Sam Avellone
There have been 4 times in the history of the NCAA Tournament in which 2 SEC teams made the Final Four, but when the Auburn Tigers and Florida Gators tip-off in San Antonio on Saturday night, it will be the first time 2 SEC teams play each other in the national semifinal. These teams played once already this season and there were 171 total points scored despite Alijah Martin not playing for Florida. If this game goes anything like that one, you can expect some fireworks on the offensive end – making this matchup a perfect candidate for a high-reward Same Game Parlay. Here are my favorite parlay picks for the Auburn vs Florida Final Four game, the first of 2 thrilling March Madness matchups on Saturday.
Florida ML (-155)
Alijah Martin (UF) 15+ points (+115)
Johni Broome (AUB) Under 10.5 rebounds (-125)
Auburn vs Florida Same Game Parlay odds: +400
Odds courtesy of Bet365 at the time of publishing.
Florida Gators ML Over Auburn Tigers (-155)
Regardless of any potential side effects from Johni Broome’s apparent injuries against Michigan State, I like the way the Gators match-up against the Tigers. The Gators have elite size and depth in the front court that will be used to contest Broome’s paint touches and limit him on the offensive glass, as Alex Condon, Rueben Chinyelu and Micah Handlogten are a few of the best defensive rebounders in the country per their individual defensive rebounding rates. In the back court, it’s hard to bet against the clutch shot-making of Walter Clayton Jr. combined with the experience and poise of Martin – who has been on this stage before. Not to mention Thomas Haugh and Will Richard, who are elite in their ability to stretch the floor and provide a spark offensively while being able to defend multiple positions.
The Gators are fortunate to be here given their struggles against UConn and Texas Tech. However, I anticipate Florida being more than prepared for this matchup due to Todd Golden’s familiarity with Bruce Pearl’s system. Golden used to work for Pearl, and he showed that he may know a few ways to beat Auburn earlier this season when the Gators went into Auburn and defeated the Tigers by 9 despite being double-digit underdogs without Martin and Handlogten. Florida should come into this game with plenty of confidence, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Gators play a bit more loose and freely because of it.
Read our full Auburn vs Florida prediction, including plays on the side and total
Alijah Martin (UF) 15+ points (+115)
Martin’s Final Four experience figures to be invaluable for the Gators on Saturday. Martin was part of Florida Atlantic’s Final Four squad just 2 seasons ago, and he even dropped 26 points in the loss to San Diego State that year. I expect him to bring a level and poise and reliability to Florida’s offense with his ability to play off Clayton, whether it be through his motions to the rim or on the perimeter as a shooter. Martin can even create off the dribble and get to the free throw line, which will come in handy in this matchup – especially if Denver Jones spends most of his time defending Clayton.
Find our expert’s best bets for Saturday’s Final Four matchups
Johni Broome (AUB) Under 10.5 rebounds (-125)
It feels wrong to bet against a Player of the Year candidate that has surpassed this number in every NCAA Tournament game, but it’s hard to ignore what we saw toward the end of Auburn’s game against Michigan State. While Broome re-entered the game after seemingly injuring his elbow and knee simultaneously, it was very clear he was not 100%. He may be fine as a scorer because he is left-handed, but I have a hard time envisioning that he will be his normal self on the boards against the deep front court of Florida. For what it’s worth, a healthy Broome grabbed 11 rebounds at home in 31 minutes against Florida earlier this season. Meanwhile, the Gators have won the rebounding battle in every NCAA Tournament game by at least 5, and even held Maryland to 20 total rebounds – so they’ve gotten it done on the glass.
