Tennessee basketball vs. Florida: Scouting report, score prediction for SEC game

Tennessee basketball has back-to-back home games after having back-to-back road games in the first full week of SEC play.

The No. 7 Vols (12-4, 2-1 SEC) host Florida (11-5, 1-2) on Tuesday (5 p.m. ET,) in the first of those home games at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center.

Here is what to know about the matchup:

Freddie Dilione is coming on and that could change the Vols

Freddie Dilione V has earned first-half minutes in back-to-back games for the Vols.

The redshirt freshman guard coming on midway through the season is a welcome sign for UT, which relies on Zakai Zeigler to play heavy minutes. Dilione is likely the best candidate on the roster to ease some of that burden on Zeigler at point guard.

"We talk to Freddie all the time about how much we are going to need him," senior Josiah-Jordan James said. "We expect big things from him and we all do."

Dilione was a heralded prospect who enrolled early in January 2023. He has had a limited role and missed time with a partial tear of the plantar fascia in his left foot. Associate head coach Justin Gainey said being healthy has helped spur Dilione into more consistent play both in games and in practices.

"Freddie is taking it upon himself to get better in practice," James said.

Welcome home, Tennessee basketball

The Vols are 8-0 this season, a mark that includes a 90-64 win against Ole Miss on Jan. 6.

Tennessee is back at Thompson-Boling Arena after a rocky week away from home. The Vols lost 77-72 at Mississippi State on Jan. 10 before a better showing Jan. 13 at Georgia − an 85-79 win − even if the latter game featured inconsistencies.

UT took a 14-point lead late in the first half then fell behind by 11 midway through the second half. UT stormed back with aggressive defense in the final few minutes and a flurry of scoring from Dalton Knecht, who shared SEC player of the week honors with Alabama guard Mark Sears. Knecht averaged 32 points per game in UT's two games.

RANKING: College basketball rankings: Where Tennessee is ranked after Georgia win

Beware the driving Gators

Florida takes approximately two-thirds of its field-goal attempts from two-point range and excels at getting to the free-throw line. The Gators have the second-most free-throw attempts in the SEC, but don't make the most of them shooting a league-worst 65.9%

"They want to get downhill, they want to get to the basket, they want to get to the free throw line," Gainey said.

The Gators have five players scoring in double-figures. Junior guard Walter Clayton Jr., who transferred from Iona, leads Florida with 15.6 points per game. Forward Tyrese Samuel, a Seton Hall transfer, is averaging 13.6 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.

Score prediction

Tennessee 83, Florida 74: The Vols get seniors Santiago Vescovi and James going in a home win against Florida.

Mike Wilson covers University of Tennessee athletics. Email him at michael.wilson@knoxnews.com and follow him on Twitter @ByMikeWilson. If you enjoy Mike’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that will allow you access to all of it

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