Alabama and Auburn now have something in common. Neither team will be going for the college men’s basketball championship. The Tigers lost to Florida during the Final Four seventy to seventy three and Houston stunned Duke seventy to sixty seven. Alabama lost to the Blue Devils during the Elite Eight round. Auburn coach Bruce Pearl says it was what Florida did in the second half that cost the Tigers the game.
“They executed really well. We only turned the ball over twice. Second half Florida's effort, energy, the fact that we're not as deep as what we normally are, was a factor, and I thought fatigue was a factor,” said Pearl.
Two All-Americans, one chance to give their their team a chance to win a national championship. Florida's NCAA Tournament continues thanks to more magic from guard Walter Clayton Jr. in the Gators' 79-73 win Saturday night at the Final four. For Auburn and forward Johni Broome, their season ended in tears and frustration wrapped up in missed shots, missed dunks and a sleeve covering a sore right elbow. Coach Pearl praised his team, but said Florida just wore them out in the second half.
“We weren't able to maintain control of the game, which I think if we had taken care of the basketball a little bit, not turned it over and given us on easy ones, we we could have been in position to win the basketball game,” he said.
In Saturday’s other game, Houston's suffocating defense wiped away a 14-point deficit over the final eight minutes and erased Cooper Flagg and Duke's title hopes Saturday in a 70-67 stunner over the Blue Devils at the Final Four. Duke made a grand total of one field goal over the last 10:30 of this game. The Cougars, who have never won a title, will play Florida on Monday night for the championship. Alabama guard Mark Sears is a finalist for the John R. Wooden Award for outstanding player to be announced later this week.
