The fourth-seeded Auburn Tigers will look to avenge their loss to the sixth-seeded Florida Gators suffered earlier this season in their first SEC Tournament championship game since 2019. In 2019, they beat the Tennessee Volunteers and eventually lost in the Final Four to eventual national champion Virginia.
The Tigers just came off a tough-nosed and gritty battle against the nine-seeded Mississippi State Bulldogs in a 73-66 victory. The Tigers came out with a win despite committing 15 turnovers, nine of which came in the first half.
Jaylin Williams and Chad-Baker Mazara were the two players to thank for closing out the game as they both knocked down crucial free throws toward the end.
The Gators were a part of the second semifinal game against the Texas A&M Aggies where they trailed at the half 50-42 but took their first lead with 12:55 remaining in the game. From there, the Gators controlled the game, even with four players for the Aggies scoring in double figures – including Wade Taylor IV who had his second 30-point game of the tournament.
The Gators shot 49.1% from the field and 53.8% from behind the arc and had five players in double figures. The team has shot 47.9% from the field in the tournament as well as 43.6% from three.
The last time the Tigers and Gators faced each other, the Gators had the upper hand as they played in Gainesville and shut down the Pearl’s team offensively. The Tigers shot poorly from beyond the arc at a 17.6% clip. The Tigers were out rebounded 43-41, including 16-4 on offensive boards. The Gators currently have the third-highest rebounding percentage in the country and second in the SEC behind Texas A&M at 37.3%.
The Gators' two top scorers in Zyon Pullin and Walter Clayton Jr. combined for almost 40 points to lead their team to an 81-65 victory back in February. Now the two teams are coming into this game on their own winning streaks where the Tigers have won their last five and the Gators their last three.
In this tournament, the Gators are averaging 94 points per game. The Tigers top-10 defense will be needed to stop Todd Golden’s high-octane offense from putting up any big numbers and running away with this game.
Chris Moore and K.D. Johnson will be relied on to stop the two-headed attack of Pullin and Clayton Jr. Auburn’s depth has been its biggest asset throughout the season, playing all its players double-digit minutes and allowing lots of rest to keep the players fresh when coming into game.
The Tigers will also need their best from All-SEC first team center Johni Broome to help rebound as well as backup center Dylan Cardwell. Their rim protection will also be key in keeping players like Pullin and Clayton Jr. from getting to the rim too easily.
Auburn will take on Florida in its fifth SEC Tournament championship on Sunday afternoon at noon CST. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
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William Halliday started with The Plainsman in fall 2022. He is a journalism major from Memphis, Tennessee.
Twitter: @wphalliday3
