After a valiant effort on the road Florida could not overcome Auburn’s three-point ability and fell to the Tigers 72-60 for their first loss to them in 11 years.

It was a game the Gators desperately needed if they wanted a chance at the tournament, and although they shot very well, especially for their standards, it was not enough to pull out the victory on the road.

Kevarrius Hayes led the way for Florida Tuesday with 11 points on 3-4 shooting (5-5 from the free throw line). Noah Locke and KeVaugh both finished with ten points on a combined 8-20 shooting while Andrew Nembhard threw in eight points, three rebounds and two assists.

Keyontae Johnson may have had the most complete game for the Gators as he finished with seven points and ten rebounds, and Deaundrae Ballard had some big threes and finished with eight points.

As a team the Gators shot a very solid 46 percent overall (23-50), but could not find their stroke from outside, going 4-20 from deep (20%).

The game started off on the right foot for both teams as Florida was able to find its shot (3-3) to begin the game and Auburn found its stroke from outside, hitting a couple threes in the opening minutes.

Five minutes into the game the score was 10-9 in favor of the Tigers and Florida was playing a different style of ball. They were pushing it more down low while the Tigers stuck to the three.

Auburn likes to play more up-tempo and run to create space while the Florida likes to slow things down and throughout the first half. Auburn controlled the tempo, but in the first half, Florida was able to whether the storm and come back with a run of their own.

Nearly ten minutes in the Tigers took a 20-15 lead, but the Gators were shooting an absurd 64 percent from the field to keep them close. Unfortunately, threes are worth more than twos and Auburn was knocking them down in spurts.

When you pair that with a typical three minute Florida drought and Auburn pulled ahead by nine with 7:46 remaining in the half.

After another drought the Gators would finally start to turn the tide. With nearly two and a half minutes left they trailed but would hit four of their last five shots while Auburn didn’t score a point.

Auburn led Florida 36-30 at the half.

The second half was a different story. The Tigers started red hot with a 13-4 run, extending their lead to 49-34 with 15:39 remaining in the game. That run changed the game and the Gators would have to play catch up for the rest of the game.

Florida wouldn’t give up though. Ballard hit a couple of threes back-to-back to cut the lead back down to single digits with just under 14 to play.

Hayes would also start stepping up down low and hit a couple of shots and made it to the free throw line. It seemed for like Florida would be able to make a game out of it, but every time they would go on a run, Auburn would answer with a run of their own.

The game would go back and forth for a few minutes with Auburn keeping a comfortable lead, never letting Florida get closer than nine points.

But after a big three from Anfernee Mclemore and a dunk by Samir Doughty, the Tigers extended their lead to 67-49 with just over eight minutes remaining. Time was running beginning to become a factor with a big deficit and the Gators needed a run of their own.

They would get it with a 9-1 run over 3:52 while Auburn would go on a scoring drought for 2:39 and fail to convert a field goal for six and a half minutes. With just over four minutes left Hayes made it a ten-point game again on a pair of free throws.

But at the worst time, another scoring drought would hit, and this one would last 3:39 and secure Florida’s fate.

Auburn would go 1-7 from the field to end the game, but as time kept slipping away, Florida was forced to foul and Auburn would hit their free throws to secure the 15-point victory.

Auburn was able to beat Florida at their own game Tuesday night, hitting their threes while the Gators could never find their stroke.

Every time Florida would climb their way back into the game Auburn would snag an offensive rebound and put it back in. They doubled up the Gators in second-chance points (15-7) while also edging them in offensive boards (10-9).

Next up the Gators only face a tougher task as they travel to Knoxville to take on the top-ranked Volunteers Saturday at four p.m. on ESPN.