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.

The Florida Gators defeated a No. 1 team in the regular season for the first time in program history behind an 18-point effort from Alijah Martin.

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.

While Florida is one of the country’s best offenses — No. 5 in Division I, scoring 88.3 points per game — Tennessee boasts one of the best defenses in the country, allowing just 55.9 points per game. That number is good for No. 2 across Division I.

Alijah Martin scored 18 points, Denzel Aberdeen added 16 and No. 8 Florida thumped top-ranked Tennessee 73-43 on Tuesday night to knock off the last unbeaten team in Division I basketball. Alex Condon chipped in 12 points and 12 rebounds for his second double-double this season as the Gators (14-1,

As a raucous sellout crowd of 11,011 looked on, the Vols managed just 4 first-half field goals while missing all 14 3-point attempts against the Gators.

The last remaining unbeaten in Division I had no chance from the opening tip on Tuesday night as No. 8 Florida obliterated No. 1 Tennessee, 73-43, to hand the Volunteers their first loss of the season.