For the first time in over a decade, Florida Basketball is in the Final Four with the goal of winning their first national title since 2007. This year's Final Four is loaded, with all four participants being the No. 1 seed from their respective regions.
As such, Florida and Auburn are set to square off after the Gators beat the Tigers on the road in February.
Will Florida chomp twice?
Florida Basketball: Twice As Nice
Spread | Over/Under | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|
Florida (-2.5) | 160 Points | Florida -155 |
If you go back and rewatch the February matchup between the two, Florida was able to keep Auburn at bay because Florida is one of the few teams that can match and surpass the length that Auburn possesses.
Alex Condon, in particular, had a great game and neutralized Johni Broome when the two were matched up in the post. Only when Condon was off the floor or switched off Broome did Auburn succeed in the post.
Likewise, even the early run Auburn made to go up double digits in the first half was fueled by mostly contested shots. Once those balanced out, Florida fought back and pulled away.
If you are looking for reasons to be concerned, though, Condon hasn't been playing great since the start of the SEC Tournament. Auburn also fouls a ton, and while Florida made their free throws in the initial matchup, that's something that isn't guaranteed on a game-to-game basis.
But the magic of this Florida squad is that when Condon hasn't played great, Thomas Haugh has. If Walter Clayton Jr. isn't Steph Curry, Florida still has Will Richard and Alijah Martin who are capable of getting points.
People will highlight the lulls Florida is prone to have, but Auburn was in a one-point game with Alabama State with two minutes left in the first half, trailed Creighton at the half, trailed Michigan by nine points with 12 minutes left, and struggled to shut the door for good on Michigan State until the final buzzer.
Florida has shown time and again that if you don't slam the door on them, they will kick it open.
It's been the safe bet to bet on Florida all season, and there is no reason to stop now.