Bradshaw was a real Gator killer

Photo by Amy Smotherman Burgess

UT senior Dane Bradshaw is congratulated by students after the 86-76 win over Florida at Thompson Boling Arena in 2007.

Bradshaw talks about beating Florida

Dane Bradshaw discusses beating Florida twice in ...

This year celebrates the centennial season of men's basketball at Tennessee. The News Sentinel continues its series looking into the players, teams and events that have molded an exciting history.

When Florida was winning those back-to-back national championships, the Gators were fortunate in one regard: Playing UCLA and Ohio State, respectively, had to be easier than beating Tennessee.

And Dane Bradshaw was nowhere near to drive a stake in their hearts.

Since Bruce Pearl took over at Tennessee, he’s had a knack for beating the Gators — even when the Gators were at the top of their game.

Pearl is 5-1 against Florida. His only setback was a 94-78 rout in Gainesville in 2007 when the Gators were No. 1 and UT was without injured Chris Lofton.

In 2006, the eventual national champions were swept by the Vols. Tennessee’s victory script in both games that year was spookily similar.

The Gators came to Knoxville on Jan. 22, 2006, unbeaten, ranked No. 2 and became No. 1-in-waiting when top-ranked Duke lost earlier in the day.

With a crowd of 24,011, UT’s largest home crowd since 1991, at a fever pitch, the game was locked 76-76 in the final half-minute.

The Vols missed a shot and Florida took off on a two-on-one break. Chris Lofton was the lone defender and made a typically heady play. He anticipated Corey Brewer’s pass and instead of a Florida dunk, the ball was suddenly headed the other way.

“I just read Brewer’s eyes,’’ Lofton said.

Lofton fired down court to Bradshaw, who was alone for an uncontested layup.

“That was the longest two-foot shot I’ve ever taken in my life,’’ quipped Bradshaw.

Photo by Amy Smotherman Burgess // Buy this photo

UT's Dane Bradshaw motions to fans as he leaves the court at the end of a game against Memphis in 2006.

UT led 78-76. Blount Countian Lee Humphrey then missed a 3-pointer for the Gators, Lofton rebounded and iced the 80-76 win with two free throws.

A month later, the rematch in Gainesville turned out the same way with the same players involved.

The score tied 72-72, Florida was putting the ball in-bounds at side-court with 18 seconds on the clock. Defending in-bounds passes is, of course, Pearl’s trademark.

Brewer — again — had trouble finding a target over the waving arms of Major Wingate. When Brewer did throw the ball towards teammate Al Horford, a scramble ensued. Wingate may have tipped the pass.

Two Gators and two Vols charged for the ball. Bradshaw came up with it, spun toward the Tennessee basket and found himself free for a layup.

UT led 74-72 with 15.9 seconds to play. Florida again had a 3-pointer to win, but Brewer missed. Lofton rebounded was fouled and iced the game with free throws for a 76-72 victory.

It had been a brutal war that saw C.J. Watson elbow a tooth out of Joakim Noah’s mouth and Pearl soak his suit with sweat on national TV.

The resourceful Bradshaw finished with 15 points, including an uncharacteristic three 3-pointers. He also had five assists and four steals.

Florida went on to beat UCLA for the national title in Indianapolis. The next year, 2007, the Gators repeated with a victory over Ohio State in Atlanta. But not before they had lost in Knoxville, 86-76, as Bradshaw scored 10 points and Pat Summitt thrilled the crowd by dressing as a cheerleader and singing “Rocky Top.”

In 2008, Bradshaw was gone, as were most of the Gators responsible for the two championship banners. UT won 104-82 in Knoxville, then clinched the SEC regular-season title with an 89-86 victory in Gainesville.