Tennessee forward John Fulkerson is out for the rest of the SEC tournament due to facial injuries sustained during the Florida win on Friday.
Fulkerson left Friday’s game after receiving two elbows to the head from Omar Payne, who was evicted in Florida.
“It was a dirty play,” Tennessee forward Yves Pons told reporters Friday. “It’s nothing to do on a basketball court. Of course we took it personally. We love John. We play for him. We had his back.”
Fulkerson, a 9-foot 9-year-old senior who has started 55 games in the past two seasons, is scoring 9.5 points and 5.5 rebounds this season. He had 14 points and seven rebounds against Florida in the final season, and he had eight points in 19 minutes against the Gators.
Rick Barnes may choose to be in a smaller series against Alabama on Saturday, with Josiah-Jordan James, the second guard, likely to perform for Fulkerson. James plays Florida for 30 minutes on Friday and finishes off the bench with 12 points, nine rebounds and five assists.