NASHVILLE -- Tennessee will play for its second SEC Tournament title in four years on Sunday.

The 4-seed Vols punched their ticket to the final after beating 1-seed Auburn, 70-65 at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday, beating the Tigers in the second meeting between the two teams this season.

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Standing in the way of Tennessee (27-6) and its sixth tournament crown is 2-seed Florida (29-4), a team the Vols played twice during the regular season and split both meetings.

The Gators won the first in Gainesville by 30 back in January. Tennessee returned the favor last month, thumping Florida in a 20-point triumph without Zakai Zeigler and Igor Milicic Jr. in Knoxville.

The Gators have surged over the last month, beating both Auburn and Alabama on the road to move into position for the fourth No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

In Nashville, Florida has beaten Missouri and Alabama, scoring the most points in an SEC Tournament game in its 104-82 dismantling of the Crimson Tide in the semifinals on Saturday.

In a fitting finish in the tournament of the best league in college basketball in 2025 and on Selection Sunday, the grand finale will pit The Vols' patented defense, which suffocated Texas and Auburn in back-to-back games, against the Gators' prolific offense, headlined by its star-studded back-court of Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard and Alijah Martin.

It was Tennessee's defense that got the best of Florida's offense in the last meeting between the two teams. The Vols held the Gators to 24% shooting and a season-low 44 points.

Jahmai Mashack put on a masterclass in that one, disrupting Florida passing lanes and creating turnovers that Tennessee paid off on the other end. The Vols will look to do the same on Saturday with a trophy on the line.

Here's what you need to know about the match up.

Who: 4-seed Tennessee (27-6) vs. 1-seed Florida (29-4)

When: Sunday, March 16 | 1 p.m. ET

Where: Bridgestone Arena | Nashville

TV: ESPN (Dan Shulman, play-by-play; Jay Bilas, analyst; Jess Sims, reporter)

Radio: Vol Network (Bob Kesling, play-by-play; Bert Bertelkamp, analyst)

Series: 143rd meeting all-time (Tennessee leads, 82-60)

KenPom Projection: Florida 73, Tennessee 70

POINTS PER GAME

Florida 84.8

Tennessee 74.8

FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE

Florida 47.3%

Tennessee 45.6%

THREE-POINT PERCENTAGE

Florida 35.3%

Tennessee 34.3%

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ASSISTS

Florida 16.0

Tennessee 15.8

REBOUNDS

Florida 42.1

Tennessee 37.1

BLOCKS

Tennessee 5.1

Florida 4.8

-- Another, day another meeting of two teams ranked in the top 10 in offensive and defensive efficiency. Tennessee is third in adjusted defensive efficiency, allowing 88.5 points per opponents 100 possessions, while Florida is ranked third in adjusted offensive efficiency, scoring 127.9 points per 100 possessions. The Gators are also seventh in defensive efficiency.

-- Tennessee and Florida handed each other their worst losses of the regular season. The Gators never trailed in a 73-43 win. The Vols made just four shots in the first half and trailed by as much as 36 after shooting 21.4% from the field. Short-handed Tennessee returned the favor less than a month later, holding Florida to 24.5% shooting and pulling away with a second half run.

MORE FROM VOLREPORT: A look back at Tennessee's five SEC Tournament title runs

-- Tennessee and Florida are meeting for the first time in the SEC Tournament Championship Game. The two teams last played in the tournament in 2021 with the Vols winning 78-66 in the quarterfinals. The Gators are making their second-straight tournament final appearance after losing to Auburn in the title game last season.

-- Tennessee is 1-4 in SEC Tournament title games in the state of Tennessee all-time. The Vols are 0-2 in Nashville and 1-2 in Knoxville. Their last championship triumph in Tennessee was a 29-25 decision over Alabama at Alumni Gymnasium on March 2, 1936.

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