Flora-Bama Takes on New Meaning in Final Four

OBA Staff • March 31, 2025

Auburn has been ranked #1 in the country for most of the season

Auburn will play Florida in the Final Four of the men's NCAA College Basketball Tournament. So it seems fitting that the ultimate game watch spot will be on the line at the Flora-Bama sports grill. Auburn defeated Michigan State by a score of 70-64 and punched their ticket to San Antonio for the big game. Now the SEC matchup between Alabama and Florida college teams makes the national championship more exciting for coastal fans.

Auburn has appeared in the NCAA tournament 14 times, making it as far as the Final Four in 2019. Now they will face the Gators, who they know well from their SEC competition. During the regular season they lost to Florida by 9 points.

The game will be played in San Antonio, Texas. Tipoff is at 5:09 PM CT on Saturday, April 5th. So if we get to the Flora-Bama Ole River Grill an hour in advance, we should be good.

The Final Four will consist entirely of No. 1 seeds, with No. 1 overall seed Auburn becoming the last to join Florida, Duke and Houston in San Antonio. One side of the bracket will feature Auburn vs. Florida while the other side the Blue Devils taking on a Houston team led by coach Kelvin Sampson.

It is not often our coastal region cheers for basketball, but having two teams in the final four is making a difference!

FUN FACT: Did you know that Shug Jordan was once Auburn's basketball coach? Prior to his tenure as Auburn's head football coach, Ralph "Shug" Jordan coached the Auburn men's basketball program for 10 seasons. Jordan was a football assistant coach when he coached the men's basketball program.

After playing football and basketball for Auburn from 1929 to 1932, Jordan became the head men's basketball coach in 1933. He coached until 1942, when he was called overseas to fight as an officer in World War II. Following his service, Jordan returned to Auburn to coach the 1945–46 team. He left Auburn to become the head men's basketball coach at Georgia after the season. Jordan finished with a record of 95–77 (.552) at Auburn.

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