SAN ANTONIO – In the first all-SEC Final Four matchup in history, All-Americans Johni Broome and Walter Clayton Jr. willed their teams for 40 minutes before Florida took control late to defeat Auburn 79-73 in the national semifinals Saturday in the Alamodome.
“I'm really proud of my team, how these guys made history, the best basketball team in the history of Auburn basketball,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said. “They gave us a ride that won't ever be forgotten. They did so many great things both on and off the court that I'm extremely proud of.”
Clayton scored 20 of his 34 points in the second half to help Florida (35-4) outscore Auburn 41-27 and outrebound the Tigers by 10 after intermission, capitalizing on 12 second-half Auburn turnovers.
“Second half, Florida's effort and energy, the fact that we're not as deep as what we normally are, was a factor,” Pearl said. “I thought fatigue was a factor. As a result, we weren't able to maintain control of the game. If we had taken care of the basketball a little bit, not turned it over, not given them easy ones, we could have been in position to win the basketball game.”
Chad Baker-Mazara led Auburn with 18 points while Broome scored 15 and grabbed seven rebounds. Denver Jones added 10 points. Dylan Cardwell contributed nine points and eight rebounds, Miles Kelly added eight points and four rebounds, Chaney Johnson chipped in six points and five rebounds, and Tahaad Pettiford led Auburn with four assists.
Leading by eight at the half, Auburn missed a chance to take a double-digit lead by missing a shot after a Florida turnover, then the Gators responded with an 11-0 run to take a 51-49 lead before Broome tied the score at 51-51.
Johnson posted up Clayton and scored in the lane to give Auburn a 55-51 lead, but the Gators’ star answered with a contested 3-pointer to trim the Tigers’ lead to one.
“Clayton was the difference,” Pearl said. “We couldn't contain him down at that end.”
Jones drove and dished to Cardwell for his third dunk of the game, giving Auburn a 57-54 lead with 11:25 remaining.
A rash of Auburn turnovers and Florida free throws helped the Gators take a two-point lead before Baker-Mazara put the Tigers back on top with a 3-pointer at the 7:31 mark.
“A lot of careless turnovers that in the first half we didn't really have,” Jones said. “I feel like that's what gave them the spark to take the lead.”
Back and forth they went. Broome lobbed to Cardwell for a dunk that put the Tigers up by one, only to see Florida’s Thomas Haugh drive for a layup that gave Florida a 64-63 lead with 6:31 to play.
Clayton’s 3-pointer gave Florida a four-point lead but Jones answered for Auburn to pull the Tigers within one at the 4:01 mark.
Clayton then scored five consecutive points during a 7-0 run that gave Florida a 76-68 lead while Auburn went three and a half minutes without scoring before Baker-Mazara’s 3-pointer with 32 seconds to play.
“I feel like we got the looks that we wanted to get,” said Broome, who scored 12 of his 15 points in the first half. “I wasn't able to capitalize and finish them.”
Broome and Baker-Mazara got Auburn off to a fast start, combining for 14 points before the first media timeout.
“We scored great in the first half with our two-point baskets,” Pearl said. “We went through (Johni), and he did great. I'm going to give Florida credit defensively for stepping up.”
Kelly and Jones helped Auburn take a 29-25 lead at the under-8 timeout, with Jones finishing through contact on a drive before Kelly scored on transition after Broome’s blocked shot.
Kelly then made Auburn’s third 3-pointer of the half for a four-point Tiger lead.
After Pettiford made three free throws with 3:30 to play, Broome followed with a jumper in the paint to put the Tigers up by nine, a lead Auburn maintained down the stretch thanks to two more Broome paint buckets and Miles Kelly’s 3-pointer.
After Clayton, who led the Gators with 14 first-half points, made a layup with 31 seconds remaining, Jones drew a foul after an offensive rebound and made one free throw to give Auburn a 46-38 halftime lead.
“Played beautiful basketball in the first half,” Pearl said. “We were prepared. We had a great game plan. They executed it really well. We only turned the ball over twice.”
Auburn (32-6) concludes a historic season that included an SEC regular season championship, eight weeks atop the Associated Press poll, a program record for victories and the program’s second Final Four appearance.
“Being at Auburn has been the best five years of my life,” Cardwell said. “I couldn't have chosen a greater university to have loved me back, to watch me grow from 18 to 23. I am the man I am because God let me come to Auburn.
“I love these guys. I cherish every single moment, every single memory we made. That's my prayer all year: Lord, prolong our season. We have so many great memories on and off the court. This is the funniest team I've ever been on, but also the most loving, caring and thoughtful team I've ever been on. I'll forever remember this team and hope we can stay in touch for the rest of our lives.”
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on X: @jeff_shearer