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Tyree Appleby scored 20 of his 26 factors within the second half, Colin Castleton added 19 and Florida rallied to beat No. 2 Auburn 63-62 Saturday to lengthen its home dominance within the series.
The Tigers (24-3, 12-2 Southeastern Conference) lost their second straight on the dual carriageway and dropped their first game in law. They beforehand lost to UConn and Arkansas in time beyond law.
Appleby had everything to enact with this one, which used to be Florida’s 14th straight over Auburn in Gainesville. The senior made 6 of 9 shots within the second half, including 4 of 6 from 3-point vary, and used to be excellent from the free-throw line.
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Florida head coach Mike White hollers at the group one day of the first half of an NCAA faculty basketball game against Auburn Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022, in Gainesville, Fla.
(AP Describe/Alan Youngblood)
Still, the Tigers had an opportunity within the closing seconds. Wendell Inexperienced Jr. purchased the ball with 7.1 seconds to play and used to be dribbling at the pause of the most essential when he tried to creep to Walker Kessler down low. The Gators (17-10, 7-7) knocked it away, and the clock ran out.
Florida students rushed the floor and notorious with gamers at midcourt, however police officers mercurial moved them merit into the stands. They returned and commenced chanting “Appleby.”
The 6-foot-1 guard dominated down the stretch, creating commence shots for teammates and hitting a huge 3-pointer with about 4 minutes to play.
Jabari Smith scored 28 factors to lead Auburn. K.D. Johnson chipped in 12, and Walker Kessler added 11.
The Tigers were hoping to total a 13-game skid within the O’Connell Heart, a dropping run that started shortly after dilapidated Florida coach Billy Donovan arrived in Gainesville. Auburn’s closing bewitch within the O’Dome came in February 1996, one month earlier than the Gators hired Donovan.
Coach Bruce Pearl’s group ancient a solid second half – its opening 20 minutes were stop to abysmal – to procedure stop set watch over. The Tigers establish together a 21-4 fling that spanned halftime, turning an eight-point deficit correct into a nine-point lead. Smith used to be huge one day of the spurt, contributing two 3-pointers, a three-point play, a jumper, two free throws and a blocked shot.
The Gators ignored all 10 shots one day of an 8 ½-minute span in which Auburn used to be closing the gap and constructing its lead.
POLL IMPLICATIONS
Auburn seemingly will topple a couple of more spots within the following AP faculty basketball poll, which will seemingly be launched Monday.
NBA SIGHTING
Mature Florida guard and most up-to-date Oklahoma Metropolis backup Tre Mann sat courtside for the sport. Mann averaged 16 factors, 5.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists a game as a sophomore for the Gators closing season. The Remark chosen him 18th overall in closing 365 days’s NBA draft.
BIG PICTURE
Auburn: Despite dropping for the second time in four games – each and each on the dual carriageway – the Tigers are quiet the most efficient group within the SEC and seemingly will seemingly be a No. 1 seed within the NCAA Match. They clearly must gather more consistent play from their backcourt.
Florida: The Gators the biggest a victory admire this to present a boost to their chances of making a fifth straight NCAA Match. They’d lost two in a row.
UP NEXT
Auburn hosts Ole Spin away out on Wednesday evening. The Tigers won the first assembly between the groups, 80-71 in mid-January.
Florida hosts No. 23 Arkansas on Tuesday evening. The Razorbacks have won six straight at home entering Saturday’s game against Tennessee.
