Florida Gators
Auburn
UF Wins 81-63 in First Round of SEC Tourney
Friday, March 8, 2002 | Men's Basketball
ATLANTA – Brett Nelson led the Gators with 23 points to give No. 11 Florida an 81-63 win over Auburn in the first round of the SEC Tournament.
Nelson canned six three pointers, shooting 55 percent (6-of-11) from beyond the arc and 8-of-16 from the field.
Udonis Haslem finished the game with 22 points and 10 rebounds, giving him his 11th double double this season. Haslem was a perfect 7-of-7 from the field and 8-of-8 from the line. Haslem had three assists and no turnovers.
After a slow start in the first half, Florida went on a 10-0 run to open up the second half. The Gators had a 10-point advantage over the Tigers with 10 minutes left to play. UF shot 55 percent from the field and outscored Auburn 51-33 in the second half.
The Tigers opened the game with a 7-0 run. UF struggled from three-point land, missing their first five shots. The Gators climbed back with an 11-4 run to tie the game, 15-15. James White scored nine points off the bench in the first half to help the Gators take the lead, 32-30, heading into halftime.
Florida (22-7) will face Mississippi State tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. in the second round of the SEC Tournament.
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