The SEC Tournament Championship was on Sunday, with the Vols facing off against the Gators for the SEC title.
In a loud Bridgestone Arena filled mostly with Volunteer supporters, the Gators drained out the noise and took home the title trophy after coming up just short a season ago.
Florida wins the SEC Tournament for the first time since 2014.
Micah Handlogten’s season ended last season with a gruesome leg injury in Nashville on the same court, and this year, he hoisted the trophy.
Walter Clayton Jr. was named SEC Tournament MVP. Alijah Martin, Zakai Zeigler, Johni Broome, and Jordan Gainey were SEC All-Tournament Team.
“The way we play collectively, we have a chance to win the national championship,” said head coach Todd Golden after the Gators win.
Final Score:
Florida 86 Tennessee 77
Takeaway #1: Florida dominates glass
Florida has been one of the best teams on the glass this season, and that did not change in this game, dominating the glass 39-25, with Tennessee being one of the top rebounding teams in the country. Every time Tennessee got a stop or a little bit of momentum, a big second chance opportunity, and the Gators would capitalize on it.
The Gators held the Vols bigs to a combined five rebounds, which made it tough for runouts and transition opportunities, with the guards having to help out in the rebounding department.
Alex Condon has been a monster all year on the glass. The big man out of Australia has been getting tons of NBA draft hype, with nine rebounds on the afternoon.
Takeaway #2: The guard tandem of Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard, and Alijah Martin best guard trio in America
The best guard trio in America dominated yet again. The guards win in March, and Clayton Jr., Richard, and Martin again dominate.
Martin only finished with 12, but the explosive drives and clutch threes, combined with the final-four experience from two years ago, are a big-time threat for a big night.
Richard continued to have a big SEC Tournament with another 17-point game. It seemed like every time the Gators needed a bucket, Clayton Jr. or Richard had an answer.
The MVP of the Tournament was lights out and continued to be that guy for the Gators consistently. Whether it was catch-and-shoot threes or off the dribble, Clayton’s shiftiness and decision-making are elite.
The Gators’ offense flows so well, and they can grab a lot of offensive rebounds and keep the turnovers under 10, which is a tough recipe to beat.
Takeaway #3: Jordan Gainey and Zakai Zeigler’s big day is not enough
Gainey’s big day cannot go unnoticed. With the Vols struggling on the offensive end for most of the season, a big 24-point day on 7-15 shooting can provide tons of confidence to fans who worry about the team’s offensive firepower. Zeigler continued to go on a tear with 23 points, but the Vols could not keep up with the Gators on the offensive end. Chaz Lanier’s being pretty much a nonfactor in the game hurt the Vols’ ability to go toe-to-toe with the Gators.
Tennessee plays a very defensive brand of basketball, and scoring the ball is a struggle at times, but it cannot have games with only three scorers in double figures and will need guys like Cade Phillips and Igor Milicic to step up.
The Gators are playing their best basketball and are now one of the favorites to cut down the nets in April.