NCAA Last 4: Auburn vs. Florida Preview

NCAA Males’s Basketball Match’s Last 4 spherical opens with an SEC showcase.

The primary half of the NCAA Males’s Last 4 simply means extra.

The SEC’s event takeover is on its purest show within the opening leg of the San Antonio doubleheader, which can function the Auburn Tigers and Florida Gators vying for a visit to the nationwide championship sport. It is the primary postseason assembly between the 2 longtime rivals and the winner faces both Duke or Houston in Monday’s grand finale.

Florida, which has two nationwide titles to its title (2006-07), is again within the Last 4 for the primary time since 2014. This newest trek has featured some shut calls: the Gators barely acquired by two-time defending champion Connecticut in spherical two earlier than they made up a late 10-point deficit to high Texas Tech within the regional remaining final weekend.

The widespread issue has been the clutch antics of Walter Clayton Jr., a consensus All-American (and the primary in class historical past) who saved one among his finest for final within the type of a 30-point effort in opposition to the Crimson Raiders. With Clayton letting it fly, the Gators additionally boast the inside skills of Alex Condon, Ruben Chinyelu, and Thomas Haugh, all of whom are averaging over six rebounds a sport. 

Auburn, then again, is making simply its second Last 4 look, and its first because the 2019 workforce led by Bryce Brown and Chuma Okeke fell to the eventual champions from Virginia. The Tigers have spent most of this season atop the nationwide rankings and have spent most of this event defending that fame: they received their first three video games by a median of 15 factors and the Elite Eight conflict vs. Michigan State was not as shut because the 70-64 determination signifies.

Loads of Warfare Eagle cries have come by way of the antics of SEC Participant of the Yr Johni Broome, who has pulled in 53 rebounds over the event quartet along with maintaining his elite scoring. Broome handled an damage in remaining phases of the Elite Eight however the Tigers are well-stocked after which some: Chad Baker-Mazara reached the All-SEC third workforce alongside Condon whereas Denver Jones and Tahaad Pettiford appeared on the All-Defensive and Freshman squads, respectively.

This would be the second and remaining assembly between the 2 golf equipment this season, as Florida beforehand prevailed, 90-81, at Auburn again in February. Clayton flirted with a triple-double by combining 19 factors with 9 assists and 6 rebounds, whereas Condon paired 17 tallies with 10 boards. Auburn leads the all-time collection 90-84.

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Who: (1) Auburn Tigers vs. (1) Florida GatorsWhat: 2025 NCAA Males’s Basketball Match, Nationwide SemifinalWhere: The Alamodome, San Antonio, TXWhen/Watch: Saturday, 6:09 p.m. ET, CBS/Paramount+Who’s Favored: UF -2.5

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Tiger to Watch: Chaney Johnson

The Tiger lineup options name-brand skills all through, but it surely’s depth stars like Johnson that make March (and April) march: the Division II switch from Alabama-Huntsville rose to the event when Broome went down in opposition to Michigan State and helped keep the Tigers’ lasting lead throughout the center phases of the second half. It is one factor to do it early within the 12 months in opposition to foes like Georgia State (as Johnson beforehand did throughout a unique Broome medical incident), however the Last 4/nationwide championship spherical have incessantly seen the emergence of second unit males (i.e. Phil Sales space for Villanova in 2016) pave the trail to a shining second or two. Is Johnson the subsequent man up in additional methods than one?

Gator to Watch: Walter Clayton Jr.

If anybody has put the “V” in MVP on this event, it has undoubtedly been Clayton, the Iona switch that has helped Florida keep away from being the antagonist in a Cinderella story. Clayton’s clutch taking pictures from all ends of the ground has bailed the Gators out of furry conditions and stored Florida’s offense rolling after inserting second within the SEC in scoring this season. Going through the impenetrable forces of Baker-Mazzara, Pettiford, and Miles Kelly, Clayton will want one other sensible displaying to beat the Tigers’ seemingly infinite reinforcements. ______________________________________________________________________________

They Mentioned It

“There are 4 groups within the nation which are left, and Auburn is one among them. So we could not be happier … We’ll the Last 4 with our 4 1 seeds. The 4 groups that superior, I believe they’re the 4 finest groups within the nation. That does not clearly at all times occur … We’re a soccer college. We’re. Do not ever neglect that. We’re a soccer college. We’re. However we’re additionally an every little thing college. We’re an every little thing college.”-Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl after the win over Michigan State (h/t Taylor Jones, Auburn Wire)

“It is type of so much to placed on a younger man. However I might say the one factor the place Walt 100% is much like Steph is their shot-making and their capability to get it off each time they need. Identical to the Warriors need Steph to have the ability to discover a approach to get open and get these pictures in these moments, we would like Walt taking the pictures for us down the stretch. There is a motive why he was an AP first-team All-American. He’s, in my humble opinion, one of the best guard in America.”-Florida head coach Todd Golden on Walter Clayton Jr. getting comparisons to Stephen Curry (h/t Kyle Bonagura, ESPN)

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Prediction

Florida is probably the furthest factor from a Cinderella story, however some will little question query its championship credentials in opposition to probably the most frequent No. 1 workforce within the main polls and one which rolled by way of their opening video games. The dynamic, multi-faceted one-two punch of Clayton and Condon, nevertheless, can transfer mountains and the Gators have confirmed themselves well-capable of rising in opposition to any problem. It’d take an old style slugfest higher fitted to the fields of fall Saturdays reasonably than the hardwood of early April, however my nod goes to the Gators.

Florida 70, Auburn 66

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Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags