Florida basketball has gotten hot at the right time.
Since dropping its conference opener, the Gators have rattled off five straight victories and will hope to continue that success against Auburn at the O’Dome on Saturday, Jan. 24 (4 p.m., ESPN).
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UF had its fair share of success against the Tigers last season as the Gators defeated then-No 1 Auburn in the regular season and later in the Final Four.
Don’t let Auburn basketball’s schedule fool you. The Tigers are battle tested.
Auburn had an unexpected coaching change just before the season, as longtime coach Bruce Pearl retired and the job was handed to his son, Steven Pearl.
It has been a tough start to the season for Auburn as the Tigers have struggled against the toughest teams in their non-conference schedule. Five of Auburn’s seven losses came against ranked teams, which were Houston, Arizona, Michigan, Purdue and Georgia. KenPom notably lists Auburn as having the third-toughest schedule in the country.
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Auburn’s biggest problem has been its defense, as its 78 points allowed per game in the SEC is tied for second-to-last in the conference and ranked 292nd overall in the country. The Tigers also ranked last in the SEC in opponent field-goal percentage at 44%.
On the flip side, Auburn is ranked 15th overall in adjusted offensive efficiency and ninth in offensive rebound percentage by KenPom.
Can Florida basketball stop Auburn’s Keyshawn Hall?
Auburn’s Keyshawn Hall has the backbone for the Tigers and is one of the top scorers in the SEC.
The 6-foot-7 forward has averaged 20.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, and leads the team in 3-point shooting percentage. Hall’s rebounds per game is also the sixth-best mark in the conference.
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Hall recently put up back-to-back 32-point games in a narrow loss to Texas A&M, followed by a win against ranked Arkansas. In the most recent victory against Ole Miss, Hall delivered 19 points and six rebounds.
Where does Auburn basketball stand in the metrics?
Despite the lack of pretty victories, Auburn is still in the top 50 of the NET rankings at No. 34.
The Tigers are 3-6 against Quadrant 1 teams but 9-1 against teams in Quadrants 2-4.
Breaking down the quadrant system, home games against teams ranked from No. 1-30, neutral-site games against teams ranked No. 1-50, and away games against opponents ranked No. 1-75 are considered Q1 chances.
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Auburn is also listed as No. 30 on KenPom, No. 32 on Bart Torvick and No. 29 in EvanMiya.
Florida vs Auburn score prediction
Florida 88, Auburn 76: Florida’s defense will have no problems against Auburn and will keep Hall in check. Florida big man Rueben Chinyelu will deliver another double-double and his third 20-plus rebound game this season. The Gators’ offense will also regain some momentum against Auburn as the Tigers will struggle against UF’s transition defense.
Reach Florida Gators writer Andrew Abadie at AAbadie@usatodayco.com or on X (formerly Twitter) at @AndrewAbadie. You can also find him on Facebook at Andrew Abadie Sports Reporter or on Instagram @andrewabadie_sports.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida basketball vs Auburn storylines, prediction
