Florida men’s basketball to visit Tennessee on March 7 for rescheduled makeup game

Florida’s men’s basketball team will travel to Tennessee for a rescheduled game on Sunday, March 7, the SEC announced late Thursday.

Florida was originally scheduled to travel to Knoxville for a game on February 10, but ended up not playing that game amidst a three-game stretch of contests postponed by COVID-19 issues either within Florida’s program or its opponent’s.

In light of the likelihood of COVID-related scheduling changes, the SEC had kept the first weekend of March open for possible rescheduling purposes, and will be using it for more than just getting the Gators and Vols together. A full schedule of seven SEC games will be played that weekend, with six coming on Saturday and Florida-Tennessee taking the spotlight as Sunday’s lone game.

Florida blasted Tennessee, 75-49, in the teams’ first meeting this season back in January. Seven Gators scored six or more points and Florida forced 18 Tennessee turnovers in that game, which began a four-game winning streak for Florida.

Traveling to Rocky Top has been more precarious for Florida of late, however: The Gators have not won in Knoxville under Mike White, though their 0-4 record fortuitously reflects the teams meeting there every year but 2017, when Florida made the Elite Eight and Tennessee scuffled to a .500 record in its second year under Rick Barnes.

Florida already being in the Volunteer State as of next Sunday is also likely to keep the Gators there for the 2021 SEC Tournament, which is set to begin on March 10 in Nashvill. Florida is currently the SEC’s No. 4 team and would receive a double bye if it finishes at that level, but the Gators will likely need at least two wins in their final three games to maintain that seeding, especially with Tennessee lurking at No. 5.