With about eight minutes left in the game, Canyon Barry drove hard to the basket.
He came to a stop and lifted the ball high in the air.
The shot was swatted away as Auburn started a fastbreak, intent on getting back in the game.
However, Florida guard Chris Chiozza picked the pocket of the Tigers’ Ronnie Johnson and flung a pass to Barry, who stood wide open at the three-point line.
To the disappointment of the crowd, the 6-foot-6 graduate transfer rose up for the shot and ripped the net, putting the game out of reach.
It was a familiar site for Auburn.
Behind Barry’s season-high 30 points, No. 15 Florida (21-5, 11-2 SEC) defeated the Tigers 114-95 in Auburn Arena on Tuesday night. UF's 114 points are the most it's ever scored in an SEC game.
In addition to Barry, six other Gators scored in double digits, including 17 points on four shots from KeVaughn Allen and 14 points from Devin Robinson.
“We made shots at a high level. Really shared the ball. Executed well,” UF coach Mike White said. “We’ll take it every night.”
Despite putting forth arguably its most efficient offense of the season, Florida struggled with the Tigers’ up-tempo offense for much of the game.
A pair of wide open three-pointers by Johnson gave Auburn (16-10, 5-8 SEC) its biggest lead of the night at 30-22 nearly halfway through the first half.
The Gators, sparked by Barry and center John Egbunu, eventually took their first lead at 35-32 after a fastbreak three-pointer by forward Justin Leon.
Egbunu had 10 points on 3-for-3 shooting and four rebounds but left the game early with an apparent knee injury.
He never returned, and UF went into the locker room tied 50-50.
“Auburn, they’re so potent offensively,” White said. “They come at you from so many different ways, so many different angles.
“We couldn’t find a defensive rhythm.”
Florida’s defense found a spark in the second half, though, as the Gators opened the final frame with a 9-0 run.
Auburn’s Mustapha Heron, one of the SEC’s leading scorers, scored his first field goal of the night — a tip-in with the Gators up 16 — with under nine minutes left in the game.
The Gators held Heron to nine points on 2-for-12 shooting.
Senior guard Kasey Hill, who scored just three points against Texas A&M on Saturday, had an all-around game against the Tigers. He totaled 11 points and 12 assists for his first double-double of the season.
For the game, the Gators shot 56 percent from the floor, hit 11 three-pointers and converted 37 of their 42 free throws.
“We hope we can ride the momentum offensively,” White said, “and figure out a way to get some stops.”
A radio broadcast contributed to this report.
Contact Ray Boone at rboone@alligator.rog and follow him on Twitter @rboone1994.
UF guard Canyon Barry dribbles during Florida's 71-62 win over Texas A&M on Feb. 11, 2017, in the O'Connell Center.
