'Beyond special': Florida rematch awaits Auburn in Final Four

SAN ANTONIO – Preparing for Saturday’s national semifinal with the same successful structure and schedule Auburn used in its previous 37 games – amid the pageantry of the Final Four – presents the ultimate challenge.

“Beyond special,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said of the Tigers’ second Final Four appearance in seven seasons. “We recognize we're going to have to play the two best games of the year in order to be successful and cut down nets on Monday night.”

The Tigers practiced twice on Friday, first for an hour at the Alamodome after 45 minutes of media interviews, then again at nearby University of the Incarnate Word, going over the plays they plan to run in Saturday’s rematch with Florida. 

In their previous meeting this season, Auburn built an early 10-point lead before falling to Florida 90-91 Feb. 8 at Neville Arena, ending the Tigers’ 14-game winning streak. 

“We got off to a really good start, but they won the game the way they've been winning games, banged 13 threes, had 22 assists, their front line played with tremendous physicality and outplayed us,” said Pearl, who was named Associated Press Coach of the Year Friday.  “If that's the case, they're going to beat us again. They scored 90. Their depth I think was a factor.

“We recognize that there are a number of things that we didn't do that they did that we're going to have to fix this time around if we're going to have a chance to beat them.”

At the top of that list: containing Florida All-America guard Walter Clayton Jr., who led the Gators with 19 points, nine assists and six rebounds in their first meeting, a challenge SEC All-Defensive Team member Denver Jones accepts. 

“A lot of effort and energy,” Jones said. “You can’t give up, you can’t take a play off. Making it really tough on him. I’m not trying to lose again on the bigger stage. I’m going to try my hardest to be better. I take my matchup very seriously.”

In Florida’s four NCAA Tournament victories, Clayton has averaged 19.8 points while making 14 of 31 3-point attempts (45.3%) and 31 of 35 free throws (88.6%).

“Clayton has been the best guard on the floor every single night,” Pearl said. “Clayton can't be the best guard on the floor tomorrow. Their front line can't be the more aggressive and the more physical tomorrow. If they are, we lose. If they're not, we win.”

Defense and rebounding, as Pearl has stated throughout his 11 seasons on the Plains, will dictate which team advances to Monday’s national championship game.

“They're plus 12.5 rebound margin right now,” Pearl said. “They have five bigs that they rotate. Right now we're rotating three. Depth is usually a strength of mine. We typically, in my career, played nine, 10 guys double-digit minutes. We're really only playing seven, maybe eight.

“The length of the timeouts, the extra five minutes at halftime, gives a team with a little less depth an opportunity to maybe get a little bit more rest. What takes its toll are the number of bodies they're going to put on our leading scorer in Johni Broome.

“They know it. We know it. He knows it. We're ready for it.”

 Auburn’s All-American, Broome leads the South Region champion No. 1 Tigers (32-5) vs. West Region winners No. 1 Florida (34-4) in the first all-SEC semifinal in history Saturday at 5:09 p.m. CT on CBS in the Alamadome. Andy Burcham and Randall Dickey will provide play-by-play and analysis on the Auburn Sports Network.

“They’re a great, physical team. They play hard, they have good guards, they have a good front line, they’re well balanced,” Broome said. “It’s been one of the best years of my life. It can solidify it with a stamp at the end if we handle business these next two games.”

Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on X: @jeff_shearer