Auburn Tigers Unable to Withstand Florida Gators Onslaught
SAN ANTONIO– The Auburn Tigers suffered a similar fate to the 2019 team after losing in the Final Four to the Florida Gators, 79-73, ending the Tigers’ 2024-25 season.
The Gators were down 46-38 at halftime. However, they outscored the Tigers, 41-27, in the second half. Despite the Tigers having three players in double digits with Chad Baker-Mazara scoring18 points, Johni Broome scoring 15 points and Denver Jones scoring10 points, Auburn wasn’t able to keep up with Florida.
Broome, himself, struggled in the second half with only three points in the final 20 minutes of action.
The Gators themselves had three double digit scorers. Florida was led by Walter Clayton Jr., who had 34 points, alongside Alijah Martin, who had 17 points, and Thomas Haugh, who had 12 points off the bench.
“There’s real size in their backcourt, real size in their front court,” Pearl said.
Pearl also added that he had been a better coach, the Tigers would have gotten better shots, especially for Tahaad Pettiford.
“If there are five of the top freshmen in college basketball this year, Tahaad Pettiford is absolutely one of them,” Pearl continued. “I’m so incredibly proud of him. I know his teammates are.”
Pettiford struggled in the game against the Gators. He made just one two-point field goal the entire game, going 0-for-4 from three-point range and 1-for-6 entirely. He did score 5-for-5 from the free throw line. He also had just three rebounds and four assists.
However, Pettiford wasn’t the only one who struggled. The Tigers started the second half poorly, thanks to the Gators’ defense.
“I just think that we came out offensively and we didn’t run some of the things we had talked about running,” Pearl said. “12 turnovers, bad execution, bad decision-making, bad passing and catching. We took a lot of shots we did not want to take.”
It was a tale of two halves as the Gators turned the tables. As Pearl said, the Gators forced 16 turnovers which resulted in 16 points. The Tigers scored just four points off 14 forced turnovers. The Gators also scored 21 points off free throws, whereas the Tigers scored just 16.
Not to mention, Gators outrebounded the Tigers 39-30 on the night with a 12-9 advantage in offensive rebounding.
With that, the National Championship is set. The Gators will face the Houston Cougars on Monday, April 7 at 8:50 p.m. CDT while Auburn turns the page to the offseason.
