The rest of Martin’s current teammates were in elementary school.
Of course, none of this has anything to do with Saturday’s hotly anticipated Southeastern Conference brawl between the fifth-ranked Gators (18-2, 5-2) and eighth-ranked Volunteers (17-4, 4-4) at sold-out Thompson-Boling Arena. Some really good UF players – and a couple pretty good UF teams – are part of the Gators’ seven-game road losing skid in the series that dates to 2016.
[Read senior writer Chris Harry‘s “Pregame Stuff” setup story here]
But this Florida team – the one that went unbeaten in non-league play, annihilated then-No. 1-ranked UT by 30 in their Jan. 7 meeting at Gainesville and has planted itself in the Associated Press Top 5 with magnificent metrics on both ends of the floor – looks like UF’s best edition since the remarkable, senior-laden 2013-14 squad that went to Rocky Top and came away with a 67-58 victory on the way to winning 30 straight games and reaching the Final Four.
Most current postseason projections and prognostications list UF as a contender for a seed on the No. 2 line in the NCAA Tournament. Winning games like this one – on the road, against a feisty foe that’s lost two straight and has revenge on its mind – would be a major boost to the resume and a nice leadoff at-bat to a run of four consecutive games against ranked opponents, something the Gators have never undertaken in a regular season in their history.
After this one:
- No. 24 Vanderbilt (16-4, 4-3), Tuesday
- at No. 1 Auburn (19-1, 7-0), Feb. 8
- at No. 14 Mississippi State (16-5, 4-3), Feb. 11
It’s only right that this historically challenging stretch begins at a place that’s been a personal house of horrors for the Gators the last decade, with the 11-year road drought at UT their longest against any league opponent.
“It’s one of the hardest places to play in America, so if we can go in there and win it would be similar to last year at Rupp [Arena], that’s how I would look at it,” UF coach Todd Golden said, drawing comparisons to one of his team’s signature ’24 victories when the Gators stared down Kentucky in overtime. “Just going into one of the best venues in college basketball and holding onto your guts for 40 or 45 minutes, whatever it takes, to find a way to win. Yeah, it would be a great feather to put in our cap, and I think if we can somehow find a way to win Saturday, we – at this time – should be a No. 1 seed, being honest.”
It would take a gun to the head of most coaches to make such a strong statement in January, but Golden’s confidence is the lifeblood of his program. His belief (in his players and system) is the foundation of the Florida culture.
The Gators’ haven’t been a No. 1 NCAA Tournament seed since 2014.
Yes, the last year they won at Rocky Top.
CHARTING THE GATORS: Checkered past on checkerboard floor
A review of how the Gators got to a seven-game losing streak on the road at Tennessee.
| Date | Score | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 6, 2016 | L 83-69 | Gators coach Mike White’s has to stomach a 30-point second-half deficit in his first SEC road game (and first SEC home game for UT coach Rick Barnes). |
| Feb. 21, 2018 | L 62-57 | UF junior guard KeVaughn Allen takes just three shots and goes scoreless for the first time in 84 games, with the Gators hitting only 35 percent from floor and 6 of 25 from the arc. |
| Feb. 9, 2019 | L 73-61 | Eventual SEC Player of the Year Grant Williams tallies 16 points, 6 rebounds and the No. 1 Vols shoot 53 percent while holding UF to 35.1. |
| Feb. 29, 2020 | L 63-58 | Down 19 in second half, Gators rally to make it a one-possession game before John Fulkerson hits a desperation, late-clock, fall-away 3-pointer (his only 3 in 104 career games) with 2:24 to go. The Covid pandemic struck 12 days later. |
| March 7, 2021 | L 65-54 | This regular-season finale is the first of two losses against Tennessee in a week, with the Gators falling 65-54 in the quarterfinals of Covid-restricted SEC Tournament five days later at Nashville. |
| Jan. 26, 2022 | L 78-71 | Up 10 late in first half, the Gators lose center Jason Jitoboh to a season-ending eye injury; Vols take over in the second half, holding UF to 29 points, 3-17 from the arc. |
| Jan. 16, 2024 | L 86-66 | The Gators are never in the game. Forward Dalton Knecht pours in 39 points in the most lopsided UT win in the series in 25 years. UF falls to 1-3 in SEC play. |
Attention all Knoxville residents: a killer stretch of events is about to begin in your city!
Get ready for an action-packed few weeks filled with thrilling concerts, exciting festivals, and unforgettable experiences. From live music performances to foodie events to outdoor adventures, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
So mark your calendars, gather your friends and family, and get ready to dive into the killer stretch of entertainment that awaits in Knoxville. Don’t miss out on all the fun and excitement that this vibrant city has to offer. Let the good times roll!
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