The heralded showdown between the No. 8 Gators and No. 1 Tennessee never evolved into a barn-burner, which requires a degree of flammability from both parties. Instead, the Gators (14-1, 1-1 SEC) held the Vols to 12 field goals — and a 4-for-29 effort from 3-point range — in a 73-43 romp before an Exactech Arena crowd of 11,011.

A loss would not necessarily undo Florida’s 13-0 start, but a win would deliver a boost of momentum in a league with very little let-up on the schedule.

The last undefeated team in Division I college basketball finally fell in Gainesville Tuesday night, when the Florida Gators ran the top-ranked Tennessee Volunteers out of the O'Connell Center, 73-43.