University of Tennessee Athletics
Saturday, January 10
Gainesville, FL
12 PM ET
University of Tennessee
at
Florida
HOOPS CENTRAL: #21/22 Tennessee vs. Florida
January 09, 2026 | Men's Basketball
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The No. 21/22 Tennessee men's basketball team (11-4, 1-1) is set to continue the 2025-26 slate Saturday, as they travel to Gainesville to face the Florida Gators (10-5, 1-1). Tip-off is set for 12 p.m. ET.
Fans can watch Saturday's game on ESPN and stream on the ESPN App. Dan Shulman (play-by-play) and Jay Bilas (color) will have the call.
Fans state-wide can tune in to their local Vol Network radio affiliate to hear Voice of the Vols Mike Keith and analyst John Wilkerson depict the action.
THE MATCHUP
• Tennessee's 82 wins over Florida are tied for its fourth-most versus any foe. It has 132 victories against Vanderbilt, 100 versus Georgia, 91 versus Mississippi State and an equal 82 against Auburn.
• UT is 9-4 in its last 13 matchups with Florida, dating to 2/21/18, after going 1-5 in the prior six.
• The Vols have won eight in a row over Florida at home, but dropped their last three on the road.
• Ranked UT teams are 16-8 all-time against unranked Florida teams, including 11-3 since 1/14/81. The Volunteers are 3-8 in Gainesville in such matchups.
• The two sides met three times last year, all with both in the AP top eight. Tennessee fell by 30 on the road, won by 20 at home (without two starters) and lost by nine in the SEC Tournament title game.
• After going 36-4 (14-4) and winning both the national title and the SEC Tournament last year, the Gators were picked to win the SEC this season.
• Junior forward Thomas Haugh, a Wooden Award Midseason Watch List pick, leads Florida at 17.5 ppg.
NEWS & NOTES
• Per KenPom, Tennessee (45.2) and Florida (44.2) rank first and second, respectively, in offensive rebounding percentage.
• The Vols own a 13-17 all-time ledger against reigning NCAA champions, including 6-12 away from home (3-9 on the road). The road wins came at Kentucky on 1/20/79, at Kentucky on 1/12/99 and at Florida on 3/5/08.
• Tennessee is 9-4 in its last 13 games against defending national champions, dating to 1/12/99. UT's last such outing was a 64-50 victory over Kansas on 11/25/22 in Paradise Island, Bahamas.
• The Volunteers' 64-44 win over Florida last season, on 2/1/25, was their fourth against an eventual NCAA champion. All four are against Florida, as the Gators lost to UT in each of their title-winning seasons (twice in 2005-06, once in 2006-07 and once in 2024-25).
• UT's win over Texas marked Rick Barnes' 113th in SEC play, moving him past Hank Crisp for sole possession of No. 18 all-time.
• Amari Evans is shooting 76.0% (19-of-25) in the last five games.• With 847 wins, Rick Barnes co-leads active DI coaches and is co-ninth all-time (min. 10 years in DI).
• Ja'Kobi Gillespie is one of just 14 DI players with multiple 32-point games this season. The only others in a Power Five league are Cameron Boozer, A.J. Dybantsa, Josh Hubbard, Nick Martinelli and Bruce Thornton.
• Gillespie, Boozer and Christian Anderson are the only three DI players with 34 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals in a regulation game this year.
• Tennessee, Alabama and Houston are the only schools to make the last three Sweet 16s. Tennessee, Alabama and Duke are the only three in the last two Elite Eights.
• UT finished a program-best fifth in the AP Poll, Coaches Poll and KenPom in 2023-24 and 2024-25.
• The Vols' 212 wins the last nine years (2017-26) rank seventh in DI. Only Houston (257), Gonzaga (255), Duke (234), Kansas (223), Purdue (220) and Saint Mary's (215) own more. Auburn (211), Liberty (210) and Arizona (209) round out the top 10.
DOWNED THE 2024-25 CHAMPION
• Tennessee notched a 64-44 home triumph over Florida (2/1/25) in the teams' second meeting last year. The Gators went on to win the national title.
• Florida's setback marked just the ninth all-time by 20-plus points for an eventual champion. It was the first by an SEC school, with the Volunteers also the first SEC team to earn such a win.
• The last time an eventual national title winner lost by 20-plus was on 12/7/15, a 78-55 neutral-site win by Oklahoma against Villanova. The last such result in league play was on 3/8/14 when Connecticut suffered an 81-48 setback at Louisville.
• Along with Tennessee, Oklahoma and Louisville, the other six schools to achieve the feat are Duke (1/17/02 against Maryland), Wake Forest (1/30/93 against North Carolina), North Carolina (3/10/91 against Duke [N]), Pittsburgh (3/2/85 against Villanova), Washington (2/22/75 against UCLA) and Illinois (12/4/64 against UCLA).
• UT now owns four all-time victories over eventual NCAA champions, all against Florida. The Vols beat the Gators twice in 2005-06 and once in 2006-07.
BEATING THE BEST
• Under Rick Barnes, Tennessee has 48 total victories over 15 (of the 37) NCAA champions: Arizona, Arkansas (8x), Baylor, Cincinnati, Duke, Florida (10x), Kansas (2x), Kentucky (12x), Louisville (3x), Maryland, North Carolina, NC State (2x), Syracuse (2x), UCLA, Virginia and Wisconsin.
• The Volunteers also own wins during Barnes' tenure over non-SEC teams such as Butler, Colorado (2x), Creighton, Georgia Tech (3x), Gonzaga, Houston, Illinois (2x), Iowa, Memphis, Miami, Purdue, Rutgers, St. Joseph's, Southern Cal, Texas (2x pre-SEC), Wake Forest (2x), Washington, West Virginia and VCU.
• In his 39 years as a head coach, Barnes owns 188 total wins over 28 (of the 37) programs with a national title. He has never coached against six of the other nine.
AMARI AWESOME AT ARKANSAS
• Amari Evans scored a career-high 16 points at #18 Arkansas (1/3/26) in his first SEC contest. He shot a perfect 7-of-7 from the field and led the Volunteers in scoring for the first time.
• Evans became the 16th Division I freshman in the last 20 seasons (2006-26) to make seven-plus field goals without a miss on the road against a Power Five foe, including the first since Creighton's Frederick King on on 12/16/22 at Marquette. The lone other SEC player to do so in that stretch is Andrew Nembhard on 2/16/19 at Alabama.
• Over the last three seasons (2023-26), the only other SEC freshman to go at least 7-of-7 from the field in any game is Justin Edwards, who did so on 2/24/25 against Alabama. Evans, Nembhard and Edwards are three of the only seven SEC freshmen in the last 20 seasons (2006-26) to achieve the feat in conference play.
• Evans' seven made field goals also set a career high, surpassing the five hit hit in the prior game against South Carolina State (12/30/25). He went 5-of-6 in that contest, making 11 straight shots across the two outings. Before scoring 30 points on 12-of-13 shooting in those two games, Evans had 18 total points on 7-of-19 shooting on the season.
GAMEDAY TIMES & BROADCAST INFO
- Opponent: Florida Gators
- Tipoff: Saturday, Jan. 10 | 12:00 p.m. ET
- Venue: Food City Center
- Watch Online: ESPN
- Online: Listen Live | Live Stats
RELATED LINKS
Follow @Vol_HoopsTENNESSEE
Roster Schedule Game NotesFLORIDA
Roster Schedule Game NotesTHE LATEST FROM THE VOLS
Ament on Wooden Award Midseason Top 25 Watch ListGillespie's 34 Points Lead #21/22 Vols to 85-71 Victory Against Texas Vols Sit #21/22 in First Polls of 2026#19/20 Vols Drop SEC Opener at #18 Arkansas, 86-75#19/20 Vols End Non-Conference Play with 105-54 Win Over South Carolina State Gillespie Shares USBWA Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week HonorsFans can watch Saturday's game on ESPN and stream on the ESPN App. Dan Shulman (play-by-play) and Jay Bilas (color) will have the call.
Fans state-wide can tune in to their local Vol Network radio affiliate to hear Voice of the Vols Mike Keith and analyst John Wilkerson depict the action.
THE MATCHUP
• Tennessee's 82 wins over Florida are tied for its fourth-most versus any foe. It has 132 victories against Vanderbilt, 100 versus Georgia, 91 versus Mississippi State and an equal 82 against Auburn.
• UT is 9-4 in its last 13 matchups with Florida, dating to 2/21/18, after going 1-5 in the prior six.
• The Vols have won eight in a row over Florida at home, but dropped their last three on the road.
• Ranked UT teams are 16-8 all-time against unranked Florida teams, including 11-3 since 1/14/81. The Volunteers are 3-8 in Gainesville in such matchups.
• The two sides met three times last year, all with both in the AP top eight. Tennessee fell by 30 on the road, won by 20 at home (without two starters) and lost by nine in the SEC Tournament title game.
• After going 36-4 (14-4) and winning both the national title and the SEC Tournament last year, the Gators were picked to win the SEC this season.
• Junior forward Thomas Haugh, a Wooden Award Midseason Watch List pick, leads Florida at 17.5 ppg.
NEWS & NOTES
• Per KenPom, Tennessee (45.2) and Florida (44.2) rank first and second, respectively, in offensive rebounding percentage.
• The Vols own a 13-17 all-time ledger against reigning NCAA champions, including 6-12 away from home (3-9 on the road). The road wins came at Kentucky on 1/20/79, at Kentucky on 1/12/99 and at Florida on 3/5/08.
• Tennessee is 9-4 in its last 13 games against defending national champions, dating to 1/12/99. UT's last such outing was a 64-50 victory over Kansas on 11/25/22 in Paradise Island, Bahamas.
• The Volunteers' 64-44 win over Florida last season, on 2/1/25, was their fourth against an eventual NCAA champion. All four are against Florida, as the Gators lost to UT in each of their title-winning seasons (twice in 2005-06, once in 2006-07 and once in 2024-25).
• UT's win over Texas marked Rick Barnes' 113th in SEC play, moving him past Hank Crisp for sole possession of No. 18 all-time.
• Amari Evans is shooting 76.0% (19-of-25) in the last five games.• With 847 wins, Rick Barnes co-leads active DI coaches and is co-ninth all-time (min. 10 years in DI).
• Ja'Kobi Gillespie is one of just 14 DI players with multiple 32-point games this season. The only others in a Power Five league are Cameron Boozer, A.J. Dybantsa, Josh Hubbard, Nick Martinelli and Bruce Thornton.
• Gillespie, Boozer and Christian Anderson are the only three DI players with 34 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals in a regulation game this year.
• Tennessee, Alabama and Houston are the only schools to make the last three Sweet 16s. Tennessee, Alabama and Duke are the only three in the last two Elite Eights.
• UT finished a program-best fifth in the AP Poll, Coaches Poll and KenPom in 2023-24 and 2024-25.
• The Vols' 212 wins the last nine years (2017-26) rank seventh in DI. Only Houston (257), Gonzaga (255), Duke (234), Kansas (223), Purdue (220) and Saint Mary's (215) own more. Auburn (211), Liberty (210) and Arizona (209) round out the top 10.
DOWNED THE 2024-25 CHAMPION
• Tennessee notched a 64-44 home triumph over Florida (2/1/25) in the teams' second meeting last year. The Gators went on to win the national title.
• Florida's setback marked just the ninth all-time by 20-plus points for an eventual champion. It was the first by an SEC school, with the Volunteers also the first SEC team to earn such a win.
• The last time an eventual national title winner lost by 20-plus was on 12/7/15, a 78-55 neutral-site win by Oklahoma against Villanova. The last such result in league play was on 3/8/14 when Connecticut suffered an 81-48 setback at Louisville.
• Along with Tennessee, Oklahoma and Louisville, the other six schools to achieve the feat are Duke (1/17/02 against Maryland), Wake Forest (1/30/93 against North Carolina), North Carolina (3/10/91 against Duke [N]), Pittsburgh (3/2/85 against Villanova), Washington (2/22/75 against UCLA) and Illinois (12/4/64 against UCLA).
• UT now owns four all-time victories over eventual NCAA champions, all against Florida. The Vols beat the Gators twice in 2005-06 and once in 2006-07.
BEATING THE BEST
• Under Rick Barnes, Tennessee has 48 total victories over 15 (of the 37) NCAA champions: Arizona, Arkansas (8x), Baylor, Cincinnati, Duke, Florida (10x), Kansas (2x), Kentucky (12x), Louisville (3x), Maryland, North Carolina, NC State (2x), Syracuse (2x), UCLA, Virginia and Wisconsin.
• The Volunteers also own wins during Barnes' tenure over non-SEC teams such as Butler, Colorado (2x), Creighton, Georgia Tech (3x), Gonzaga, Houston, Illinois (2x), Iowa, Memphis, Miami, Purdue, Rutgers, St. Joseph's, Southern Cal, Texas (2x pre-SEC), Wake Forest (2x), Washington, West Virginia and VCU.
• In his 39 years as a head coach, Barnes owns 188 total wins over 28 (of the 37) programs with a national title. He has never coached against six of the other nine.
AMARI AWESOME AT ARKANSAS
• Amari Evans scored a career-high 16 points at #18 Arkansas (1/3/26) in his first SEC contest. He shot a perfect 7-of-7 from the field and led the Volunteers in scoring for the first time.
• Evans became the 16th Division I freshman in the last 20 seasons (2006-26) to make seven-plus field goals without a miss on the road against a Power Five foe, including the first since Creighton's Frederick King on on 12/16/22 at Marquette. The lone other SEC player to do so in that stretch is Andrew Nembhard on 2/16/19 at Alabama.
• Over the last three seasons (2023-26), the only other SEC freshman to go at least 7-of-7 from the field in any game is Justin Edwards, who did so on 2/24/25 against Alabama. Evans, Nembhard and Edwards are three of the only seven SEC freshmen in the last 20 seasons (2006-26) to achieve the feat in conference play.
• Evans' seven made field goals also set a career high, surpassing the five hit hit in the prior game against South Carolina State (12/30/25). He went 5-of-6 in that contest, making 11 straight shots across the two outings. Before scoring 30 points on 12-of-13 shooting in those two games, Evans had 18 total points on 7-of-19 shooting on the season.
Players Mentioned
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