One of the worst halves by the Tigers. Two missed clutch free throws by their captain, Johni Broome. And just like that, their incredible season was snatched away by the Florida Gators. For the first eight minutes, it was a battle of titans—shots flying, bodies colliding, and the kind of drama that could’ve been ripped straight from a western movie. It was exactly what we expected from these SEC juggernauts. But does a loss really wipe away everything you’ve done the whole season? No, right? Well, someone off the court seemed to think so.

You know, many analysts around the sport have been raving about the SEC 2024-2025 conference as one of the greatest leagues college basketball has ever seen. Seriously, 14 out of the 16 teams in the SEC got NCAA tournament bids. And, the season closed with two big guns—Auburn and Florida—right there in the top four.

In the game, when Bruce Pearl’s squad managed to hold the lead for most of the opening ten minutes, it was clear this was going to be a heavyweight fight. But then, an ugly offensive possession led to an even uglier late shot-clock foul by Miles Kelly against Florida guard Will Richard, putting the Gators ahead 23-22 with just over 10 minutes left in the first half. Auburn didn’t back down, though. 

They immediately fired back with a 7-2 run, led by Kelly and Denver Jones. That momentum carried on, and by halftime, Auburn had stretched it to a 46-38 advantage. But Todd Golden’s crew wasn’t about to let it slide that easily.

The Gators came out swinging after the break, quickly erasing Auburn’s lead and tying the game at 49 apiece by the under-16 media timeout. Back and forth it went—Auburn would get a lead, and Florida would snatch it right back. Walter Clayton Jr. had ice in his veins, putting up 34 points and hitting clutch shots down the stretch to keep Florida in control.

With just over three minutes to play, an Alijah Martin dunk sent the Florida fans into a frenzy, but the Tigers, battle-tested and tough, clawed their way back to make it a one-point game. That set up one of the most intense stretches of basketball you’ll ever see. A pair of Alex Condon free throws gave the Gators a bit of breathing room, and finally, a couple of missed free throws by Broome, Florida sealed a 79-73 victory.

What a game!!

Both teams brought that fight, that grit. Both left everything on the court, and while the Gators ended up taking it home, it’s clear that Auburn did not go down without a serious fight. But, you know, while Florida deserves their credit, it’s not like Auburn didn’t put on a show too.

However, broadcasters didn’t seem to think so. The panel, which included Ian Eagle, Grant Hill, and Bill Raftery, got a ton of flak for how they handled the game. It was as if the Tigers were just an afterthought in the middle of all that Florida praise. Fans on social media were fired up. 

Was Florida the chosen one by announcers?

Not everyone was sipping the Gator-ade that the commentators seemed to be pouring throughout the game. One fan pointed out, “Florida definitely played hard and great, but these commentators are riding them on a whole different level.” And to be fair, Florida beat a team that everyone thought was going all the way—Auburn, the overall No. 1 seed, the one with all the history, all the hype. 

Sure, Florida was a No. 1 seed too, but barely 17% of the country even picked them to win it all. So yes, it’s a big deal—but sounding like a Florida fan club in the booth? That had fans side-eyeing real hard. Then another fan came through swinging with, “These commentators are Florida homers and I won’t be told otherwise.” 

They kinda had receipts. Back in 2012, ESPN messed up a graphic about Florida’s Elite Eight appearances, and fans still remember feeling like their achievements were low-key ignored. Fast forward to 2024, and during a game on ESPN+, the commentators didn’t even bring up the harassment allegations surrounding Todd Golden. That silence got people thinking—selective reporting much?

Someone else chimed in with, “These commentators love them some Florida.” And there’s been talk for years about networks showing a little too much love to SEC teams in general. People have called it out before, saying networks favor the SEC. But then you’ve got ESPN names like Paul Finebaum and Kirk Herbstreit out here denying it. Still, Auburn’s an SEC team too, so this one seemed more about who won at the end.

Another fan flipped the script entirely, saying, “Florida is a great team despite all the commentators on this network and others always giving praise to the Auburn, TN, Alabama all yr and look who the last SEC team standing.”  All season, Auburn was getting hyped. Not just by its veteran Charles Barkley but also by big broadcasting names like Dick Vitale, who literally said, “Auburn on Selection Sunday will be No. 1 on the 1st line.” CBS’s Matt Norlander also jumped in, calling Auburn’s resume the best in the country.

But now Florida’s the one out here dancing deep into the postseason, playing some of the best ball since their 2000 run. So, fans are feeling it. And finally, the energy hit peak Gator pride when someone shouted, “These commentators are even speechless. Put some RESPECT on TODD GOLDEN and THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA FOR ONCE!”

They believe for all the noise about everyone else, it’s time people stop sleeping on Gators. And with the fandom being hopeful, the team bringing the best to the court, we’ll see if Florida can keep riding this momentum into the natty!