One of the worst halves by the Tigers. Two missed clutch free throws by their captain Johni Broome. And just like that, Auburn’s incredible season was snatched away by the Florida Gators. For the first eight minutes, it was a battle of titans—shots flying, bodies colliding, and the kind of drama that could’ve been ripped straight from a western movie. It was exactly what we expected from these SEC juggernauts. But does a loss really wipe away everything you’ve done the whole season? No, right? Well, someone off the court seemed to think so.
You know, many analysts around the sport have been raving about the SEC 2024-2025 conference as one of the greatest leagues college basketball has ever seen. Seriously, four out of the 16 teams in the SEC got NCAA tournament bids. It was that kind of year for the league. And obviously, the season is closing with two big guns—Auburn and Florida—right there in the top four.
In the game, when Bruce Pearl’s squad managed to hold that lead for most of the opening ten minutes, it was clear this was going to be a heavyweight fight. But then, an ugly offensive possession led to an even uglier late shot-clock foul by Miles Kelly against Florida guard Will Richard, putting the Gators ahead 23-22 with just over 10 minutes left in the first half. Auburn didn’t back down, though.
They immediately fired back with a 7-2 run, led by Kelly and Denver Jones, giving the Tigers a lead going into the under-8 timeout. That momentum carried on, and by halftime, Auburn had stretched it to a 46-38 advantage. But Todd Golden’s crew wasn’t about to let it slide that easy. The Gators came out swinging after the break, quickly erasing Auburn’s lead and tying the game at 49 a piece by the under-16 media timeout. Back and forth it went—Auburn would get a lead, and Florida would snatch it right back.
The Gators took a 60-58 lead into the under-8 timeout. Walter Clayton Jr. had ice in his veins, hitting clutch shots down the stretch to keep Florida in control. But Auburn wasn’t done yet. With just over three minutes to play, an Alijah Martin dunk sent the Florida fans into a frenzy, but the Tigers, battle-tested and tough, clawed their way back to make it a one-point game.
That set up one of the most intense stretches of basketball you’ll ever see. A pair of Alex Condon free throws gave the Gators a bit of breathing room, and after a couple of missed free throws by Broome, Florida sealed a 79-73 victory.
What a game, right? Both teams brought that fight, that grit. Both left everything on the court, and while the Gators ended up taking it home, it’s clear that Auburn did not go down without a serious fight.
But, you know, while Florida deserves their credit, it’s not like Auburn didn’t put on a show too. However, CBS broadcasters didn’t seem to think so. The panel, which included Ian Eagle, Grant Hill, and Bill Raftery, got a ton of flak for how they handled the game. It was as if the Tigers were just an afterthought in the middle of all that Florida praise.Fans on social media were fired up, feeling like the Gators were getting all the love while Auburn was practically ignored.
One fan tweeted, “Florida definitely played hard and great, but these commentators are riding them on a whole different level.” Another chimed in, “These commentators are Florida homers and I won’t be told otherwise.”
These commentators are Florida homers and I won’t be told otherwise
— Matt Welch (@M__Welch) April 6, 2025
And honestly, you can kind of see where they’re coming from. The Gators were obviously playing well, but there were moments in that game when Auburn had serious moments of brilliance too.
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