Florida vs. Tennessee score: Gators project as No. 1 seed in Big Dance after win in SEC Tournament title game

Florida held off a Tennessee rally to secure the SEC Tournament Championship

A year after a heartbreaking loss in the same game on the same floor amid a devastating season-ending injury to a key player, Florida secured redemption on Sunday. The No. 2 seed Gators outlasted No. 4 seed Tennessee 86-77 in the SEC Tournament Championship to unofficially solidify themselves as a No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament.

What was a venue of distress on Selection Sunday in 2024 became headquarters for a celebration as the Gators bounded onto the Bridgestone Arena floor to celebrate their first SEC Tournament title since 2014. Florida withstood a charge from Tennessee, which rallied from a 13-point deficit to create some drama behind a big performance from Jordan Gainey.

Tennessee's senior guard willed the Volunteers back into the game and finished with a team-high 24 points. But Walter Clayton Jr. matched him step for step, and the Gators pulled away late. Clayton led the Gators with 22 points, including a critical 3-pointer with 6:49 remaining that put Florida ahead 70-62.

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Senior guards Chaz Lanier and Jamai Mashack fouled out, further hampering the Volunteers' hopes.

Florida earned a 2-1 advantage in the season series with its unfazed edge in front of a heavily pro-Volunteers crowd. The Gators turned it over just eight  times against the stingy Tennessee defense.

While Micah Handlogten's final stats didn't stand out, his presence in the Florida rotation did. The 7-foot-1 junior, who suffered a gruesome leg injury in last year's title game loss, was part of a celebration that once seemed improbable. Handlogten's long recovery culminated with a midseason return and emotional lift for a UF team that looks good enough to cut down nets again in San Antonio at the Final Four.

A loss would have created an interesting debate between Tennessee and Florida for the final No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but UF's sweep through the conference tournament bracket has it primed to be a No. 1 or the first time since 2014.

2025 SEC Tournament schedule, scores

Location: Bridgestone Arena -- Nashville, Tennessee
Live stream: fuboTV (Try for free) | Follow live: CBS Sports App  

All times Eastern; some start times approximated

SEC Tournament Championship Game -- Sunday, March 16
Game 15: No. 2 Florida vs. No. 4 Tennessee | ESPN | Recap

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Semifinals -- Saturday, March 15
Game 13: No. 4 Tennessee 70, No. 1 Auburn 65 | Recap
Game 14: No. 2 Florida 104, No. 3 Alabama 82 | Recap

Quarterfinals -- Friday, March 14
Game 9: No. 1 Auburn 62, No. 8 Ole Miss 57 | Recap
Game 10: No. 4 Tennessee 83, No. 13 Texas 72 | Recap
Game 11: No. 2 Florida 95, No. 7 Missouri 81 | Recap
Game 12: No. 3 Alabama 99, No. 6 Kentucky 70 | Recap

Second round -- Thursday, March 13
Game 5: No. 8 Ole Miss 83, No. 9 Arkansas 80 | Recap
Game 6: No. 13 Texas 94, No. 5 Texas A&M 89 (2OT) |  Recap
Game 7: No. 7 Missouri vs. No. 10 Mississippi State | 7 p.m. on SEC Network | Recap
Game 8: No. 6 Kentucky 88, No. 14 Oklahoma 87 | Recap

First round -- Wednesday, March 12
Game 1:  No. 9 Arkansas 72, No. 16 South Carolina 68 | Recap
Game 2: No. 13 Texas 79, No. 12 Vanderbilt 72 | Recap
Game 3: No. 10 Mississippi State 91, No. 15 LSU 62 | Recap
Game 4: No. 14 Oklahoma 81, No. 11 Georgia 75 | Recap

CBS Sports was there every step of the way. Look below for updates from the SEC Tournament as they unfolded in real time. 

[Mar 16, 2025 at 3:27 pm ET · David Cobb]

Florida wins the SEC Tournament

Final: Florida 86, Tennessee 77

A year after suffering a heartbreaking loss in the same game on the same floor amid a devastating season-ending injury to a key player, Florida secured redemption on Sunday. The No. 2 seed Gators outlasted No. 4 seed Tennessee 86-77 in the SEC Tournament Championship to unofficially solidify themselves as a No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament.

Walter Clayton Jr. led the Gators with 22 while Will Richard added 17. Tennessee guards Jordan Gainey and Zakai Zeigler combined for 47 points, but the Vols were left shorthanded after starters Chaz Lanier and Igor Milicic fouled out. It's Florida's first SEC Tournament title since 2014 and likely solidifies the Gators' as a No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament.

[Mar 16, 2025 at 2:48 pm ET · David Cobb]

Jordan Gainey doing his part

8:47 2H: Florida 62, Tennessee 55

Tennessee guard Jordan Gainey is doing his part to will Tennessee back into this game. The senior sixth man is up to 20 points and has change the complexion of the second half by attacking the basket and calmly drilling jumpers. His play has been critical on a day of foul trouble for Tennessee's top sharpshooter Chaz Lanier.

[Mar 16, 2025 at 2:37 pm ET · David Cobb]

Florida remains unflustered

11:56 2h: Florida 54, Tennessee 43

The absence of mistakes for Florida continues to stand out as the Gators keep Tennessee at arm's length. The Gators have committed just four turnovers, which is helping them overcome a pedestrian shooting performance. This is a team that can get hot and make 60% of its looks from the floor when things are clicking. But even while shooting just 42.9% today, it has a double-digit edge.

[Mar 16, 2025 at 1:59 pm ET · David Cobb]

Florida with the edge

Halftime: Florida 39, Tennesse 30

Most impressive about Florida's first half was the absence of turnovers. The Gators coughed it up only twice against Tennessee's vaunted defense, which allowed the Gators to build a 7-0 edge in points off turnovers. Tennessee only turned it over four times, but they were costly miscues. Denzel Aberdeen drilled a huge 3 just before the halftime buzzer to give the Gators some decent separation.

[Mar 16, 2025 at 1:38 pm ET · David Cobb]

Florida showing its teeth

7:09 1H: Florida 25, Tennessee 17

Florida isn't even operating at peak efficiency, shooting just 38.1%, but the Gators are imposing their will anyhow, even as Tennessee comes up with some big defensive plays. Scoring against Florida in the half-court is such a chore. Two fouls on Chaz Lanier and Igor Milicic Jr. aren't helping Tennessee's cause as the Vols have now missed their last five from the floor.

[Mar 16, 2025 at 1:14 pm ET · David Cobb]

Early Tennessee drought

15:31 1H: Florida 10, Tennessee 6

Tennessee is in an early scoring drought after a quick start. The Volunteers have gone 3:43 without a point since jumping out to a 6-3 lead with a pair of 3-pointers. Florida is playing unfazed by the orange-heavy crowd and the swarming Tennessee defense. No turnovers for the Gators at the first media timeout, which is not an insignificant achievement given the way Rick Barnes' teams defend.

[Mar 16, 2025 at 12:40 pm ET · David Cobb]

SEC title game preview

The stage is set for a potentially epic rubber match between Tennessee and Florida in the SEC Tournament title game. Florida won the first meeting 73-43 on Jan. 7 in Gainesville when the Volunteers were ranked No. 1. But the Vols got revenge with a 64-44 beatdown of the Gators in Knoxville on Feb. 1. Since the start of February, Tennessee is 10-2. Since that ugly loss to the Volunteers, Florida is 11-1.

[Mar 15, 2025 at 6:04 pm ET · David Cobb]

Florida flies into the final

Final: Florida 104, Alabama 82

For the second day in a row, Florida used a huge second half to propel itself to an SEC Tournament victory. The Gators led just 47-45 at halftime but began the second half on a 17-5 spurt to punch their ticket to Sunday's championship game against Tennessee.

Poor outside shooting contributed to Alabama's demise, as did an injury to forward Grant Nelson, who left with 3:40 remaining in the first half and did not return. The Crimson Tide entered as a projected No. 2 seed in Jerry Palm's Bracketology and likely saw their hopes at a No. 1 seed evaporate in the loss.

Alabama hit just 1 of 5 shots from beyond the arc to open the second half as Florida began pressing the gas. The Crimson Tide finished 11 of 35 from 3-point range. Six players finished in double figures for Florida, led by Walter Clayton Jr. with 22.

[Mar 15, 2025 at 3:30 pm ET · David Cobb]

Tennessee gets revenge

Final: Tennessee 70, Auburn 65

No. 4 seed Tennessee avenged a loss at Auburn from Jan. 25 on Saturday in the SEC Tournament semifinals with a dramatic 70-65 win over the top-seeded Tigers in a game that came down to a whistle-infused final minute. Tennessee narrowly withstood a late charge from the Tigers, who trailed by 12 with six minutes remaining before rallying with a 10-0 run to infuse the ending with drama. The Vols got another big performance from star guard Zakai Zeigler, who led the way with 20 points. Jamai Mashack added a pair of free throws with 14 seconds left to help cement the outcome.

Auburn opened up a 41-36 lead early in the second half but went cold with a stretch of more than five minutes without a made shot. Fouls mounted for the Tigers, who put Tennessee in the bonus early during the second half. The Vols took advantage by drilling 25 of 27 free throws while building their edge.

Tennessee will play either Florida or Alabama in the SEC Tournament championship game on Sunday as the Volunteers try and make a final effort to secure a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. If they can pull it off — and if the committee rewards it — it would be the program's first-ever 1-seed for the Big Dance.

[Mar 15, 2025 at 12:56 pm ET · Cameron Salerno]

Previewing Saturday's slate

The final four teams remaining in the SEC Tournament happen to be the top-four seeds in the field, and all four teams are ranked in the top 10 in the latest AP Top 25. No matter how the bracket shakes out on Saturday, it will feature a marquee championship matchup. The fun begins with No. 3 seed Alabama facing No. 2 seed Florida with a trip to the title game on the line. Furthermore, the final No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament will be up for grabs, with Florida currently controlling its own destiny to finish on that seed line.

Shortly after that game, No. 1 seed Auburn will face No. 4 seed Tennessee. The winners on both sides of the bracket will meet for the title on Sunday in Nashville. Odds for both games are below.

• No. 1 seed Auburn (-4.5) vs. No. 4 seed Tennessee
• No. 2 seed Florida (-3.5) vs. No. 3 seed Alabama

Early prediction? Alabama and Auburn meet again for the third time this season, this time for the SEC title.

[Mar 15, 2025 at 12:06 am ET · David Cobb]

Alabama crushes Kentucky

Final: Alabama 99, Kentucky 70

Alabama made it a perfect Friday sweep for the SEC's top seeds by capping the quarterfinals with a 99-70 obliteration of Kentucky. The Crimson Tide led just 45-38 at halftime but caught fire from 3-point range in the second half on the way to an impressive victory. After making just 2-of-13 shots from beyond the arc in the first half, Bama drilled 9 of 16 after haftime while building its advantage to 30 points in the final two minutes.

After playing until after midnight in a dramatic win against Oklahoma on Thursday night, the Wildcats simply ran out of gas against the deep and well-rested Crimson Tide. Star guard Otega Oweh finished with eight points on 1-of-6 shooting and logged just 21 minutes. UK's starting point guard Lamont Butler did not not play after aggravating a shoulder injury against the Sooners.

The Crimson Tide will take on Florida in the semifinals on Saturday, when a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament could potentially be at stake.

[Mar 14, 2025 at 9:43 pm ET · David Cobb]

Florida steamrolls Missouri

Final: Florida 95, Missouri 81

Florida shot a whopping 61.8% from the floor and pulled away late for a 95-81 win over Missouri in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament as four players finished with between 16 and 18 points for the Gators. Alijah Martin led the way with 12 in the second half on 5-of-5 shooting as UF made its postseason debut with a convincing showing. Missouri won the offensive rebounding battle 18-9 but hit just 4-of-6 shots from 3-point range and couldn't keep up with Florida's uber-efficient pace.

The Gators will get the winner of the nightcap between Alabama and Kentucky in Saturday's semifinals as they try and make their final claim to be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

[Mar 14, 2025 at 6:01 pm ET · David Cobb]

Tennessee ends Texas' run

Final: Tennessee 83, Texas 72

No. 4 seed Tennessee used its fresh legs to race past No. 13 seed Texas 83-72 in Friday's quarterfinals as the Longhorns played their third game in three days. Chaz Lanier paced the Volunteers with 23 points, and Zakai Zeigler added 19 points and six assists as Tennessee secured a spot in Saturday's semifinal round against No. 1 seed Auburn. The suffocating Tennessee defense did a good job holding Tre Johnson in check. The freshman phenom finished with 11 points on 3 of 8 shooting.

Texas will have to hope Quad 1 victories over Vanderbilt and Texas A&M secured over the event's first two days will be enough to push it onto the right side of the NCAA Tournament bubble. The Longhorns entered the day as one of the "First Four Out" in Jerry Palm's Bracketology and will be sweating on Selection Sunday. Coach Rodney Terry is also on the hot seat after the Longhorns posted just a 6-12 mark in league play. Toppling the Volunteers would have added some fuel to his case to be retained, but he now awaits an uncertain fate just like his team.

[Mar 14, 2025 at 3:17 pm ET · David Cobb]

Auburn survives a scare

Final: Auburn 62, Ole Miss 57

No. 1 seed Auburn survived a scare against No. 8 seed Ole Miss in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament on Friday, as the Tigers snapped a two-game losing streak in their postseason debut. Star center Johni Broome led the charge with 23 points and 15 rebounds as coach Bruce Pearl's club further cemented its case to be the No. 1 overall seed for the NCAA Tournament. Broome's heroics included a contested bank shot that put the Tigers ahead 62-57 with 11.1 seconds remaining. Now 16-4 in Quad 1 and with no losses outside of Quad 1, the Tigers are well-positioned to withstand a late charge from teams such as Duke and Houston to be atop the bracket when the field of 68 is revealed.

Auburn will play either No. 4 seed Tennessee or No. 13 seed Texas A&M in the semifinals on Saturday as it seeks to claim a second straight SEC Tournament title. Of course, the Tigers proceeded to lose their opening game in the 2024 NCAA Tournament to No. 13 seed Yale after a physically and emotionally taxing run in Nashville. So Pearl will have to decide how much to invest in winning the conference tournament ahead of the Big Dance. Nonetheless, Friday's win marked an important course correction for the Tigers after they dropped their final two games of the regular season.

[Mar 14, 2025 at 1:19 am ET · David Cobb]

Oweh lifts Kentucky past Oklahoma

Final: Kentucky 85, Oklahoma 84

No. 6 seed Kentucky blew a 10-point lead in the final two minutes and a six-point lead with less than 45 seconds left before miraculously finding its way past No. 14 seed Oklahoma in a stunning 85-84 victory to conclude the SEC Tournament's second round. Otega Oweh saved the Wildcats with a driving bucket that put UK ahead with 0.5 seconds left.

The Oklahoma transfer was the star for the second time in three weeks against his old team. After scoring 28 against OU in an 83-82 win on Feb. 26, he finished with 27 this time, including the incredible go-ahead score. The outcome left Oklahoma star Jeremiah Fears keeled over in emotional distress after he made a go-ahead shot of his own with six seconds left to cap a remarkable 7-0 run for the Sooners during the final minute.

Oweh's heroics were sorely needed as the Wildcats got just eight minutes from starting point guard Lamont Butler, who exited midway through the first half and did not return due to a nagging shoulder injury. With Butler unavailable over the final 30 minutes, Oweh and Koby Brea logged heavy minutes for UK, which will play Alabama in Friday's quarterfinals.

[Mar 13, 2025 at 10:22 pm ET · David Cobb]

Missouri gets back on track

Final: Missouri 85, Mississippi State 73

No. 7 seed Missouri got back on track in its postseason debut by outlasting No. 10 seed Mississippi State 85-73 in the second round of the SEC Tournament on Thursday. The Tigers had dropped three straight to close the regular season but will leave Nashville with at least one victory under their belt as they prepare for a return to the NCAA Tournament. 

Tamar Bates led the charge with 25 points for Mizzou, and Tony Perkins added 20 as the Tigers overcame another high-scoring performance from Mississippi State star Josh Hubbard. One night after dropping 26 in a blowout win over No. 15 seed LSU, Hubbard scored 24. But the Tigers made life hard on him as Hubbard took 22 shots from the field.

Mizzou will take on No. 2 seed Florida in Friday's quarterfinals in a rematch of its 83-82 road win over the Gators on Jan. 14.

[Mar 13, 2025 at 6:51 pm ET · David Cobb]

Texas keeps NCAA tournament hopes alive

Final: Texas 94, Texas A&M 89 (2OT)

No. 13 seed Texas kept its NCAA Tournament hopes alive with a wild 94-89 double-overtime victory over No. 5 seed Texas A&M in the second round of the SEC Tournament on Thursday. The victory gave Texas a 2-1 edge in the season series with its in-state rival and also kept the Longhorns' NCAA Tournament aspirations alive. With two SEC Tournament victories in hand, the Longhorns now have seven Quad 1 wins and will have a chance to add another on Friday against No. 4 seed Tennessee. 

Texas A&M led 78-73 in the first overtime before the Longhorns got a huge 3-pointer from Jordan Pope and a Kadin Shedrick dunk in the final seconds to force an additional period. Clutch 3-pointers from Tre Johnson and Tramon Mark and a series of defensive stops in the second overtime paved the way for the Longhorns' survival.

Texas entered the day as the fifth team out of the field in Jerry Palm's Bracketology and could still have work to do in order to hear its name called on Selection Sunday. But a strong start to the week has given it a chance at making a third straight Big Dance appearance under embattled coach Rodney Terry.

[Mar 13, 2025 at 3:32 pm ET · Kyle Boone]

Ole Miss ousts Arkansas with last-second shot

Final: Ole Miss 83, Arkansas 80

Ole Miss nails a last-second STUNNER from distance to take down Arkansas and advance into the SEC Tournament quarterfinals. Arkansas' buzzer-beating attempt on the other end was no good.

Rebels guard Sean Pedulla delivered the dagger with 1.3 seconds remaining. After missing his first six 3-point attempts on the day, his seventh and final 3-point attempt came at a perfect time:

Arkansas led by three with just over 20 seconds remaining but gave up a layup and an and-one off an offensive rebound, missed a potential go-ahead jumper with eight seconds remaining and missed a pair of free throws off said jumper after that.

Tough way for Arkansas' SEC run to end, but the Razorbacks, a projected 10 seed in Jerry Palm's bracket, have likely done enough to make the NCAAs.

Ole Miss moves on in the bracket and will play Friday in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals vs. No. 1 seed Auburn.

[Mar 13, 2025 at 12:02 am ET · David Cobb]

Oklahoma stays hot vs. Georgia

Final: Oklahoma 81, Georgia 75

No. 14 seed Oklahoma downed No. 11 seed Georgia 81-75 to conclude first-round action at the SEC Tournament on Wednesday. The Sooners entered the day as a projected No. 11 seed for the NCAA Tournament in Jerry Palm's Bracketology and could ill-afford an early exit as they seek to make the Big Dance for the first time under fourth-year coach Porter Moser.

Freshman phenom Jeremiah Fears led the charge for OU with 29 points as the Sooners drilled 12 of 25 attempts from 3-point range to withstand a 24-point showing from Georgia's Silas Demary Jr. The win propelled OU on to face No. 6 seed Kentucky in Thursday's second round. That will be a rematch of an epic game from Feb. 26 when the Wildcats took down the Sooners 83-82 behind a huge performance from former Oklahoma guard Otega Oweh.

Georgia can likely rest knowing its place in the field of 68 is secure. The Bulldogs entered the day as a projected No. 9 seed in Palm's Bracketology. 

[Mar 12, 2025 at 9:10 pm ET · David Cobb]

Mississippi State cruises past LSU

Final: Mississippi State 91, LSU 62

No. 10 seed Mississippi State had no problem with No. 15 seed LSU in the first round of the SEC Tournament on Wednesday, as the Bulldogs cruised to a 91-62 victory behind a huge game from Josh Hubbard. The sophomore guard finished with 26 points on 6 of 12 shooting from 3-point range in just 26 minutes to lead his team into a second round showdown with No. 7 seed Missouri on Thursday.

Mississippi State entered as a projected No. 6 seed in Jerry Palm's NCAA Tournament Bracketology but in need of some momentum after losing four of its last five games to close the regular season. While beating LSU only counts as a Quad 2 victory, the dominant fashion in which Mississippi State handled the assignment stood out. The Bulldogs built a 33-point edge in the second half as an injury-plagued Tigers team struggled to keep up. LSU hit just 5 of 26 attempts from beyond the arc compared to 15 of 34 for Mississippi State.

[Mar 12, 2025 at 6:23 pm ET · David Cobb]

Texas marches past Vanderbilt

Final: Texas 79, Vanderbilt 72

No. 13 seed Texas avenged its Feb. 8 loss to Vanderbilt by edging No. 12 seed Commodores 79-72 in the opening round of the SEC Tournament on Wednesday. The Commodoroes cut an 18-point deficit to single digits late but couldn't overcome a poor 3-point shooting performance. Freshman phenom Tre Johnson bounced back from an uncharacteristically poor showing in a loss to Oklahoma on Saturday to lead the Longhorns with 19 points. 

Texas needs a big week at the SEC Tournament if it wishes to revive its NCAA Tournament chances after losing seven of nine games to close the regular season. The Longhorns will play No. 5 seed Texas A&M in Thursday's second round after the former Big 12 rivals split their regular season series. Awaiting the winner of that game in Friday's quarterfinals will be No. 4 seed Tennessee.

The Commodores entered the week as a projected No. 10 seed in Jerry Palm's NCAA Tournament Bracketology and should feel pretty good about hearing their name called on Selection Sunday, despite the fact that they will enter the Big Dance on a three-game losing streak.

[Mar 12, 2025 at 3:23 pm ET · David Cobb]

Arkansas survives South Carolina

Final: Arkansas 72, South Carolina 68

No. 9 seed Arkansas nearly squandered a 20-point second half lead in the opening game of the SEC Tournament on Wednesday but survived to outlast No. 16 seed South Carolina 72-68. The Razorbacks went almost 12 minutes without a basket in the second half until DJ Wagner hit a 3-pointer following an offensive rebound with 2:37 remaining to put Arkansas up 64-60. Four straight points from Johnell Davis in the final minute solidified the outcome and helped coach John Calipari's team avoid a potentially disastrous loss.

The Razorbacks entered as a projected No. 10 seed in Jerry Palm's Bracketology but still on the bubble. A Quad 2 defeat against the Gamecocks would have left Arkansas in an uncomfortable position on Selection Sunday. Instead, it will be marching on in the SEC Tournament to play No. 8 seed Ole Miss in Thursday's second round.

South Carolina's season will end with a 12-20 record. The Gamecocks were often competitive during league play but rarely able to reach the finish line in close games. It was the same story again Wednesday.