SEC Championship: Florida vs. Auburn Preview, Prediction, Where to Watch
Photo: Florida head coach Todd Golden with Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl; Credit: Zach Goodall
The end of the road in the 2023-24 SEC Tournament has arrived.
After claiming three wins in three days over the likes of Georgia, Alabama and Texas A&M, the Florida Gators will meet the Auburn Tigers on Sunday afternoon to decide the winner of the postseason conference tournament.
Will Todd Golden defeat his former mentor Bruce Pearl for a second time this season to claim a league title in year two of his reign in Gainesville? Or will Pearl and Auburn exact revenge for their hard fall to Florida earlier this season to earn the crown?
You can find everything you need to know before tip-off below, including an in-depth rundown of Florida's opponent, game prediction and more.
SEC Championship: No. 6 Florida Gators vs. No. 4 Auburn Tigers
Where: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tenn.
When: Sunday, March 17 at 1 p.m. ET
Watch: ESPN | fuboTV (start your free trial)
Radio: Gators Sports Network from LEARFIELD | FloridaGators.com | The Varsity Network App
Odds: The Gators are 5.5-point underdogs to the Tigers on Sunday, according to SI Sportsbook. The over/under for the contest is set at 155.5 points.
Series history: Florida trails the all-time series against Auburn, 83-91, are is tied with AU 4-4 in SEC Tournament matchups. In the last meeting between the two foes on Feb. 10, the Gators dominated the Tigers en route to an 81-65 victory inside Exactech Arena.
Important stories
- Florida Erases 18-Point Deficit Vs. Texas A&M, Advances to SEC Championship
- Gators Dominate Crimson Tide in Quarterfinal, Post 102-88 Win
- Gators Advance in SEC Tournament With 85-80 Win Over Georgia Bulldogs
- Gators Extending Head Men’s Basketball Coach Todd Golden
- Florida to Face Georgia in Second Round of SEC Tournament
- Gators Forward Tyrese Samuel Named to AP All-SEC Second Team
- Florida Hoops Trio Earns 2023-24 Regular Season SEC Honors
- Florida Suffers Road Loss to Vanderbilt in Regular Season Finale, 79-78
- Gators Roll Over Tide on Senior Night, 105-87
- Todd Golden: Florida Gators' A Little Ahead' in Program Rebuild Process
- No. 24 Florida Falls Short of OT Upset vs. No. 13 Alabama, 98-93
- Column: Gators Guard Zyon Pullin Deserves More National Recognition
- Gators in 'Great Spot' for March Madness Bid
- Exclusive: Golden's Gators Striving for 'Next Step' With Reconstructed Roster
The rundown
The postseason conference title is on the line between Florida and Auburn in Nashville.
Statistically, the Tigers possess the most effective and balanced unit in college basketball. Ranked No. 4 in overall adjusted efficiency margin, with top ten marks in both offensive and defensive efficiency, Auburn is considered a legitimate contender to earn the national crown in March Madness this season.
However, the first matchup featured the Gators overpowering the Tigers en route to a dominant 81-65 rout in Gainesville.
It marked the first win for Todd Golden in two tries against his mentor Bruce Pearl, setting up a rubber match between the coaches in the championship game on Sunday.
The aforementioned balance of Auburn’s approach is predicated on its No. 5 defense (KenPom). It allows just 68.1 points per game and is first in effective field goal percentage allowed to the opposition this season. The numbers represent the uber-disciplined scheme the group effectively deploys.
They have shown a propensity to struggle against team’s with a strong offensive rebounding prowess, though, which bodes in Florida’s (No. 6 in offensive rebounding percentage this season) favor. But, with amicable three-point line defense and strong production, the Tigers present a daunting challenge to any opponent.
Forward Johni Broome largely dictates the unit’s success, accounting for 16.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game to lead the team in all three categories. He’s aided considerably by guards Tre Donaldson, KD Johnson and Chad Baker-Mazara.
Fellow frontcourt member Jaylin Williams has also proven valuable this season, rated as one of the nation’s most efficient players regardless of position.
In the first meeting, Florida’s backcourt dominated with 61 combined points between Walter Clayton Jr., Zyon Pullin and Riley Kugel against the Tigers’ usually stout defense and cut the water off at the top defensively, halting Broome’s impact around the rim in halfcourt sets, to elicit the eventual runaway win.
The Gators will again lean on the former duo, as they have all year, while seeking extra aid from the array of capable pieces along the bench.
A high-energy, emotional and fast-paced affair is to be expected in the championship matchup.
Brandon's Prediction (21-7): Florida 84, Auburn 82
Will the Florida Gators be crowned as the 2023-24 SEC Champion on Sunday?
They certainly have the characteristics of a team that can do it.
Coming back from down 18 points in the semi-finals contest against Texas A&M on Saturday, Florida showed the oft overlooked intangibles needed to compete with the nation’s elite.
Grit and determination, as cliche as it sounds, were on full display. And the production to move the Gators back within striking distance came from an unexpected contributor in rotational guard Denzel Aberdeen.
The characteristics present the makings of a legitimate threat in the NCAA Tournament, and certainly a threat to impede Auburn from winning another league title.
In March, guard play goes a long way. The first time around, Florida’s backcourt proved to hold the advantage over Auburn’s, given the dynamic multi-dimensional skillsets each Gators guard possesses.
It resulted in a win earlier this season. I think it does so again on Sunday, leading UF to its first SEC Tournament crown since the 2014 season.
Florida outpaces Auburn in a tight game that comes down to the wire. The Gators claim the throne atop the league with an 84-82 triumph over the Tigers on Championship Sunday.
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