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Tennessee basketball: Vols drown the Gators to remain perfect in SEC play

By Billy Williford

KNOXVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 29: Grant Williams #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers and Admiral Schofield #5 of the Tennessee Volunteers celebrate on the bench during the second half of the game between the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles and the Tennessee Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena on December 29, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won 96-53. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images)
KNOXVILLE, TN - DECEMBER 29: Grant Williams #2 of the Tennessee Volunteers and Admiral Schofield #5 of the Tennessee Volunteers celebrate on the bench during the second half of the game between the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles and the Tennessee Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena on December 29, 2018 in Knoxville, Tennessee. Tennessee won 96-53. (Photo by Donald Page/Getty Images) /
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Tennessee basketball improves to 3-0 in SEC play with a win over the Florida Gators. Here are three takeaways from the game.

The No.3 Tennessee basketball team found themselves in a dogfight early. Hats off to the Gators who benefited from the hostile environment from the Florida faithful. Exactech Arena was electric making it difficult for Tennessee to find any rhythm on offense.

What a difference a game makes. Remember we mentioned in our preview that Florida shot just 23 percent from the three-point line against Arkansas. That shooting slump didn’t carry over.

The gameplan for Mike White and the Gators was to shoot the three ball when open, shoot the three ball when guarded, and if there is an open layup, shoot the three ball anyways. That’s exactly what the Gators did connecting on nine three-point shots in the first half. Nine!

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Florida took a 38-35 lead into the half which was the first halftime deficit for the Vols this season. But, it didn’t take long for Tennessee to take the lead after an 8-2 run the start the second half.

Everyone watching knew Florida wasn’t going to continue the hot shooting, or at least that hot, for the entire game and that’s when Tennessee finally took over.

Again, hats off to Florida, they hung around until the final seconds, but per usual, Tennessee just had too much in the end. Jimmy Dykes said it best as he was signing off, I’m paraphrasing, great teams don’t wait till after the game to make adjustments, they do it in game.

The Vols pull out a huge road win to move to 3-0 in the conference and extend their winning streak to ten games. Here are three takeaways from the game.

1. Jordan Bowden is NASTY

I’m not challenging Rick Barnes. However, there is no need to change anything with the starting lineup. Jordan Bowden just finished a three-game span that displayed potentially the three best games of his career.

Bowden scored 17 points off the bench and yet again didn’t have a great night shooting from the three-point line.

So what’s different?

He is more aggressive attacking the rim and is getting a lot of easy buckets in transition. I believe Tennessee is the most underrated team in the nation scoring in transition and a lot of that has to do with Jordan Bone and Bowden.

In the past three games, Bowden has scored 57 points off the bench, and he is doing it by only shooting 18 percent from deep. And he has seemed to find the role that fits him best.

2. Lamonte TREY Turner is settling in

Staying with bench players, Lamonte Turner looks like he’s back. And, right on cue, guess who made a big three when Tennessee needed it, Lamonte TREY Turner.

He only ended up making 2-of-6 from beyond the arc, but as always the two he hit came in clutch moments of the game.

This was Turner’s third game back, and it was his best performance of the year. In three games since returning from his injury, he’s scored 27 points and is playing smart basketball. He and Bowden off the bench make Tennessee almost unbeatable.

3. A GUSTY win by a GUSTY team

It’s impressive anytime you can go on the road in a hostile environment and pull out a win. It’s even more impressive when you win back-to-back conference road games, and you give up nine three-point shots in the first half.

Tennessee was very reactive to Florida’s gameplan instead of inflicting their style of play on the Gators. However, it just shows how good this team is and how they can win in many different circumstances.

10 offseason improvements Vols must make before 2019. dark. Next

There are still some members of the national media sleeping on the Vols, Joe Lundari, and that’s a mistake. They are hands down one of, if not the best team in the nation. Tennessee is back in action on Tuesday night against the Arkansas Razorbacks.

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