PILOT LIGHT > LIGHTNING + ICE: Tennessee Volunteers 89, Florida Gators 86

They were smoking. Racing up and down the court at breakneck speed. Pulling up and shooting field goals at a rate a full five percentage points better than their average. Hitting all but one of their free throw attempts. Dropping three after three after three.

And they were getting run out of the building. Yes, the Vols were electric, but the Gators, well the Gators were lightning itself. In the first half, Florida, motivated by the opportunity to shore up its invitation to the NCAA Tournament, shot 67% from the field, 90% from the free throw line, and 58% from behind the arc. In table form, courtesy of hooper:

Field Goals	made	19	18
	shot	28	35
	percent	67.85714	51.42857
Free Throws	made	10	3
	shot	11	4
	percent	90.90909	75
3-pointers	made	7	3
	shot	12	8
	percent	58.33333	37.5

The place was crawling with cold-blooded reptiles for the first 20 minutes, and the teams went to the locker room with Florida up 55-42. When the teams returned for the second half, however, summer relapsed into winter, and alligators don't do well when it's nippy outside. Florida went cold. Frigid. Icy.

The numbers, again courtesy of hooper:

Field Goals	made	9	15
	shot	19	28
	percent	47.36842	53.57143
Free Throws	made	10	11
	shot	16	15
	percent	62.5	73.33333
3-pointers	made	3	6
	shot	9	12
	percent	33.33333	50

Those are not bad numbers for the Gators, really, except in contrast to the way they played in the first half. But tonight, the Vols were consistent, and consistently hot beat lightning and ice.