On April 5 in the Alamodome in San Antonio, two titans of the Southeastern Conference—the Auburn Tigers and Florida Gators—will face off in the Final Four of the NCAA tournament. This matchup features more than a ticket to the national championship — it’s the next installment of an ongoing rivalry between two teams that have ruled the SEC in 2025. Adding to the intrigue is the mentor-mentee dynamic between Auburn’s Bruce Pearl and Florida’s Todd Golden, two coaches who have transformed their programs into powerhouses.
Pearl is a seasoned head coach with the ability to get the most out of his players. Under his guidance, Auburn has reached the Final Four for the second time. On the other side is Todd Golden, who was the director of basketball operations at Auburn under Bruce Pearl in 2014. Golden has risen through the college basketball coaching ranks and has taken the Gators to the Final Four in the current season for the first time since 2014. While the history adds intrigue, it looks like there will be no love lost on the field as both coaches will be keen to outdo the other on Saturday.
Here are the opening odds for the 2025 NCAA Tournament, provided by Online Sportsbooks.
Bruce Pearl’s Auburn vs Todd Golden’s Florida: Who has the edge?
This season, Florida has been a team of momentum, capable of flipping games with explosive scoring runs. As noted by ESPN analyst Myron Medcalf, “No other team in the nation has been able to shift the momentum of games with such impactful runs as the Gators have.”
The Gators erased a nine-point deficit with an 18-4 run to close out Texas Tech in their Elite Eight victory. In their Sweet 16 win, they outscored Maryland 47-33 in the second half and scored 53 points in less than 17 minutes against Norfolk State in the first round. This makes Florida a serious threat, with the ability to turn the game on its head at any moment. Also, it’s important to note that their backcourt trio, Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin, and Will Richard, has been the key to their success. Together, they are providing over 45 points per game with highly efficient shooting. Clayton Jr specifically has been one of the tournament’s standout players, and his performance has the potential to be a game changer for the Gators. Now, what about Pearl’s Tigers?
For Auburn, it’s all about defense. While the Tigers had their issues in the defensive end during the regular season, they have tightened things up in the tournament. They’ve limited opponents to less than one point per possession and have been as good as anyone in defending the three-point line. The centerpiece of Auburn’s defense is All-American forward and Naismith NPOY finalist Johni Broome. He is as good on offense as he is on defense, leading their offense with 21 double-doubles this season.
Credit: Imagn Images
Broome’s determination was on full display in Auburn’s Elite Eight win over Michigan State. He came back from injury to make a clutch three-pointer and seal the victory. If Broome stays healthy, his performance will be the key to containing Florida’s explosive offense.
Key players to watch and projected starting lineup
Players in focus for Florida Gators are: Walter Clayton Jr., who is so far scoring an average of 18.1 points per game, especially in close games. Will Richard’s three-point shooting ability can help to open up Auburn’s defense and on the other side, Alex Condon, who is a paint player, will pose a great threat to Johni Broome.
In Auburn’s case, all the focus will be on Johni Broome, who can control the game on both offense and defense. Denver Jones, who has been considered one of the best perimeter defenders, will be tasked with containing Florida’s guards. On the other hand, Miles Kelly, who is a fantastic shooter, can be a potential scoring option where needed for Auburn.
Projected starting lineups:
Florida Gators
Auburn Tigers
Walter Clayton Jr. (G)
Denver Jones (G)
Alijah Martin (G)
Miles Kelly (G)
Will Richard (F)
Chaney Johnson (F)
Thomas Haugh (F)
Dylan Cardwell (F)
Alex Condon (C)
Johni Broome (C)
Florida may enter as a slight favorite, but Auburn has plenty of reasons to believe they can pull it off. Bruce Pearl’s experience on this stage— he knows what it takes to prepare his team for the big moment. Second, Johni Broome’s dominance in the paint gives Auburn an advantage over Florida’s frontcourt. Finally, Auburn’s newfound defensive focus could upset the rhythm of Florida and neutralize their scoring runs.
Therefore, the Tigers will have to clean up the turnovers and control the boards, two areas in which they have struggled at times this season. They will win if they can execute their game plan and force Florida into tough shots. Final Score Prediction: Auburn 78, Florida 74. Johni Broome and stifling team defense will carry Auburn to a first national championship final.
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