Steven Pearl knew how much it meant for Auburn to beat No. 16 Florida on Saturday. It’s possible that his players didn’t know how big the win was.
“I never mentioned to the guys that we hadn’t won here in 30 years,” Pearl said.
Yes, somehow it was Auburn’s first win in Gainesville since 1996, when the Tigers pulled out a 73-70 victory on the Gators’ home court. It was also revenge for last season, when Todd Golden’s team put two losses on Auburn’s record, including the defeat in the NCAA semifinals, before the Gators went on to win the national title two days later.