2025 Final Four: Charles Barkley shows big emotion during first half of Auburn vs. Florida

Charles Barkley is one of the most prominent Auburn basketball alumni out there. And luckily for him, he’s gotten to see his team make the trip to two Final Fours. And he’s had an incredible view of both of them. On Saturday night, he was busy cheering on his beloved Tigers from the CBS set in their matchup against Florida. Check out his reaction in the first half.

Charles Barkley certainly liked that first half from Auburn. 🏀🎙️ pic.twitter.com/s8huoQPE7E

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 5, 2025

Even though Auburn led 46-38 at halftime, things took a turn and in a hurry at the start of the second half. And the Gators came back to win, thanks in large part to their superstar, Walter Clayton Jr.

Auburn still got 15 points from Johni Broome and 18 points from Chad Baker-Mazara in the loss. CBM hit four of his seven three-pointers on Saturday night, but it wasn’t enough. The Gators outscored Auburn 41-27 in the second half, ending the Tigers’ season one game short of the national championship.

There are still plenty of positives for Auburn’s 2024-2025 season, as they went 32-6 overall, claiming the SEC Regular Season Championship in the process. And they were dominant for much of the season. But for now, the painful end of the season must be handled.

Florida advanced thanks to Walter Clayton Jr.

Clayton has delivered a 2025 NCAA Tournament for the ages, propelling his Florida Gators all the way to the National Championship Game on Monday night. He poured in 34 points in their Final Four matchup against Auburn on Saturday night, lifting them to a 79-73 win.

And their superstar shined the brightest when his team needed him the most. He stuffed the stat sheet with 34 points, four rebounds, and two assists. Not only that, but he also shot 61.1% from the field and 62.5% from three-point range. The Florida star drilled five of his eight three-pointers, once again setting the nets ablaze.

In delivering such a special performance, Clayton became the first player with back-to-back 30-point games in the Elite Eight and national semifinals since Larry Bird in 1979, according to ESPN Stats & Info. Clayton poured in 30 points against Texas Tech in the Elite Eight, fueling the furious rally from Florida and punching their tickets to the Final Four.

Florida will face off against Houston on Monday night for the 2025 National Championship. That one will tip-off at 8:50 PM EST. The game will be nationally televised on CBS.