Tennessee at Florida men's basketball: Odds, storylines for Tuesday's top-10 SEC matchup

The SEC is looking like an early-season powerhouse, with six teams in the top 10 of Mondays AP Top 25 poll.

But only one unbeaten remains top-ranked Tennessee, which ships its 14-0 record down to the swamp against a formidable foe in No.

8 Florida.

Florida has a tremendous opportunity to respond to its first defeat of the season, a 106-100 melee at Kentucky.

Buckets were bountiful for Todd Goldens group.

The Gators shot 55 percent from the floor, with Walter Clayton Jr.

notching a game-high 33 points on just 16 shots.

Alijah Martin scored 26, and Thomas Haugh added 11 off the bench.

But the defense allowed Kentucky to shoot a repulsive 58 percent from the floor and 48 percent from 3-point range, while only snaring five takeaways.

Advertisement These Gators pack a considerable punch, with Clayton and Martin as high-volume perimeter shooters and a cadre of elite rebounders muscling this team to second in the country in rebounds per game.

Before Saturdays loss, Floridas closest game had been a six-point victory over North Carolina.

Tuesday marks its toughest test to date.

The program is 2-17 all-time against top-ranked teams.

The last time it hosted a top-ranked team was February 2015, when Kentucky had Karl-Anthony Towns and Devin Booker on its roster.

The Volunteers are a whirring, well-coordinated defensive menace.

They should be a prime watch come floor-slapping season.

Tennessee has the best defensive rating in the nation, and its opponents are shooting below 25 percent on treys.

Chaz Lanier is a walking bucket, leading the SEC at 20.3 points per game.

Zakai Zeigler tops the conference in assists.

And Jordan Gainey has given Tennessee an ignition switch from the bench, at career-best shooting marks and five outings with 15 or more points.

The Vols have been taken to the brink once thus far.

Illinois played them to a two-point finish in Champaign, but was decidedly clamped by Rick Barnes petulant defense.

Illinois has the seventh-highest scoring offense in Division I, but was humiliated to 29 percent shooting, and the otherwise-excellent Kasparas Jakucionis had more turnovers (seven) than made baskets (five, on 15 tries).

Tennessee is 10-4 against the spread this season, and the under has hit in eight of its last 10 contests.

All-time series: Tennessee leads, 81-59, and has claimed eight of 10 since 2018.

From The Athletic s CJ Moore : Chaz Lanier is on his way to giving Tennessee a first-team All-American for the second straight season.

Lanier has made at least five 3s in three straight games.

He has the fourth-most 3-point attempts in college basketball, and his quick release is a big reason why.

Im gonna say hes at 0.35 from catch to release.

Its like hes playing hot potato.

Florida vs.

Tennessee odds (Photo of Chaz Lanier: Johnnie Izquierdo / Getty Images).

This article has been shared from the original article on theathleticuk, here is the link to the original article.