SAN ANTONIO — As the top-seeded Tigers are set to rematch with conference foe Florida later today in the Final Four, Auburn players spent time before yesterday’s open practice sharing their final thoughts on the contest prior to tipoff in the Alamodome.
C Johni Broome:
On Saturday's game against Florida:
"I expect a physical game. I expect a dogfight down there. It is going to be a lot of physical plays but I think we have the guys to overcome that and come out with a victory."
On the re-match with SEC foe Florida:
"We're super excited to get a crack at Florida. We always want to get a crack, especially if a team beats us. But, at this stage, it really doesn't matter who we will be playing; we will be excited to play.”
PG Denver Jones:
On guarding Walter Clayton Jr. again:
"Honestly, he just got the ultimate green light and was just shooting from anywhere. You didn't know when he was going to shoot it. So I just feel like a lot of the actions, I'm just trying to make him put it on the floor instead of just giving him open shots. When he's feeling comfortable, we just need to make him feel uncomfortable."
On the growth of the team since the regular season Florida loss:
"I just feel like we got a lot more mature. We realized that back then, we weren't playing Auburn basketball like how we were in the beginning of the season and non-conference play.
So that's why I would probably say just because we had a meeting about getting back to what got us here today. That was playing Auburn basketball, playing defense like we normally do, and that's like, what we do."
G Miles Kelly:
On what Auburn’s March Madness run means to him:
"It's everything I've ever dreamed of since I've been in college, to have a deep run in March Madness, for this to be able to come true in my last year of college basketball, to be able to make the Final Four and a chance to win the national championship - it means a lot."
G Chad Baker-Mazara:
On favorite moment of the season:
"There have been a couple. We won [the] Maui [Invitational]. We can say [the] Houston [winj was a pretty good one. Making it here is a good one. But my favorite moment this season has to be off the court and being able to have my dad living back with me. He moved in with me. He made a sacrifice. And I think his boss back at home appreciates that. He talked to him and said, 'You know, l've got to get my son right. I haven't been with him in a long time.' And he moved in with me in Auburn, and he's been with me throughout the whole season. To me, that has just been my favorite moment because me and him really didn't have a relationship like that, and him moving in with me, being able to have those hard conversations and the father/son moments, even more. That, to me, has been like my favorite moment for this year.”
PF Chaney Johnson:
On this team’s chemistry:
“When one guys sacrifices for you it make you want to sacrifice for another guy and it just continues from the top below. So I mean, we have great chemistry and everyone is willing to go out and play hard for each other and play hard for the name on our jersey.”
C Dylan Cardwell:
On playing all three Final Four teams this season:
"I don't think it changed our preparation. I think it adds to it and gives confidence that, you know, we aren't playing a team out of the blue. It's really hard to prepare for these teams and the scouts when you've never played them. These coaches are watching games they've never seen before, whereas with all three possible opponents we have the feel of every single one of them so, it's going to be an easier scout for our coaching staff. As players, adapting is pretty easy only because we've seen these teams before. We know what we're capable of and what we aren't capable of."
On what makes Auburn special:
"Really just our faith. Our faith is the definition and the success of our season. I've been on better teams. I've been on more successful more talented teams. But the thing that sets this team apart is just our faith. Our faith has led us to sacrifice and our pride has brought us into a team over ourselves and that's why we are so successful."
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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
