Dalton Knecht scores 39 to lead No. 6 Tennessee past Florida 85-66
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Dalton Knecht scored a career-high 39 points and had eight rebounds to lead No. 6 Tennessee past Florida 85-66 on Tuesday.
Jonas Aidoo had 19 points and a team-high 10 rebounds to help the Volunteers (13-4, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) win their 12th straight at home.
“Anytime Jonas is aggressive and locked in, he's a major factor,” said Tennessee coach Rick Barnes. “The guys are starting to understand each other where they need the ball.”
Knecht averaged 32 points in two games last week as he captured SEC Co-Player of the Week honors.
“I'm just playing with confidence,” Knecht said. “It's a lot easier with my teammates. It's a lot of hard work. My teammates make it super easy.”
Knecht shot 13 of 23 overall including 4 of 6 on 3-pointers and made all nine of his free throws.
“He's been doing that to everybody,” said Florida coach Todd Golden. “He did a lot in transition and broken plays. We weren't good enough to protect the rim.”
The Gators (11-6, 1-3), who haven't won in Knoxville since 2014, were led by Walter Clayton Jr. with 16 points and Riley Kugel with 12. Tyrese Samuel had 10 points and a game-high 11 rebounds and Zyon Pullin scored 11.
“I thought we got our opportunities at the rim,” Golden said. “We didn’t match their physicality. (The Vols) play with an edge at home.”
Florida was limited to 29% shooting from the field (20 of 68).
“They're an outstanding offensive team,” Barnes said of the Gators. “They're one of the fastest teams in the country. When you hold a team to 29%, you're doing a good job.”
Knecht hit 9 of 10 field goals - including three 3-pointers - and scored 22 points in the first half as Tennessee jumped to a 44-32 halftime lead. A 12-3 run midway through the half gave the Vols some breathing room. Kugel had 10 to lead the Gators in the half.
“We're just feeding off the crowd,” said Knecht. “It starts with our defense: Make a stop and score.”
Florida could not make up the deficit.
“You don't want to fall behind against this team,” Golden said. “They're very disciplined. They're not going to make mistakes.”
The game started two hours early because of dangerous weather conditions.
THE TAKEAWAY
Florida: The loss to Tennessee started a stretch of tough games for the Gators. They will play what figures to be four more Quadrant 1 games, considered in the NCAA Evaluation Tool, over the next two weeks. Florida is 0-5 this season in Q1 games and 2-19 over the last two seasons.
Tennessee: The Vols are giving up eight more points a game (66.0-57.9) compared to last season, but they are scoring eight more points a game (78.7-70.8). The focus for Tennessee coach Rick Barnes has been consistency. The Vols have struggled with that all season and it continues to haunt them at different times.
UP NEXT
Florida: The Gators have another road game Saturday night against Missouri.
Tennessee: The Vols will remain at home Saturday for a battle with Alabama.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Micah Handlogten vs. Jonas Aidoo (Will Richard gains possession) | |||
19:41 | Tyrese Samuel misses two point jump shot | |||
19:39 | Tyrese Samuel offensive rebound | |||
19:38 | Tyrese Samuel turnover (lost ball) (Santiago Vescovi steals) | |||
19:15 | Dalton Knecht misses two point layup | |||
19:13 | Jonas Aidoo offensive rebound | |||
19:11 | Jonas Aidoo misses two point layup | |||
19:09 | Jonas Aidoo offensive rebound | |||
19:05 | +2 | Jonas Aidoo makes two point layup | 0-2 | |
18:40 | Tyrese Samuel misses three point jump shot | |||
18:38 | Volunteers defensive rebound | |||
18:22 | +2 | Jonas Aidoo makes two point jump shot (Dalton Knecht assists) | 0-4 | |
17:56 | Walter Clayton Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
17:54 | Tyrese Samuel offensive rebound | |||
17:40 | Zyon Pullin misses three point jump shot | |||
17:38 | Tyrese Samuel offensive rebound | |||
17:32 | +2 | Tyrese Samuel makes two point layup | 2-4 | |
17:27 | Walter Clayton Jr. personal foul | |||
17:21 | Jonas Aidoo misses two point layup | |||
17:19 | Jonas Aidoo offensive rebound | |||
17:17 | Jonas Aidoo misses two point layup | |||
17:15 | Dalton Knecht offensive rebound | |||
17:09 | +2 | Dalton Knecht makes two point dunk | 2-6 | |
16:47 | +2 | Walter Clayton Jr. makes two point jump shot (Zyon Pullin assists) | 4-6 | |
16:33 | +3 | Josiah-Jordan James makes three point jump shot (Jonas Aidoo assists) | 4-9 | |
16:23 | Zyon Pullin turnover (bad pass) (Josiah-Jordan James steals) | |||
16:16 | Josiah-Jordan James turnover (traveling) | |||
15:50 | TV timeout | |||
15:49 | Zyon Pullin misses two point jump shot | |||
15:47 | Josiah-Jordan James defensive rebound | |||
15:41 | Josiah-Jordan James misses three point jump shot | |||
15:39 | Jahmai Mashack offensive rebound | |||
15:36 | Jahmai Mashack turnover (lost ball) (Riley Kugel steals) | |||
15:27 | Josiah-Jordan James shooting foul (Alex Condon draws the foul) | |||
15:27 | +1 | Alex Condon makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 5-9 | |
15:27 | +1 | Alex Condon makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 6-9 | |
15:09 | Zyon Pullin shooting foul (Zakai Zeigler draws the foul) | |||
15:09 | +1 | Zakai Zeigler makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 6-10 | |
15:09 | Zakai Zeigler misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
15:09 | Walter Clayton Jr. defensive rebound | |||
14:58 | Riley Kugel turnover (bad pass) | |||
14:39 | Jonas Aidoo misses three point jump shot | |||
14:37 | Riley Kugel defensive rebound | |||
14:12 | Riley Kugel misses three point jump shot | |||
14:10 | Jonas Aidoo defensive rebound | |||
13:57 | Jonas Aidoo offensive foul | |||
13:57 | Jonas Aidoo turnover (offensive foul) | |||
13:38 | +2 | Alex Condon makes two point jump shot | 8-10 | |
13:22 | +2 | Tobe Awaka makes two point layup (Zakai Zeigler assists) | 8-12 | |
13:03 | Jonas Aidoo blocks Alex Condon's two point jump shot | |||
13:01 | Alex Condon offensive rebound | |||
12:52 | Alex Condon misses two point jump shot | |||
12:50 | Jahmai Mashack defensive rebound | |||
12:49 | Alex Condon personal foul | |||
12:34 | Thomas Haugh personal foul | |||
12:21 | +2 | Jahmai Mashack makes two point jump shot | 8-14 | |
12:11 | Alex Condon misses two point layup | |||
12:09 | Alex Condon offensive rebound | |||
12:00 | Riley Kugel misses two point layup | |||
11:58 | Santiago Vescovi defensive rebound | |||
11:53 | Alex Condon blocks Jonas Aidoo's two point dunk | |||
11:51 | Will Richard defensive rebound | |||
11:38 | +3 | Riley Kugel makes three point jump shot | 11-14 | |
11:18 | +2 | Jahmai Mashack makes two point layup (Santiago Vescovi assists) | 11-16 | |
11:04 | Riley Kugel turnover (lost ball) (Jahmai Mashack steals) | |||
11:04 | TV timeout | |||
10:51 | Santiago Vescovi misses three point jump shot | |||
10:49 | Thomas Haugh defensive rebound | |||
10:19 | Will Richard misses two point jump shot | |||
10:17 | Will Richard offensive rebound | |||
10:13 | Will Richard turnover (lost ball) (Freddie Dilione V steals) | |||
10:02 | +2 | Jonas Aidoo makes two point layup (Freddie Dilione V assists) | 11-18 | |
9:41 | Alex Condon misses two point jump shot | |||
9:39 | Santiago Vescovi defensive rebound | |||
9:25 | +2 | Santiago Vescovi makes two point jump shot (Jonas Aidoo assists) | 11-20 | |
8:57 | Will Richard misses three point jump shot | |||
8:55 | Santiago Vescovi defensive rebound | |||
8:49 | Santiago Vescovi misses two point layup | |||
8:47 | Riley Kugel defensive rebound | |||
8:33 | Zyon Pullin misses two point jump shot | |||
8:31 | Jonas Aidoo defensive rebound | |||
8:12 | +2 | Jonas Aidoo makes two point hook shot (Santiago Vescovi assists) | 11-22 | |
7:50 | Jonas Aidoo shooting foul | |||
7:50 | TV timeout | |||
7:50 | +1 | Alex Condon makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 12-22 | |
7:50 | Alex Condon misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
7:50 | Josiah-Jordan James defensive rebound | |||
7:33 | Jordan Gainey misses three point jump shot | |||
7:31 | Tyrese Samuel defensive rebound | |||
7:18 | Tobe Awaka personal foul | |||
7:16 | Walter Clayton Jr. misses two point jump shot | |||
7:15 | Josiah-Jordan James defensive rebound | |||
7:12 | Denzel Aberdeen personal foul | |||
7:06 | +2 | Dalton Knecht makes two point dunk (Zakai Zeigler assists) | 12-24 | |
6:33 | +2 | Walter Clayton Jr. makes two point layup | 14-24 | |
6:18 | +2 | Dalton Knecht makes two point layup (Zakai Zeigler assists) | 14-26 | |
6:05 | Tobe Awaka blocks Will Richard's two point layup | |||
6:03 | Tobe Awaka defensive rebound | |||
6:02 | Tobe Awaka turnover (lost ball) (Tyrese Samuel steals) | |||
5:35 | +3 | Will Richard makes three point jump shot | 17-26 | |
5:23 | +2 | Dalton Knecht makes two point jump shot (Josiah-Jordan James assists) | 17-28 | |
5:11 | Walter Clayton Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
5:09 | Zakai Zeigler defensive rebound | |||
5:00 | +3 | Dalton Knecht makes three point jump shot (Josiah-Jordan James assists) | 17-31 | |
4:44 | Will Richard misses three point jump shot | |||
4:42 | Zakai Zeigler defensive rebound | |||
4:31 | Tobe Awaka offensive foul | |||
4:31 | Tobe Awaka turnover (offensive foul) | |||
4:21 | J.P. Estrella shooting foul | |||
4:21 | +1 | Tyrese Samuel makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 18-31 | |
4:21 | +1 | Tyrese Samuel makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 19-31 | |
4:07 | +2 | Dalton Knecht makes two point jump shot (Jordan Gainey assists) | 19-33 | |
4:07 | Riley Kugel shooting foul | |||
4:07 | +1 | Dalton Knecht makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 19-34 | |
3:48 | Zyon Pullin misses three point jump shot | |||
3:46 | Walter Clayton Jr. offensive rebound | |||
3:39 | Josiah-Jordan James blocks Tyrese Samuel's two point layup | |||
3:37 | Tyrese Samuel offensive rebound | |||
3:33 | J.P. Estrella blocks Tyrese Samuel's two point layup | |||
3:31 | Dalton Knecht defensive rebound | |||
3:22 | +2 | Dalton Knecht makes two point layup | 19-36 | |
3:13 | +3 | Riley Kugel makes three point jump shot (Zyon Pullin assists) | 22-36 | |
3:02 | Zyon Pullin shooting foul | |||
3:02 | TV timeout | |||
3:02 | +1 | J.P. Estrella makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 22-37 | |
3:02 | +1 | J.P. Estrella makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 22-38 | |
2:37 | Riley Kugel misses three point jump shot | |||
2:35 | Zyon Pullin offensive rebound | |||
2:32 | Zyon Pullin misses two point layup | |||
2:30 | Zyon Pullin offensive rebound | |||
2:25 | Santiago Vescovi shooting foul | |||
2:25 | +1 | Riley Kugel makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 23-38 | |
2:25 | +1 | Riley Kugel makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 24-38 | |
2:04 | Santiago Vescovi misses two point layup | |||
2:02 | Tyrese Samuel defensive rebound | |||
1:55 | +2 | Zyon Pullin makes two point layup (Tyrese Samuel assists) | 26-38 | |
1:33 | Jahmai Mashack misses three point jump shot | |||
1:32 | Zyon Pullin defensive rebound | |||
1:32 | Santiago Vescovi personal foul | |||
1:32 | Zyon Pullin misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
1:32 | Tyrese Samuel offensive rebound | |||
1:24 | Dalton Knecht shooting foul | |||
1:24 | +1 | Zyon Pullin makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 27-38 | |
1:24 | +1 | Zyon Pullin makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 28-38 | |
1:08 | +3 | Dalton Knecht makes three point jump shot (Zakai Zeigler assists) | 28-41 | |
0:47 | Walter Clayton Jr. misses two point jump shot | |||
0:45 | Josiah-Jordan James defensive rebound | |||
0:36 | +3 | Dalton Knecht makes three point jump shot | 28-44 | |
0:13 | +2 | Zyon Pullin makes two point layup | 30-44 | |
0:03 | Jahmai Mashack turnover (bad pass) (Riley Kugel steals) | |||
0:01 | +2 | Riley Kugel makes two point dunk | 32-44 | |
0:00 | End of period |