Coming off its first SEC road win of the season, Auburn will look to replicate its performance on Saturday, in a rematch of last season's Final Four matchup against No. 16 Florida.
Todd Golden’s Gators sit tied atop the SEC with a 5-1 record and enter the clash with the Tigers on a five-game win streak.
“It’s the best team in our league by probably a wide margin,” said Auburn head coach Steven Pearl. “Coach Golden is the best coach in our league.”
As of Friday morning, Auburn sits as a No. 9 seed in ESPN’s latest Bracketology by Joe Lunardi, meaning this would be a pivotal boost to the Tigers’ resume if they can pull out a victory, which will be important come Selection Sunday.
While this showdown looms large for the Tigers, it is going to be a massive ask. Auburn has not left Gainesville, Florida, victorious in more than 30 years, with its last victory coming Feb. 10, 1996. Pearl was eight years old.
“We always talk about not living in the past, so we’re not going to,” Pearl said when asked about the university’s 15 game losing streak on the road at Florida.
The Gators are led by a familiar face to Auburn fans, Thomas Haugh. The junior recorded 12 points and seven rebounds in Florida’s victory at the Final Four last year. This season he’s averaging 17 points per game.
If Auburn wants to pull off the upset in this one, the difference offensively will be Filip Jović. The former Serbian pro is off to a hot start in SEC play, shooting 21-25 from the field so far. The Tigers need to find him early and often in a raucous road environment.
Filip Jović makes a rush toward the basket during the game against South Carolina on Jan. 17, 2026 in Neville Arena in Auburn, Ala.
Another key for the Tigers is going to be keeping the Gators off the glass. Florida enters Saturday, as the No. 1 ranked rebounding team in the country, with 884 rebounds on the year. Reuben Chinyelu leads the Gators averaging 11.2 boards per game. It’s going to be the job of KeShawn Murphy and the other guys in the paint to find a man and box out for the Tigers.
“Anyone who doesn’t check out in this game is not going to play,” Pearl said. “If you miss checkouts, just come sit next to me.”
The Tigers and Gators are set to tip-off at 3:00 p.m. CST and the game will be televised on ESPN. Florida is favored by 11.5 points.
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Rory is a sophomore majoring in journalism sports production. He started with The Plainsman in the spring of 2025.
You can follow him on X (Twitter) at @RorymGarvin
