Florida Stunned at Home as Auburn Ends 30-Year Drought in Gainesville
Saturday night in Gainesville was supposed to be business as usual for the No. 16 Florida Gators - a confident team riding a five-game SEC win streak, playing in front of a home crowd, and favored by double digits. But Auburn had other plans, and they made them known early.
The Tigers came out swinging, opening the game on a 19-2 run that stunned the Gators and the O’Connell Center crowd. Senior forward Keyshawn Hall was the catalyst, erupting for 22 of his 24 points in the first half alone - including Auburn’s first 10 points of the game. It was a statement start, and Florida never fully recovered.
By halftime, Florida trailed 43-28, and while they showed signs of life early in the second half - trimming the deficit to just seven behind an Urban Klavzar three and a Thomas Haugh transition layup - the Gators never managed to seize control. They held the lead for just 56 seconds all game, and not once after the 1:30 mark in the first half.
Auburn’s 76-67 win snapped a nearly three-decade-long losing streak in Gainesville, their first victory there since 1996. It also served as a bit of revenge - Florida had knocked them out in last year’s Final Four before going on to win the national title.
This time, the Tigers flipped the script.
Rebounding Woes and a Slow Start
Florida has built its identity this season on toughness and rebounding. But in the first half, that edge was missing. Auburn outrebounded the Gators 20-13 in the opening 20 minutes, with KeShawn Murphy grabbing four boards - more than any individual Gator in that span.
To Florida’s credit, they turned it around in the second half and ended up winning the rebounding battle 39-32. But the early deficit on the glass set the tone, and Auburn capitalized.
The Gators also struggled to find rhythm offensively. They shot just 38% from the field in the first half, compared to Auburn’s 48%. And for the first time since Dec. 2 against Duke, Florida was outscored in the paint - 38-28 - a surprising stat for a team that typically dominates down low.
“This team is known for its grittiness and getting those paint buckets,” said junior forward Thomas Haugh. “As a frontcourt, we can’t let that happen.”
Haugh Shines, But It’s Not Enough
Despite the loss, Haugh put on a show. The junior led all scorers with 27 points, shooting 3-for-9 from deep and adding 10 rebounds to notch his fourth triple-double of the season. He was one of the few bright spots for Florida on a night when much of the offense sputtered.
The Gators struggled from beyond the arc, finishing 7-for-27 (26%). And the free-throw line didn’t offer much relief either. Florida hit just 16 of 27 attempts (59%), while Auburn was nearly automatic, going 19-for-21.
“It’s unacceptable,” said junior center Rueben Chinyelu. “It’s called ‘free’ for a reason.”
Chinyelu and the Frontcourt Fall Flat
Chinyelu, who came into the game as the reigning SEC Player of the Week and the USBWA’s National Player of the Week, was largely a non-factor in the first half. He grabbed only two rebounds before the break and was held to 10 points - his lowest scoring output since Jan. 3 against Missouri.
A key part of Florida’s recent success has been Chinyelu’s dominance in the paint. He had posted four straight double-doubles heading into Saturday’s matchup. But Auburn’s physicality and early momentum neutralized him, and the Gators struggled to compensate.
Coach Golden: “We Weren’t Tough Enough”
Florida head coach Todd Golden didn’t sugarcoat his assessment after the game.
“We pride ourselves on being a mentally and physically tough team,” Golden said. “I don’t think we were either of those tonight.”
It was a blunt but accurate reflection of a night where Florida looked out of sync from the opening tip. Whether it was the early rebounding disparity, the cold shooting from deep, or the missed free throws, the Gators simply didn’t execute the way they have in recent weeks.
What’s Next?
Losses like this can be wake-up calls - especially for a team with championship aspirations. Florida is still 14-6 overall and 5-2 in the SEC, very much in the thick of the conference race. But Saturday night was a reminder that even top-tier teams can get punched in the mouth if they come out flat.
Auburn brought the fight early, and Florida never fully recovered. Now, it’s about how the Gators respond.
They’ve bounced back before. But with the SEC schedule only getting tougher, they’ll need to rediscover that grit - and fast.