Tennessee basketball vs Florida prediction, pick: SEC Tournament championship game scouting report
NASHVILLE − Tennessee basketball is playing for its second SEC Tournament title under coach Rick Barnes.
The No. 4 seed Vols (27-6) play the No. 2 seed Florida (29-4) on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, ESPN) at Bridgestone Arena. It is UT's fourth conference title game appearance in seven seasons. The Vols won the 2022 title against Texas A&M.
Here is what to know about the matchup:
Should Tennessee basketball be a No. 1 seed in March Madness bracket?
Before Tennessee played Auburn, ESPN's Joe Lunardi indicated that the winner of Florida and Alabama would likely secure the fourth No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
The Vols then beat Auburn, but it seemingly won't have an affect on their odds of claiming a No. 1 seed for the first time in program history.
Auburn, Duke and Houston already were etched in stone as No. 1 seeds prior to Saturday.
Tennessee and Florida split the regular-season matchups
Tennessee had its worst loss of the regular season at Florida and arguably its best win of the regular season against the Gators.
The Vols were thumped 73-43 by the Gators on Jan. 7 in Gainesville, Florida.
It was UT's lowest-scoring game under Barnes. It also was the worst shooting game in Barnes' 10 seasons as the Vols shot 21.4%. Tennessee was outrebounded 55-38 and Florida had a 40-14 margin in points in the paint.
Tennessee won 64-44 against Florida on Feb. 1 at Food City Center.
The Vols had seven scholarship players available with Zakai Zeigler injured and Igor Milicic Jr. dealing with an illness. Chaz Lanier led the Vols with 19 points, including a pair of crushing 3-pointers in the final 10 minutes. Jordan Gainey put on a masterful performance in Zeigler's stead, scoring 16 points and running the offense.
How Tennessee and Florida reached the SEC Tournament title game
Tennessee knocked out Auburn in a 70-65 win Saturday in the first semifinal behind 20 points from Zeigler and elite late-game defense. The Gators followed with a dominant performance in a 104-82 win against No. 3 seed Alabama.
ADAMS: What more must Tennessee basketball do to show it's a No. 1 March Madness seed? | Adams
Tennessee topped Texas 83-72 win in the quarterfinals. Lanier scored 23 points with 19 in the first half. Zeigler scored 19 second-half points and Jahmai Mashack had 13 points and seven rebounds.
The Gators beat Missouri 95-81 in a quarterfinal matchup.
Tennessee basketball vs Florida score prediction in SEC Tournament
Florida 75, Tennessee 69: Florida's offense is punishing teams in Nashville. It won't do that to Tennessee, but still will have enough to win.
Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on X @ByMikeWilson or Bluesky @bymikewilson.bsky.social. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Tennessee vs Florida prediction, odds: Our 2025 SEC Tournament pick
Topics
-
Title tilt set: Scouting report, prediction, Florida basketball vs Tennessee in SEC Tournament finals
Florida basketball gets a third meeting with Tennessee in the SEC Tournament finals Sunday at Bridgestone Arena in NashvilleYahoo Sports - 1d -
Tennessee vs. Florida prediction, odds, start time: 2025 SEC Tournament championship picks from proven model
SportsLine's model simulated Tennessee Volunteers vs. Florida Gators in the 2025 SEC Tournament championship matchup on Sunday 10,000 timesCBS Sports - 20h -
Vols fall in SEC title game, await NCAA Tournament opponent
Florida basketball defeats Tennessee in the SEC Tournament championship game at Bridgestone Arena.Yahoo Sports - 16h -
SEC Championship - Tennessee vs. Florida Predictions: Odds, Expert Picks, Betting Trends, and Stats
Tennessee Volunteers vs. Florida Gators Game PreviewYahoo Sports - 1d -
Missouri basketball vs Florida: Scouting report, score prediction for SEC Tournament game
Here is what you need to know about Florida before Missouri basketball faces the Gators in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament.Yahoo Sports - 3d -
Florida basketball takes down Tennessee Volunteers to claim SEC Tournament championship
For the fifth time in program history, the Florida Gators are SEC Tournament champions, following a convincing win over the Tennessee Volunteers.Yahoo Sports - 16h -
Tennessee vs. Florida Livestream: How to Watch the SEC Basketball Championship Online
It’s down to the Vols and the Gators in this year’s SEC basketball championship — here’s how to watch the game without cableYahoo Sports - 1d -
What channel is Tennessee basketball vs Florida in SEC Tournament on today? Time, TV schedule to watch game
What channel is the Tennessee basketball vs Florida SEC Tournament game on today? Here's how to watch, including time, TV schedule, live streaming info and game odds.Yahoo Sports - 1d -
Tennessee versus Florida basketball TV channel, streaming in SEC Tournament
A look at TV channel and streaming information for Tennessee versus Florida basketball in the SEC Tournament championship game.Yahoo Sports - 23h
More from Yahoo Sports
-
Power rankings Big Ten basketball teams entering March Madness: Who is set for a deep run?
After Sunday's conclusion of the conference tournament, here are the Big Ten teams in the best shape entering March MadnessYahoo Sports - 15m -
Power rankings Big Ten basketball teams entering March Madness: Who is set for a deep run?
After Sunday's conclusion of the conference tournament, here are the Big Ten teams in the best shape entering March MadnessYahoo Sports - 15m -
Kyler Murray: I know we're headed in the right direction
Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray has taken some time to connect with his heritage this offseason, but his life in the NFL was never far from his mind.Yahoo Sports - 16m -
Kyler Murray: I know we're headed in the right direction
Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray has taken some time to connect with his heritage this offseason, but his life in the NFL was never far from his mind.Yahoo Sports - 16m -
Former LSU football star Ja'Marr Chase signs historic contract extension
Ja'Marr Chase signed a record-setting contract extension with the Cincinnati Bengals, keeping him with former LSU teammate Joe BurrowYahoo Sports - 17m
More in Sports
-
Power rankings Big Ten basketball teams entering March Madness: Who is set for a deep run?
After Sunday's conclusion of the conference tournament, here are the Big Ten teams in the best shape entering March MadnessYahoo Sports - 15m -
Power rankings Big Ten basketball teams entering March Madness: Who is set for a deep run?
After Sunday's conclusion of the conference tournament, here are the Big Ten teams in the best shape entering March MadnessYahoo Sports - 15m -
Kyler Murray: I know we're headed in the right direction
Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray has taken some time to connect with his heritage this offseason, but his life in the NFL was never far from his mind.Yahoo Sports - 16m -
Kyler Murray: I know we're headed in the right direction
Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray has taken some time to connect with his heritage this offseason, but his life in the NFL was never far from his mind.Yahoo Sports - 16m -
Former LSU football star Ja'Marr Chase signs historic contract extension
Ja'Marr Chase signed a record-setting contract extension with the Cincinnati Bengals, keeping him with former LSU teammate Joe BurrowYahoo Sports - 17m