KNOXVILLE — For more than 30 minutes, the University of Tennessee men’s basketball team played its best defensive game of the season as it opened a 19-point lead.
The Volunteers would capture a crucial Southeastern Conference win over Florida Saturday afternoon at Thompson-Boling Arena.
LETTTSSSS GOOOOOOO pic.twitter.com/awtjQ4ZFyq
— Tennessee Basketball (@Vol_Hoops) February 29, 2020
Tennessee, which held the Gators to 17 first-half points, had to hold on for a 63-58 victory.
The Vols had a 47-28 lead with 12 minutes to go before Florida (18-11 overall. 10-6 in the SEC) stormed back to pull to within 55-54 before John Fulkerson hit his first career 3-pointer to make in 58-54.
In the end, it was Fulkerson who lifted the Vols (16-13, 8-8) as he came up big late.
The redshirt junior center finished with 22 points, including the long-range bomb and a late putback dunk to make it 60-56 with 46.6 seconds remaining in the contest.
Josiah-Jordan James had 12 points for UT. Santiago Vescovi added 11 and Jordan Bowden finished with 10.
Kerry Blackshear Jr. led Florida with 20 points. Noah Locke finished with 15.