton Knecht Show

Florida struggled to find any offensive momentum in the first half. Florida excelled on the offensive boards, claiming 11. However, the Gators could not knock down shots, shooting 29% from the field and 25% from deep.

The opposite was the case for Tennessee. The Vols passed the ball efficiently with fifth-year grad-transfer guard Dalton Knecht picking up right where he left off. Knecht finished with a career-high 39 points in a game that was moved up two hours because of weather conditions.

https://twitter.com/Vol_Hoops/status/1747387755645321441

Knecht scored 36 against Georgia on Saturday and continued with a hot hand. Knecht only missed one shot in the first half, shooting 9-for-10 from the field and 3-for-3 from beyond the arc. Knecht scored 22 in the first half and helped give Tennessee a solid lead heading into the half, 44-32. 

Vols Overpower Gators

Florida came out fighting in the second half and with a game plan to get to the line. The Gators drove the ball to the basket and drew many fouls. Florida shot 21-for-25 from the charity stripe with 22 fast-break points.

Walter Clayton Jr., who has averaged 19 points per game in SEC play, totaled 12 second-half points but UF couldn’t provide enough for the offense. 

Florida men’s basketball coach Todd Golden cheers on his Gators against Tennessee on Tuesday in Knoxville, Tennessee.
[Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports]
Jonas Aidoo and Knecht combined for 58 of Tennessee’s points and dominated. These two kept energy high for the Vols that continuously disrupted Florida’s rhythm. The Gators were visible frustrated and outhustled on both ends of the ball.

Florida Stays on the Road

The Gators look to stop their road problems Saturday at Columbia, Missouri, in a battle with the Mizzou Tigers (8-9, 0-4). Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. on ESPNU, ESPN 98.1-FM/AM-850 WRUF.

About Hannah Mack

Check Also

Florida Men’s Basketball Opens No. 6 In NET Rankings

No. 13 Florida is ranked No. 6 in the first NET rankings released Monday by …