Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley is synonymous with shenanigans and bold takes nowadays, but his love for Auburn is sincere. Expressing loyalty for one's former university is commonplace, particularly during sporting events, but the star forward-turned-analyst left no doubt to how earnestly he was rooting for the Tigers in Saturday's Final Four battle with Florida.

The two No. 1 seeds and SEC powerhouses treated the crowd in San Antonio, Texas' Alamodome to a competitive and compelling contest, but Walter Clayton Jr.'s penchant for making insane buckets, coupled with Auburn's 3-point shooting woes, paved the way for a 79-73 Gators win. The one-of-a-kind Barkley processed the outcome as only he could, wearing a look of utter disappointment visibly on his face, via the NCAA March Madness X account.

Once the melancholy sunk in, the 1993 NBA MVP expressed gratitude to his Alma mater and shared a nice moment with Wooden Award runner-up and Tigers star big man Johni Broome. Say what you want about Barkley, but the man is carrying himself like a proud member of the Auburn basketball community.

Auburn has come a long way since the days of Charles Barkley

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The 1984 SEC Player of the Year, whose No. 34 was retired by the school more than two decades ago, knows what a second Final Four run means to this program. He endured two years of mediocrity, before leading the Tigers to their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in his junior 1984 season. AP Co-Coach of the Year Bruce Pearl has elevated this hoops institution beyond recognition, bringing joy to Charles Barkley and many other supporters.

But this felt like it could have been Auburn's year. The team played an arduous non-conference schedule and navigated the deepest league of all-time, entering March Madness with a 28-5 record, SEC regular season title and the No. 1 overall seed. The Tigers' dominance faded down the stretch, though, while the Gators' bite got stronger.

Walter Clayton Jr. scored a game-high 34 points on 11-of-18 shooting, and Florida's defense largely held Johni Broome in check. The consensus All-American and 2025 SEC Player of the Year posted 15 points (6-of-14 shooting), seven rebounds, three steals and two blocks in defeat. Auburn shot only 28 percent from beyond the 3-point line and allowed Florida to post a 38.1 mark.

Fans will use the term “missed opportunities” to describe this clash, especially since the Tigers held an eight-point lead at halftime, but this was still an exceptional campaign for a program bereft of much glory. Barkley's sorrow will eventually pass, and his Auburn basketball pride should endure.