No. 6 Tennessee took down SEC rival Florida, in an 85-66 matchup inside Food City Center.
Initially, tip-off was set for 7 p.m. But, due to inclement weather conditions, the game started at 5 p.m., according to a release from the University of Tennessee.
Tennessee's starting five included Zakai Zeigler, Santiago Vescovi, Dalton Knecht, Josiah-Jordan James and Jonas Aidoo. Jonas Aidoo notched Tennessee's first four points. His first was a relentless layup off multiple offensive boards and an unguarded jumper.
Tennessee was coming in hot offensively right from the start. A Knecht putback dunk and a James' three put the Vols up early by five, 9-4.
Both teams combined with seven offensive rebounds in the first four minutes, and an aggressive, competitive game was building up inside Food City Center.
Jahmai Mashack knocked down a deep jumper, and soon after, Vesovi threw a quick pass to Mashack down below for another two points with about eleven minutes left in the first half. Tennessee was up 16-11.
Tennessee went on an 8-0 run after Aidoo hit his second jumper on the night. With 7:50 remaining, the Gators were shooting 22.2% compared to the Vols, who shot 52.6% from the field.
Knecht slammed another dunk in off a Zeilger assist to put Tennessee up by twelve. The fifth-year guard made a heavily guarded left layup on Tennessee's next possession to make it a 26-14 game.
Knecht was heating up at this point. He scored 14 straight for Tennessee in four minutes with 3:02 left on the clock. To end the half, he finished with 22 points, went 9-10 from the field, and 3-3 from three. Tennessee was up 44-32 at the half.
Aidoo started the half with the first six points, then Zeigler scored an and one to put Tennessee up 53-37. Knecht and Aidoo combined for 36 points with 16 minutes remaining in the matchup.
A Zeigler three from beyond the arc and a steal on the next possession helped put the Vols up by 20.
Knecht had yet to score in the second half at this point. He attempted a jumper, but it was freshman J.P. Estrella with the putback to extend Tennessee's lead further, 59-42, with 14 minutes remaining.
Knecht was sent to the line with about 11 minutes left. With his second made free throw, he scored the most points in a three-game span for Tennessee with 90 since Christ Lofton in 2006. By the end of the game, he scored 103 in the Vols' last three games.
Tennessee's lead continued to grow, and Florida could not catch up, not even with a 12-2 run in the second half.
Tennessee finished shooting 31-60 from the field, and 6-18 from beyond the arc.
Knecht led in scoring with a career-high 39 points while also picking up a career-high eight rebounds. Aidoo secured his second straight double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. This was his third double-double in four SEC games so far this season.
Next up, the Vols host Alabama inside Food City Center on Saturday, Jan. 20. The tip-off for that game will start at 2 p.m.
