For the first 20 minutes of the game, Auburn looked like a team with a clear goal. They came out strong, showing energy and focus, and took a promising 46–38 lead into halftime against a tough Florida team. It seemed like Bruce Pearl’s squad was ready to make a big statement. But the second half told a completely different story, as Florida surged back and flipped the script, eventually winning 79–73. So, what went wrong?
In his post-game press conference, Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl didn’t shy away from answering tough questions. He admitted that he expected Florida to come out aggressive after halftime. However, he chose not to call an early timeout during the first four minutes of the half, hoping to ride it out until the media timeout. He counted on his top five players—all seniors—to handle the pressure.
Pearl was candid about his team’s offensive struggles, saying they didn’t execute plays the way they had practiced. Poor decision-making, bad passes, and taking the wrong kinds of shots plagued them. Auburn committed 14 turnovers, which Florida converted into 16 points. In contrast, Auburn only managed to score 6 points off Florida’s mistakes. The Tigers also fell short in transition, scoring just 2 fast-break points, compared to Florida’s 4.
Despite the collapse, Auburn had standout performances. Chad Baker-Mazara led the scoring with 18 points, hitting 6 of 10 shots, including four three-pointers. Dylan Cardwell added 9 points and grabbed 8 rebounds, while Denver Jones contributed 10 points. At times, the offense looked fluid and connected.
But Florida owned the second half, outscoring Auburn 41–27. The Tigers’ biggest lead—9 points—quickly disappeared as Florida’s depth, energy, and physicality overwhelmed them. Pearl noted that Johni Broome, a key Auburn big man, struggled to contain Florida’s Walter due to the height mismatch.
Broome, however, didn’t use injury as an excuse. While he acknowledged that his elbow was slightly bothering him, he insisted it wasn’t serious enough to keep him from playing. He still put in a strong effort—logging 34 minutes, scoring 15 points, collecting 7 rebounds, and adding 2 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. But in the crucial final moments, he couldn’t find his rhythm or capitalize on his opportunities. He admitted post-game that he got the looks he wanted but simply couldn’t finish.
The game, which started with so much promise for Auburn, unraveled in the face of Florida’s second-half pressure. Florida’s size, depth, and intensity slowly wore Auburn down. It wasn’t just one player—it was a full-team breakdown when it mattered most.
The key question remains: Did Bruce Pearl’s strategic decisions cost Auburn the game, or did the team simply buckle under Florida’s second-half push?