If No. 1 Tennessee is going to set a new program record for the best start to a season, the Vols will have to pass their biggest test to date: No. 8 Florida on the road at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville.
Tennessee (14-0, 1-0 SEC) is at Florida (13-1, 0-1) on Tuesday in a 7 p.m. Eastern Time start on ESPN2, looking for a 15th straight win to start the season. The Vols on Saturday tied the program record in the 76-52 win over Arkansas, matching the 1922-23 Tennessee team’s 14-0 start.
Florida entered Saturday as one of three undefeated teams left in college basketball, with the Vols, Gators and Oklahoma all having 13-0 records. Florida lost 106-100 at No. 6 Kentucky and Oklahoma lost 107-79 at No. 5 Alabama, leaving Tennessee as the last undefeated team left in the country.
No. 1 Tennessee at No. 8 Florida: How To Watch
Start Time: Tuesday, 7 p.m. Eastern Time
TV: ESPN2
Streaming: ESPN App or WatchESPN.com
Radio: WNML-FM 99.1 in Knoxville. The Vol Network radio broadcast can be heard on local affiliates across the state of Tennessee.
KenPom Prediction: Tennessee 74, Florida 73 (52% chance to win)
The Line: Tennessee -1.5
Cade Phillips listed as questionable on injury report
Tennessee sophomore forward Cade Phillips on Monday night was listed as questionable on the injury report for the Florida game. Phillips appeared to injure his left shoulder in the second half of Saturday’s 76-52 win over Arkansas at Food City Center.
Phillips had a brace on his left shoulder during practice on Monday morning, doing individual work on the side with members of the coaching staff.
He was hurt going after a loose ball against the Razorbacks on Saturday. He went into the tunnel by the Tennessee bench briefly before rejoining his teammates in the huddle during a timeout.
Tennessee has won 9 of 12 against Florida under Rick Barnes
Tennessee is 9-3 against Florida under Rick Barnes, with all three losses coming in Gainesville: 83-70 in 2017, 75-49 in 2021 and 67-54 in 2023.
The Vols were ranked No. 2 in their last trip to Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center on February 1, 2023. The Gators jumped out to a 17-4 lead over before the game was seven minutes old and never looked back in the 13-point win.
Zakai Zeigler scored 15 points and Santiago Vescovi and Olivier Nkamhoua scored 11 each in the loss. Colin Castleton led Florida with 20 points and nine rebounds, ahead of 14 points from Kyle Lofton.
Tennessee beat Florida 85-66 in Knoxville last season, with Dalton Knecht going off for 39 points.
