Just over two days until Auburn and Florida rematch in the Final Four inside of the Alamo Dome, the Gators’ head coach Todd Golden took to the podium to preview the matchup with No. 1 seed Auburn and longtime mentor Bruce Pearl.
Below is everything Golden said about clashing with the Tigers in the national semifinal on Saturday in the Lone Star State.
Opening statement:
“Obviously thrilled to be here. Really proud of our program, our staff, our players for the way we performed all season. Made it through a heck of an SEC best conference in basketball, for the past 20 years, won the SEC, which we're really proud of. Have done what we needed to do to get to the Final Four. Being our third year here, being this program, myself and my staff are really pleased with the progress we've made, excited to see what we're able to do this weekend.”
On his analytical approach to coaching:
“We're very analytical in everything we do. We talk about that a lot. Whether it's roster building, whether it's scheduling, deciding who I want to play, game scouting reports, et cetera.
“It's more than any one specific thing, the way I like to explain it, a macro outlook on our decision-making and how we build out. We try to gather as much data as we possibly can when it comes to any sort of decision, then make what decision that data tells us to make. Then we got to live with the consequences. It's not always going to work. Life is not perfect. You want to give yourself the best chance to be successful and live with the results.
“I think it shows great proof of concept. We try to bridge that gap also of being analytical while also using a little bit of a human element to make some certain decisions. Big picture-wise I think obviously where we are right now and the way we've done it is really good proof of concept with the way we're trying to build our program.”
On Walter Clayton Jr.’s first performance against Auburn:
“I wouldn't say necessarily found out anything new. I kind of cemented what we've known about him for a long time. He's an amazing player. He was banged up in the Tennessee game that we lost. We had to make a tough decision coming home that next week in terms of the Vanderbilt game. The great thing about Walt is he wanted to play. He was going to play on a little bit of a bum ankle for his teammates.
“We thought it would make sense to hold him out and get him ready for the back half of the season instead of letting him be gimpy down the stretch. That's the benefit of having a great deep team. Guys like Denzel Aberdeen steps up in that Vandy game, plays 35 minutes, no turnovers. Urby steps up, hits two big threes.
“We get through that game with a win, allows us to get to the Auburn game with a healthy and fresh Walt. Again, he did what he does. Steps up in the biggest moments, played 40 minutes, was elite scoring the basketball in the first half of the game, was elite making plays for others in the second half of the game. Just controlled it from start to finish.
“I think things that we internally already knew about him was kind of realized by everybody outside watching that he was, if not the best, one of the best guards in America. He certainly displayed that over the back half of the season as well.”
On his long relationship with Bruce Pearl:
“We're incredibly close. Have been for a long time now. Almost 15 years. It's a little surreal, to be honest, to be able to be here at the Final Four. That in itself is a little surreal. But playing on Saturday against one of your biggest and best mentors, not exactly something you expect when the season starts.
“I know he's incredibly proud of me. I'm incredibly grateful for him and his family and the opportunities they provided for me. I would not be here if I didn't have my relationship and experience working with and being around Bruce and his son Steven. A little bit of a full-circle moment for both of us.
“When the ball goes up on Saturday, it's going to be pretty cutthroat. Until then, there will be a lot of love shown. Again, a surreal moment for sure.”
On playing in the Final Four for the first time:
“I think the same reason why I've had success all year is why we'll be okay, being here, this being the first time.
“We have a very mature group. Very unselfish group, guys that are very driven. You look at the way we played all year. We've been a very consistent team. We've always been able to bounce back from losses the right way, make sure we get back to who we are and playing well. I think we've won 10 in a row coming into this event.
“Our guys are not going to be satisfied going home Saturday night. I think going into the mentality that obviously it will be a great season regardless, but if we lose on Saturday, we'll have a bad taste in our mouths.”
On friendship with Steven Pearl:
“It's incredible. It's what life is all about. We were laughing. We FaceTimed on Sunday after they beat Michigan State. We were shaking our heads like, Man, we're legitimately going to the Final Four, competing against each other.
“A long way from when we first got down to Auburn, I was director of basketball operations, he was the assistant strength coach. You can remind him of that when you see him (smiling).
“Like I said before, Bruce and Steven are incredibly important to me, have been really impactful with the opportunities I've had. I'm just really grateful for my relationship with them. I think it speaks volumes about the way we build our programs, that we're both still alive right now.”
On experience of coaching against a close friend:
“I don't like it as much in the regular season. At this point in the year, when you're in the Final Four, it is what it is. You're going to go out there and do everything you can to take each other out. I think in a way we're both pleasantly surprised to be competing against each other at this point in the season.”
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Patrick is a junior from Auburn, Alabama, double majoring in journalism and marketing. He started with The Plainsman in the fall of 2022.
You can follow him on X (Twitter) at @patrickabingham
