Gators test their winning ugly style against 19th-ranked Tennessee

Xaivian Lee (1) sizes up Georgia's Blue Cain (Photo by Chris Spears)

The late, great Red Auerbach, who coached the Boston Celtics to nine NBA championships, once commented, “You can’t win without the ball.” With Bill Russell as his anchor, Auerbach and the Celtics proved that on nights when you can’t throw the ball in the ocean from the end of the pier, you can still win if you play defense and rebound.

That theory will be tested to the max today when the Florida Gators (10-5, 1-1 SEC) play host to 19^th-ranked Tennessee (11-4, 1-1 SEC) at the O-Dome (12 noon, ESPN). Mired in a shooting slump (27.7 percent on 3-point shots) that shows no signs of departing anytime soon, the Gators still have answers on the defensive end and on the backboards. The Gators are the No. 8 team in the nation for defensive intensity per the kenpom.com analytics. Even with the erratic shooting, Florida is still the No. 26 team nationally in offensive efficiency.

All this is made possible by intense defense and dominant rebounding, which go hand-in-hand. The combination of defense and rebounding leads to a lot of one shot-and-done possessions for opponents. Great offensive rebounding leads to multiple shot possessions for the Gators, which comes in handy when you look at the Gators’ abysmal outside shooting.

It produces a style that might not be as aesthetically pleasing as last season when the Gators won the national championship but until the shooting comes around, this is how games will be won.

“It’s who we are,” Florida coach Todd Golden said back on Tuesday night after the Gators derailed Georgia, 92-77. Georgia came into the game the nation’s leading scoring team, averaging a shade less than 100 a game, but the Bulldogs’ run them until they gasp for air approach was slowed substantially. On the backboards, Georgia was no match for the Gators, who had a devastating, 56-35, rebounding margin. The Gators retrieved 22 of their own misses.

For the Gators to score a win over the Vols today, they’ll have to replicate the Georgia effort. In beating Georgia, the Gators dominated the paint, but on the perimeter turned Jermiah Wilkinson and Blue Cain completely dysfunctional. Georgia’s two leading scorers managed a combined 4-18 night from the field. When Tennessee’s offense is operating at a high pace, Maryland transfer Ja’Kobi Gillespie heats up early from the outside. Averaging 18.7 points per game while shooting 36.4 percent from the 3-point line, Gillespie is the head of the Tennessee snake.

To beat the Vols, the Gators will have to cut the head off the snake and prevent off-the-bench shooters like Bishop Boswell (57.9 percent from three) and Amaree Abram (35.5 percent) from getting into any kind of a rhythm. Gillespie is coming off a 34-point effort in Tennessee’s win over Texas,  a game in which he hit 5-8 from the 3-point line. The Gators will need to do a good job of keeping freshman Nate Ament and veteran Jaylen Carey from getting established down low. Ament averages 14.7 points and 6.5 rebounds as a starter and No. 2 offensive option for the Vols. Carey, 6-8 and 265 pounds, brings muscle into the game from the bench. He’s averaging 9.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.

A year ago, Tennessee came to the O-Dome ranked No. 1 nationally while the Gators were still smarting from a 101-100 loss to Kentucky in Lexington. Unlike the Kentucky loss, the Gators showed up defensively to hand the Vols the worst loss of a No. 1-ranked team in decades, 73-43.

GAME NOTES: The Gators are No. 1 nationally in rebounds per game (47.33), offensive rebounds per game (17.33) and rebound margin (+16 per game) … In the kenpom.com analytics, the Gators are the No. 8 team in the country in defensive efficiency, No. 26 in offensive efficiency … Tennessee is No. 13 in defensive efficiency, No. 34 in offensive efficiency … Tommy Haugh, who had 21 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals and 4 blocked shots in the win over Georgia, is on the Wooden Award watch list. Haugh is averaging 17.5 points and 6.7 rebounds per game … All five Florida starters are averaging double figures – Haugh 17.5, Alex Condon 14.8, Xaivian Lee 11.7, Boogie Fland 10.8 and Rueben Chinyelu 10.5. Chinyelu leads the Gators and the SEC in rebounding at 10.2 per game while Condon averages 8.4 … Urban Klavzar  (8.8 points per game) is Florida’s leading 3-point shooting, hitting 36.4 percent of his long distance attempts.

SEC teams in kenpom.com national rankings: 6. Vanderbilt; 13. FLORIDA; 14. Alabama; 16. Tennessee; 24. Arkansas; 25. Kentucky; 30. Georgia; 36. Auburn; 41. LSU; 43. Texas A&M; 48. Oklahoma; 53. Texas; 60. Missouri; 67. Ole Miss; 68. South Carolina; 78. Mississippi State

SEC teams in NCAA NET rankings: 7. Vanderbilt; 13. Alabama; 22. FLORIDA; 24. Tennessee; 27. Arkansas; 28. Georgia; 32. Kentucky; 37. Auburn; 47. LSU; 48. Oklahoma; 49. Texas A&M; 73. Texas; 82. Missouri; 88. South Carolina; 97. Mississippi State; 99. Ole Miss

SEC BASKETBALL

Today’s games

No. 21 Tennessee (11-4, 1-1 SEC) at FLORIDA (10-5, 1-1 SEC)

LSU (12-3, 0-2 SEC) at No. 11 Vanderbilt (15-0, 2-0 SEC)

Texas (9-6, 0-2 SEC) at No. 13 Alabama (11-4, 1-1 SEC)

No. 15 Arkansas (12-3, 2-0 SEC) at Auburn (9-6, 0-2 SEC)

No. 18 Georgia (13-2, 1-1 SEC) at South Carolina (10-5, 1-1 SEC)

Missouri (12-3, 2-0 SEC) at Ole Miss (8-7, 0-2 SEC)

Oklahoma (11-4, 1-1 SEC) at Texas A&M (12-3, 2-0 SEC)

Mississippi State (10-5, 2-0 SEC) at Kentucky (9-6, 0-2 SEC)