Tennessee Defeats Florida

Last nights game between Tennessee and Florida was a very close match-up. Viewers got a chance to see an excellent game, where both teams moved up and down the court with intensity. Tyler Smith scored 19 points, Wayne Chism added 18 and Tennessee snapped Florida’s 17-game home-winning streak with a 79-75 victory on Sunday. The Volunteers won on the road for the first time in four games and moved into a tie with South Carolina atop the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division. More importantly, the Vols (18-10, 9-5) strengthened their NCAA tournament resume with their fifth consecutive win against Florida (21-8, 8-6).

NCAA basketball tickets are available at stubhub.com

The Gators fought desperately until the end of the game. Florida trailed 59-43 midway through the second, but used a barrage of big shots to make it 75-72 with one minute left. The excitement continued when Scotty Hopson tipped Erving Walker’s tying 3-point attempt, then Nick Calathes misfired on a baseline drive.  Although Calathes led the Gators with 20 points and seven assists and Walker added 16, it wasn’t enough to pull past the Vols. Smith had a dominate game and was a major factor in the victory for Tennessee. He nailed 3 of 4 free throws in the final 17 seconds to seal it. This game will most likley remain on the minds of the Gators until the next time these two teams face off.

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