Men’s Final Four takeaways: Florida-Auburn is college basketball cinema

This is cinema.

The men’s college basketball NCAA Tournament national semifinals tipped off with a bang on Saturday, as Florida advanced to its first national title game since 2007 following a 79-73 win over Auburn.

Here are our takeaways from a Final Four classic.

Basketball SEC delivers

Over the 10 preceding tournaments (since 2014), the national semifinals were decided by an average of 11.3 points per game. Most games have been clunkers.

West No. 1 Region Florida and South No. 1 Auburn, playing in the first all-SEC Final Four game, delivered a thriller. 

The game featured five lead changes and six ties in the first 10 minutes as the two teams put their best feet forward early in the heavyweight showdown.

Both teams flew up and down the court. During one excellent sequence, Florida sophomore forward Thomas Haugh blocked Auburn senior forward Chaney Johnson from behind, leading to an open three and giving the Gators a 14-13 lead.

It was elite basketball, something those who watched the SEC all season grew accustomed to in conference play. Instead of shrinking on the sport’s biggest stage, Florida and Auburn put on a show.

Basketball Sky’s the limit for Florida forward Walter Clayton Jr.‘s 2025 NBA Draft stock

No player has improved their NBA Draft stock more than Clayton Jr. this March. Against Auburn, Clayton scored a game-high 34 points, becoming the first player since Larry Bird (1979) with consecutive 30-point games in the Elite Eight and Final Four, per ESPN’s Jeff Borzello.

Per The Gainesville Sun, Clayton most recently been projected as a late first to mid-second round pick, with Yahoo Sports and CBS Sports predicting him to go No. 25 overall to the Magic.

After his tournament performance, there’s no way he waits that long to hear his name called.

He displayed his smooth handles and finishing ability with a buttery move in the paint late in the first half, cutting Auburn’s lead to seven, 45-38.

In the second half, Clayton cut the lead to one, 55-54, after making a ridiculous fadeaway corner three.

Later in the half, he fought his way off his defender, creating enough space to drill another deep attempt, putting Florida up four, 69-65.

“This kid’s miraculous,” CBS color commentator Bill Raftery said after one late drive for an and-one gave Florida a six-point lead, 74-68.

Through five 2025 NCAA Tournament games, Clayton Jr. has averaged 24.6 points on 50 percent shooting, including 48.7 percent from deep.

He’s been simply phenomenal. Every NBA front office should be taking notice.

Basketball Bruce Pearl’s elusive quest for a Division I national title

Since making his head coaching debut in the Horizon League at Milwaukee in 2001-02, Auburn’s Bruce Pearl has been one of the best in men’s college basketball. He’s posted a career .680 win percentage in 21 seasons, making 14 NCAA Tournaments and two Final Fours.

This year, he had as good a chance as any to add a national title that’s evaded him for so long, leading Auburn to the No. 1 overall national seed in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.

The Tigers led the Gators by as many as nine and held a 46-38 halftime lead before the game slipped away in the second half. For Pearl, it was the closest he’d come to reaching a national title. He might never get a better chance. 

Eric Smithling

Eric Smithling is a writer based in New Orleans, LA, whose byline also appears on Athlon Sports. He has been with Yardbarker since September 2022, primarily covering the NFL and college football, but also the NBA, WNBA, men’s and women’s college basketball, NHL, tennis and golf. He holds a film studies degree from the University of New Orleans