AUBURN, Ala. – Since arriving at Auburn in 2014, Bruce Pearl has beaten every SEC team. Some more than others. He's beaten Alabama and LSU seven times each. But there's one team that has given him trouble over the years. Florida.
Next Game:
Florida
Jan. 8, 2022
7 p.m. CT
TV: ESPN2
Radio: Auburn Sports Network
Pearl has just two wins against the Gators while at Auburn, and they both came during the 2018-19 season with the team that ultimately reached the Final Four.
"It took a Final Four team to beat Florida since I've been at Auburn," Pearl said. "Billy Donovan early on and then Coach (Mike) White have done a great job against us. They've got us figured out, and they've been really tough to figure out."
Pearl is hoping this year's Auburn team, which some say is more talented than that Final Four team, can pick up another win against Florida on Saturday night. The Tigers (13-1) have only lost once this year and are winners of 10 straight games, including back-to-back SEC wins against LSU and South Carolina.
The talent on this team is undeniable, but it's been the depth that has made the difference. Eleven different players are averaging more than 10 minutes per game.
"You've got to give the players all the credit," Pearl said. "They became friends this summer. They respect each other, they care about each other, they've competed against one another to try to establish position to the team, and now they know it's the time of the year when it's time to not compete against ourselves anymore but to compete against our opponents.
"Our depth is our greatest strength. Our kids know that."
Auburn and Florida will tip off Saturday at 7 p.m. CT from Auburn Arena. Andy Burcham and Sonny Smith will have the radio call on 93.9 Tiger FM and online at AuburnTigers.com, and the game will also be televised on ESPN2 with Eric Frede and Jimmy Dykes on the call.
PLAYER TO WATCH: WENDELL GREEN JR.
Sophomore guard Wendell Green Jr. has had the hot hand in each of the last six contests for Auburn, shooting 40 percent or better from the field in all but one of those games. In back-to-back wins to start SEC play, he is averaging a team-leading 18.6 points and 4.0 assists per game. Green poured in a season-high 22 points in Tuesday's win over South Carolina. It marked the 11th 20-point outing in his college career.
INSIDE THE SERIES: FLORIDA
Auburn leads 89-82 in the all-time series with Florida. However, the Gators have won the last two meetings in the series, pulling off a rare 74-57 win at Auburn Arena last February. They are 4-2 lifetime when playing in the Tigers' home venue.
WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE
Auburn is a perfect 7-0 on its home court this season. The Tigers are one of 100 NCAA Division I schools who remain undefeated at home. They will play three of their next five games in the friendly confines of Auburn Arena, which has been sold out every game this season. Saturday's sellout will mark the 48th sellout in Auburn Arena (2010-Present) history.
BLOCK SUPREMACY
The SEC's No. 1 (Auburn, 8.1) and No. 2 (Florida, 5.8) teams in blocked shots will go head-to-head Saturday as well as two of the league's top big men in Auburn's Walker Kessler (7-foot-1) and Florida's (6-foot-11) Colin Castleton. Kessler, who became the first player in program history to earn a nod as USBWA and ESPN National Player of the Week, ranks third nationally in blocks per game (4.4), while Castleton is 34th in the country (2.4).