Finally.
Florida had shown signs of something, but it needed a moment. It finally happened on Saturday. Florida obliterated Auburn 81-65 in a game that wasn’t as close as the final score indicated. Auburn never led. It was Auburn’s second-worst offensive showing of the season and the defensive grades will be even worse.
But Saturday was more about Florida than some crippling indictment on who Auburn is.
Florida’s flashes on both ends finally clicked. Its A-game might be as good as any team in the country because its guards might be as good as any in the country.
Zyon Pullin (19 points), Walter Clayton Jr. (20 points) and Riley Kugel (22 points) were fabulous.
“Florida’s guards are good,” Auburn coach Bruce Pearl said. “Like, really good. As good as anybody’s guards. When (Zyon) Pullin plays — I don’t know what guard is better than Pullin when he has a one-on-one matchup. You tell me who’s better than Pullin in his one-on-one matchup. You tell me who’s a better scorer than (Walter) Clayton. I don’t know if they’re going to lose those matchups very often. And then, you know, (Riley) Kugel’s playing better now, coming off the bench. He’s going to win most of those matchups. The frontline is big and athletic. They’ve got some pieces.”
Florida showed promise against Virginia and Baylor in non-conference play but close losses don’t get you in the Big Dance. It beat Kentucky on the road, but that came with an outlier: DJ Wagner and Justin Edwards didn’t play.
There’s no outlier for this one. Auburn had its cavalry and it didn’t matter. Florida is a late-game collapse against Texas A&M from a six-game winning streak and one of the easiest SEC schedules down the stretch. If Todd Golden’s group takes care of business, it will dance. And it has the personnel to be more than just a one-game wonder.
Auburn learned all about that freight train.
“Give Florida all the credit,” Pearl said. “To blame my team because we didn’t do this, we didn’t do this — would take away from one of the top five teams in the league. I think, been through and seeing almost everybody, Florida will finish in the top five.”
