Tennessee forward Jarnell Stokes (5) battles for a rebound in his NCAA basketball game against Florida in Knoxville in this Feb. 11, 2014, file photo.KNOXVILLE – It was the kind of hustle play that possibly could save a season. It certainly helped save Tennessee during its frantic first half against No. 3 Florida on Tuesday night.
Yet another Big Orange free throw clanging off the rim, UT’s Jarnell Stokes ripped a rebound out of the arms of the Gators’ Will Yeguete, spun to his right and dropped a soft half-hook through the net. After trailing by eight early, the Volunteers suddenly led 28-26 with 5:01 to play in the opening period. The lead would grow to six a little less than four minutes from halftime, the final flurry of a 10-0 run.
But the Gators hadn’t entered Thompson-Boling Arena on a 15-game winning streak for no reason. During the final media timeout of the opening period, UF coach Billy Donovan pulled his team close and said, “That’s the best shot they’re going to throw at us. We can weather this.”
By halftime the Vols led by only one (34-33) despite having hit 62.5 percent of their first-half shots from the field to just 36.4 percent for Florida.
“I was really encouraged at that point,” Donovan said. “Normally that would be a recipe to be down 12 or 16. But we were within one.”