Auburn began the second half on a 13-4 run and continued to pull away, building an 18-point lead with 8:28 to play. The Tigers led by double digits for the final 11:29 of the game.
Florida was within 68-56 with 5:26 to go but didn’t make another field goal until the 20-second mark.
Kevarrius Hayes, who did not start the game due to being late for a team meeting, scored 11 points for Florida (12-10, 4-5). Freshman guard Noah Locke scored all 10 of his points in the first half and KeVaughn Allen also had 10.
“Good teams execute the important things,” said Florida coach Mike White. “This current Gator team doesn’t do that very well.”
Florida, which entered second in the SEC in turnover margin, had 17 giveaways, including Allen’s six, leading to 19 Auburn points.
“That’s really our main focus: force turnovers, run on the break and look pretty while we’re doing it,” Auburn forward Horace Spencer said.
BIG PICTURE
Florida: The loss is the Gators’ second straight in SEC play after a three-game win streak. With 10 points, Allen extends his double-digit scoring streak to 11 straight and 15 of the last 16.
Auburn: After losing three straight games by a combined 13 points to Kentucky, Mississippi State and South Carolina, the Tigers have won their last three by 69 combined points.
UP NEXT
Florida: Travels to No. 1 Tennessee (21-1, 9-0) at 4 p.m. Saturday (ESPN).
Auburn: Faces No. 21 LSU in Baton Rouge on Saturday.
| AUBURN 76, FLORIDA 62 |
|---|
| FLORIDA (12-10) |
Bassett 2-3 0-0 4, K.Johnson 2-6 3-3 7, Allen 4-11 2-2 10, Locke 4-9 0-0 10, Nembhard 3-5 2-2 8, Stokes 0-0 0-0 0, Hayes 3-4 5-5 11, Okauru 0-1 0-0 0, Hudson 2-6 0-0 4, Ballard 3-5 0-0 8. Totals 23-50 12-12 62.
| AUBURN (16-6) |
|---|
McLemore 2-4 0-0 5, Okeke 3-9 4-7 11, Doughty 4-8 2-2 12, Brown 6-12 0-0 14, Harper 2-5 3-4 8, Collier 0-0 0-0 0, Purifoy 1-2 2-2 5, Spencer 2-5 2-4 6, Blackstock 0-0 0-0 0, Parker 0-0 0-0 0, Wiley 1-1 0-2 2, McCormick 1-1 2-3 4, Macoy 0-0 0-0 0, Maasdorp 0-0 0-0 0, Dunbar 3-5 2-3 9. Totals 25-52 17-27 76.
Halftime_Auburn 36-30. 3-Point Goals_Florida 4-20 (Ballard 2-3, Locke 2-5, Bassett 0-1, Okauru 0-1, K.Johnson 0-1, Nembhard 0-2, Allen 0-3, Hudson 0-4), Auburn 9-25 (Doughty 2-4, Brown 2-6, Purifoy 1-1, McLemore 1-2, Dunbar 1-3, Okeke 1-4, Harper 1-4, Spencer 0-1). Fouled Out_Hayes. Rebounds_Florida 25 (K.Johnson 10), Auburn 28 (Okeke 8). Assists_Florida 9 (Allen 3), Auburn 14 (Harper 3). Total Fouls_Florida 22, Auburn 16.
Definition of stupidity: doing the same thing over and over and getting the same results. Playing hudson at the end of half or end of game falls into that definition. Playing hudson is useless period.
Are these guys uncoachable? Is the coach not getting through? I know I’m watching hot garbage.
Allen is probably one of the most inconsistent players in UF history. Allen has gone 19-for 58 from the field and 4 for 26 from 3 point range in the past 4 games. Allen had a great game against Texas A&M and has followed it up with 4 duds. 6 turnovers tonight by Allen tonight hurt badly.
There are absolutely zero leaders on this team. Hayes competes but he has elevated his game this year to 3 star status. Allen-1.5 star and Hudson not rated. What a complete train wreck. Sit Allen and Hudson for remainder of the year and live with youth. Can only help next year. The team is very consistent at being inconsistent. Work the heck out of these freshmen and let them know they are the future. Florida basketball is a sad state of disarray. 3 more wins for the season.
no surprise, you didn’t really think this team was going to win did you? 17 turnovers and zero FTs in the first half, how’s that for an aggressive, motion offense? When you’re not getting to the line, that means you’re doing a lot of standing around on both offense and defense
You can’t win in the SEC without a 6’10” or 6’11” stud in the middle that can play. This coach should get one more year to bring that guy in….JUCO or grad transfer and if he doesn’t get one…….time to move past this “let’s hope we can hit our three’s tonight” coaching philosophy. Looks like another McElwain hire.
TN and KY are winning/dominating the SEC without a 6’10 or 11 player dominating the middle
Forget it he’s rolling.
BAD coaching. TOO SMALL!
The good news is we were 100% form the free throw line. That is all!
This team doesn’t have any toes left, it keeps shooting itself in the foot so much.
-Cut it to 4 to start the half? Give up a 13-2 run with the trademark Mike White’s coaching career: Long scoring droughts.
-Cut it to 8 at the under-12 timeout? Foul a 3 point shooter after he makes the bucket and then allow (another) offensive rebound on a free throw, and allow the rebounder to get 2 points. This team is so poorly coached at boxing out, it’s at the point where I opponent’s live ball free throws go in.
-Foley hit the jackpot a few decades ago with a good college point guard who was coaching at a relatively unknown program. However, the difference there is that point guard was mentored, both on the court and as a coach, for about 10 years by Rick Pitino. When Foley hired another scrappy college PG from an unknown school, he was hiring a guy who was mentored by Rod Barnes and Andy Kennedy. Not exactly ‘best in the business’ type guys. (Note: no comment on Pitino’s illegal activities at Louisville, hands down the guy could coach basketball, and clearly Donovan didn’t learn those tactics from him).
”This team is so poorly coached at boxing out…” And to illustrate your point, TriangleGator, look back at the SLAM-DUNK that the A.U. player threw down over 3-4 of U.F.’s players just standing around in the paint, watching (they also got outta’ the way, except for Hayes, who was 1/2 a step behind on the ‘D’). It is embarrassing, as a Gator fan. And to think that I could go to Westside Park’s basketball courts and see better ”boxing out” from amateurs. The fact still remains, this is where U.F.’s at presently with the Men’s Basketball program. However, I will give U.F. Coach Mike White another year before I say, ”…he should go back to La. Tech.” But that’s just me. Go Gators!
Is the word “disappointing” an understatement? Change the uniform of this season’s squad, would you watch them because you just like watching college basketball?
While I concede that U.K. Basketball is a ”true blue blood,” I still hear and read all ”the excuses” how the Univ. of Florida in Gainesville, FL. ”is NOT a basketball school, so taper all your great expectations.”
Well, most of college basketball’s fans agree that the Final Four is ”a barometer” for success and excellence in college basketball today. And U.F. and Arkansas are, at the very least, ”basketball schools.” So it’s time for the Univ. of Florida Basketball program to recognize & represent: recruit, rebuild, and respond! Because stats don’t lie! In fact, here are all the SEC schools’ ”barometer” (minus the ”blue blood,” U.K. Basketball).
Florida: 5 Final Fours, 2 National Championships.
Arkansas: 6 Final Fours, 1 National Championships.
L.S.U.: 4 Final Fours, with 0 National Championships.
U.G.A., Carolina, and Miss. State all have 1 Final Four, with ‘0’ National Championships.
Auburn, ‘Bama, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Mizzou, Tennessee, and Vandy all have NADA in N.C.s and NADA for Final Four appearances. So please U.F. brass, no more excuses! Go Gators!
Agree 70×7
This is MW fourth year I believe, he has several returning players that should know his system. Many of these players he recruited. And yet, none seem to develop, nor by his comments they don’t seem to listen to him. The starters play good defense but wear out towards the end of the game and their offense is well offensive. This team doesn’t appear to be a NIT worthy team. We will be lucky to have a winning season and I doubt we will.
Can we say this team sucks yet?