AUBURN, Ala. – Sixth-ranked Florida made program historical past with its victory over No. 1 Auburn on Saturday.
It wasn’t the Gators’ 90-81 win over the Tigers that’ll discover its method into this system’s report books. Florida had already taken down a top-ranked staff this season, beating then- No. 1 Tennessee 73-43 on Jan. 7.
Saturday’s win marked the primary time the Gators have crushed a No. 1 staff in a real highway recreation. It was additionally the primary dwelling loss and the primary SEC lack of the season for Auburn (21-2, 9-1 Southeastern Convention).
Coming into the sport, Florida (20-3, 7-3) had misplaced all seven of its earlier highway video games towards No. 1 groups.
“That is most likely the hardest place to play in America proper now, towards the perfect staff in America, and we confirmed out for 40 minutes,” Florida head coach Todd Golden mentioned. “I assumed we had been the mentally and bodily harder staff.”
Florida notched the win with out No. 2 scorer Alijah Martin, who was dominated out with a hip damage.
As an alternative, the Gators leaned closely on main scorer Walter Clayton Jr., who performed the whole recreation. After lacking Florida’s win at Vanderbilt earlier this week with an ankle damage, Clayton completed with 19 factors and 9 assists.
“I seemed over at him and mentioned I used to be going to run him for all 40 minutes,” Golden mentioned.
Clayton’s response? “No drawback.”
Auburn raced out to an early 10-point lead within the first six minutes of the sport. Then, Florida dominated the remainder of the primary half, outscoring Auburn 43-23. The Gators then scored 20 of the primary 29 factors of the second half.
“I imply, they only got here in right here like they needed to win it,” Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl mentioned of Florida. “That’s how they performed their possessions. They usually performed tougher. They performed higher. They performed extra desperately.
“We didn’t appear to be the No. 1 staff within the nation. We didn’t act just like the No. 1 staff within the nation. We didn’t put together prefer it. And, in consequence, we received beat.”
Getting into Saturday, Auburn hadn’t allowed greater than 70 factors in a house recreation this season. Florida received to that mark with 12:31 left on the clock.
“It’s undoubtedly powerful to get a win on the highway within the SEC typically, particularly towards a No. 1 staff,” Clayton mentioned. “Auburn, they’re a terrific staff. They do a number of issues nicely. However we ready nicely, and we got here out, and we executed.”
Florida was capable of maintain up nicely towards Auburn’s frontcourt, which was led by Johni Broome, a fifth-year senior and preseason Related Press All-American who is taken into account a contender for nationwide participant of the 12 months. Whereas Broome completed with 18 factors, 11 rebounds and 6 assists, he missed 11 of 19 shot makes an attempt.
Golden praised his staff for constantly defending Broome’s dominant left hand on his inside touches. Alex Condon had 17 factors and 10 rebounds for Florida up entrance, whereas Thomas Haugh added 16 factors, 9 rebounds and three blocks off the bench.
”(Broome) has performed like the perfect participant in America so far,” Golden mentioned. “He deserves that recognition. … I recruited Johni after I first received at Florida, and Bruce punked me there and received the perfect participant in America for a couple of years.”
Offensively, Florida had 22 assists on 31 made baskets. The help rely was the staff’s highest in SEC play this season, nicely above its 13.9 per convention recreation common.
These 22 assists had been additionally probably the most that Auburn had allowed all season — by a substantial margin: Purdue had the earlier excessive mark of 13, in December.
Florida hit 13 pictures from 3-point vary, which was additionally its prime mark in SEC play this season. City Klavzar got here off the bench and was excellent on all three of his pictures from lengthy distance.
“It was the best way they performed out of the ball display and shared the ball and spaced (out),” Pearl mentioned. “They usually banged a bunch of pictures. I imply, they banged a bunch of pictures. And their bench actually stepped up for them.”
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