GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Chandler Parsons scored 19 points, Erving Walker broke out of a shooting slump and Florida beat No. 19 Tennessee 75-62 on Tuesday night.
Walker also finished with 19 points, 14 in the second half. Vernon Macklin added 13 points and 10 rebounds for Florida, which has won three in a row.
The Gators used a 27-6 run – highlighted by four 3-pointers and a bunch of points in the paint – to turn a close game into a lopsided affair.
The victory snapped Tennessee’s six-game winning streak in the series and gave Florida’s NCAA tournament resume a much-needed boost.
The Gators (20-8, 9-4 Southeastern Conference) won for the fourth time in the last 15 meetings and jumped the Volunteers (20-7, 8-5) in the Eastern Division. More importantly, Florida probably secured a spot in the NCAA field for the first time in three years.