In a stunning SEC showdown on Saturday evening, the Auburn Tigers pulled off a major upset, beating the No. 16 Florida Gators 76–67 in Gainesville.
Significantly, this marked Auburn’s first road victory in Gainesville since 1996, ending a nearly 30-year drought against the Gators on their home floor.
- How Arizona Wildcats Became College Basketball’s Most Complete Team at 19–0
- AP Poll after Week 11: Big changes in new college basketball rankings
From the opening tip, Auburn came out aggressive and focused. The Tigers built a commanding lead early, riding hot shooting and several key runs, including 7-0, 8-0, and 12-0 bursts that helped them take a 43–28 lead into halftime. Despite being underdogs in this matchup of two 2025 Final Four teams, Auburn executed its game plan with poise and efficiency.
Claim Now Key performance by Keyshawn Hall for Auburn against Florida
Auburn’s standout was Keyshawn Hall, who led all scorers with 24 points, including a blistering 22 in the first half. Hall’s performance set the tone for Auburn and kept Florida scrambling on defense throughout the first 20 minutes. His ability to score at all three levels made a huge difference in controlling the game’s tempo.
Supporting Hall’s effort were KeShawn Murphy and Tahaad Pettiford. Murphy chipped in 16 points and nine rebounds, while Pettiford added 11 points and five boards, providing Auburn with critical contributions beyond their star. This balanced scoring attack helped Auburn withstand Florida’s rallies in the second half.
Florida fights back but falls short
The Gators did not go quietly. Thomas Haugh led Florida with 27 points and 10 rebounds, showing resilience as Florida rallied after halftime. Moreover, Urban Klavzar added 12 points off the bench, giving the home crowd hope. Florida even managed to tie the game twice in the second half, but never went into the lead. You can check the complete boxscore here.
However, Auburn answered each challenge. A pivotal moment came with a driving layup by Pettiford with just over four minutes remaining, pushing the Tigers’ lead to 62–56 — a cushion they would not relinquish. From there, Auburn’s defense tightened and Florida could not complete the comeback.
This was a milestone victory for Auburn’s program. Not only did they defeat a ranked SEC rival, but they also snapped a decades-long losing streak in Gainesville, a psychological hurdle the Tigers had not overcome since 1996.
The win also ended Florida’s five-game overall win streak and its 16-game home winning streak.
