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For the first time since 2008, all four No. 1 seeds have reached the Final Four, and fittingly, it’s happening again in San Antonio. This Saturday at 6:09 PM ET on CBS, Auburn and Florida battle to determine the last SEC team standing and secure a spot in the National Championship against the winner of Duke vs. Houston.
Auburn enters this game as the SEC regular-season champion, while Florida earned the conference tournament title. Despite sharing a conference, this is just their second meeting this season, and the first one was a statement win for the Gators.
On February 8, Florida walked into Neville Arena and took down the nation’s No. 1 team, 90-81. Auburn started hot, building multiple early leads – including a 31-25 edge with under six minutes left in the first half – but Florida responded with a 23-7 run to take control with a 48-38 halftime advantage. The Gators led by as many as 21 in the second half and never let Auburn climb back in.
The numbers tell the story. Florida made 13 of 33 threes (39.4%), while Auburn struggled at 7 of 22 (31.8%). The Gators also converted more free throws (15 of 18) despite attempting five fewer than Auburn (14 of 23). While both teams pulled down 40 rebounds, Florida’s 22 assists to Auburn’s 16 highlighted their offensive execution. Florida also capitalized on Auburn’s mistakes, scoring 17 points off eight turnovers.
The most impressive part? Florida won without two key pieces: fifth-year senior Alijah Martin (14.5 PPG) and 7’1” backup center Micah Handlogten (5.1 REB). Martin has since been instrumental in Florida’s Final Four run, scoring in double figures in every tournament game, while Handlogten adds crucial frontcourt depth.
Florida’s road to the Final Four featured an incredible 84-79 comeback win over Texas Tech in the Elite Eight, powered by repeated clutch shotmaking from Walter Clayton Jr. and Thomas Haugh down the stretch. Clayton Jr. finished with 30 points, while Haugh finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Before that, the Gators outlasted UConn in the final minutes of the second round, pulled away from Maryland in the Sweet 16 and dismantled Norfolk State.
Auburn, meanwhile, leaned on Johni Broome’s dominance, as he recorded 25 points and 14 rebounds in a 70-64 Elite Eight win over Michigan State. Auburn also took down Alabama State and Creighton and erased an 8-point second-half deficit against Michigan to punch its ticket to San Antonio.
This game is a clash of strengths: Florida’s No. 2-ranked KenPom offense against Auburn’s No. 8 defense. The Gators’ elite offensive rebounding (5th in the nation) could exploit Auburn’s issues on the defensive glass, just as it did when the Gators recorded 11 offensive rebounds the first time around. Florida also gets to the line at a decent rate, while Auburn often sends opponents to the stripe. While Florida dominated from beyond the arc in the first meeting, their reliance on the three-pointer is a concern in a rematch, as Auburn ranks among the nation’s best at defending beyond the arc and running shooters off the line.
On the other end, Auburn’s No. 3 KenPom offense faces Florida’s No. 10 defense. Broome’s interior presence will be crucial, as he had a strong showing in the first matchup. Auburn’s frontcourt depth gives them a chance to match Florida’s, and the Tigers were able to haul in 15 offensive rebounds of their own in the first meeting. However, perimeter shooting could be the wild card. The Tigers take plenty of tough shots, and if a few key scorers struggle, Florida’s superior shotmaking could be the difference.
As effective as Thomas Haugh has been off the bench for Florida (13.3 PPG and 7.5 REB in the tournament), freshman Tahaad Pettiford has been that for Auburn, averaging 17.3 PPG in March Madness with two 20+ point outings. While Haugh is a smooth stretch forward and Pettiford is a quick, crafty guard, their impact on this game could cancel each other out. In the end, I trust the veterans and the clutch gene possessed by the Florida backcourt, led by Clayton Jr.
Given Florida’s road win in the first matchup, it’s easy to lean their way again, especially with a fully healthy roster. However, Auburn’s revenge factor and Broome’s recent dominance should make this one go down to the wire. Expect a lower-scoring game than their February meeting, with both teams battling inside rather than relying on the deep ball.
Broome has 11+ rebounds in each game of the NCAA Tournament, going for 11 against Alabama State, 12 against Creighton, 16 against Michigan and 14 against Michigan State.
Broome averages 3.7 offensive rebounds per game, and pairing Florida’s mediocre defensive rebounding with the fact Broome hauled in 5 offensive rebounds against Creighton, 9 against Michigan and 4 against Michigan State, Broome should have another clear path to 11+ boards in this Final Four matchup!
Zach has been a published sports writer since 2018 specializing in college football & basketball, MLB and NFL content for multiple publications.