Auburn at Florida
When: 7:00 PM ET, Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Where: Stephen C. O’Connell Center, Gainesville, Florida
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THE STORY: The Gators played arguably their three best halves of the season last week, throttling Alabama in the second half before dominating Arkansas from start to finish. Florida’s three-guard backcourt of Erving Walker, Kenny Boynton and Bradley Beal combined for 77 points against the Razorbacks, Walker scoring a career-high 31 points. The Tigers sit 10th in the conference and had lost five of their past six before shocking No. 23 Mississippi State on Saturday. Auburn will rely on a defense that ranks third in the league in opponent field-goal percentage.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPNU
ABOUT AUBURN (14-12, 4-8 SEC): In its three games before facing Mississippi State, the Tigers shot 34.6 percent. Against the Bulldogs, Auburn shot 47.2 percent, its best shooting effort in SEC play this season. Guard Frankie Sullivan scored 16 points, after scoring just 14 points in his past two games. Kenny Gabriel added 15 points and nine rebounds, and Varez Ward scored 10 points with nine assists as the Tigers used a balanced offensive attack.
ABOUT FLORIDA (21-6, 9-3 SEC): The Gators used a 16-0 second-half run to take control against Alabama, but that was merely a preview of Saturday’s blowout of the Razorbacks. Florida shot a season-best 58.3 percent, shot 29-for-34 from the free-throw line and hit 13 3-pointers. The Gators made 16 consecutive shots at one point during the game. The second-place Gators trail SEC leader Kentucky by three games with four games to go, including the regular-season finale against the top-ranked Wildcats on March 4 in Gainesville.
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1. The Tigers lead the all-time series 87-71. Florida holds a 44-29 advantage at home and has won 13 of the past 14 meetings.
2. After facing the Gators, Auburn plays two of its final three games at home (Arkansas, LSU) with a trip to in-state rival Alabama in between.
3. Florida plays its first home game since Tennessee ended the Gators’ 19-game home winning streak.
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