GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In a game where the No. 17/19 University of Florida men’s basketball team played from behind the majority of the way, junior guard Erving Walker (Brooklyn, N.Y.) ’s left-handed lay-up in traffic with 14 seconds left was the game-winner as the Gators pulled out a 61-60 victory over Tennessee to sweep the season series between the two rivals. With the win, Florida improved to 20-5 (9-2 Southeastern Conference) and stand two and a half games ahead of second place Vanderbilt in the SEC East and a half game above SEC West leader Alabama overall. This marks the 13th-consecutive season that Florida has reached the 20-win plateau, which is the longest active streak in the SEC, and trails only Kansas, Duke, Syracuse and Gonzaga nationally.
Two quick threes early gave Tennessee an early lead but an active Alex Tyus (St. Louis, Mo.) kept Florida in it. The senior forward tallied six points, four rebounds, a steal and an assist in the first 3:32 of the contest to knot the score at eight.
The Gators led by as many as four, after freshman guard Scottie Wilbekin (Gainesville, Fla.) drained a three with 11:31 left in the half but that precluded a 13-1 Volunteer run that gave Tennessee a eight-point edge.
The Orange and Blue battled back, using the free throw line to stay close. The Gators were 7-of-10 from the charity stripe in the first half while the Vols were 0-for-2. Four straight free throws from Wilbekin and Walker drew Florida within three before a Scotty Hopson trey sent Tennessee into intermission holding a 35-29 lead.
The Volunteers managed to keep their advantage above five until an Erik Murphy (South Kingstown, R.I.) trifecta cut the deficit to 40-38, forcing Tennessee to call a timeout.
Tennessee rattled off the next five points to build the lead back up to seven before Florida launched another run.
Back-to-back threes from Walker and senior forward Chandler Parsons (Casselberry, Fla.) drew the Gators within three and when senior center Vernon Macklin (Portsmouth, Va.) made his trademark jump hook and subsequently followed that with a steal and a coast-to-coast jam, Florida took its first lead since the 10:31 mark of the first half at 48-47.
The lead was short-lived as Melvin Goins, Josh Bone and Scotty Hopson combined for seven points on UT’s next three possessions to put them back on top 53-49 with 6:10 left in regulation.
Two Kenny Boynton (Pompano Beach, Fla.) free throws, a Macklin lay-up and a steal and flush from Tyus gave the Gators a 55-53 advantage heading into the final media timeout.
The teams traded baskets and Florida was clinging to a 59-56 lead when a short Brian Williams jumper brought the Vols within one. The Gators came up empty on their next trip and UT’s Cameron Tatum came up with a steal and completed the play with a lay-up to put Tennessee ahead 60-59 with 48 seconds remaining.
Tyus drew a foul with 31 seconds left on the other end but was unable to convert on either of his two free throw attempts, putting UF in a situation where they had to foul. Parsons committed a foul on Cameron Tatum with 25 ticks on the clock and Tennessee shooting the one-and-one. Tatum missed the front end and Tyus collected the rebound, giving the Gators a chance.
Walker brought the ball up, was able to get a step and drove past his defender, floating the ball with his left hand over the outstretched arms of Williams and Tobias Harris to give the Gators a 61-60 edge with 14 seconds to play.
Tennessee had a final chance as Goins attempted to drive on Walker. The junior guard cut off Goins’ penetration attempt, forcing the Volunteer guard to settle for a step-back three that fell short. Time expired before either side was able to corral the rebound as Florida escaped with the win.
Four Gators scored in double-figures, paced by Walker, who tallied 16 and was 9-of-10 from the foul line. Tyus recorded his second double-double of the campaign with 10 points and 11 rebounds—eight of which came in the opening stanza. As a team, Florida converted 16-of-22 (72.7 percent) from the free throw line while Tennessee was 4-of-10. Defensively, the Gators limited Tennessee to 10-of-23 (43.5 percent) shooting in the second half, including just 1-of-7 (14.3 percent) from beyond the arc.
Scotty Hopson led the Volunteers with 22 points, five rebounds and four assists while Brian Williams narrowly missed a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds.
UF is off until Sunday, Feb. 20, when the team heads to Baton Rouge, La. to face the LSU Tigers. The opening tip is scheduled for 1 p.m. and the game can be viewed nationally on ESPN.
