The Florida Gators defeated the Auburn Tigers last night by a score of 78-69, thus advancing to the quarterfinals tonight vs. Mississippi State tonight. The Gators are now 7-0 vs. the SEC West, but will have a tough game against the No. 1 seed Bulldogs – a team Florida beat earlier in the season 69-62. A win tonight will definitely put the Gators in the NCAA Tourny, a loss might still keep them on the bubble.

The Gators had big games last night from Alex Tyus (24 points) and Chandler Parsons (21 points, 6 rebounds). The announcers did a great job bringing awareness to the audience about the develop of Parsons over the year. He has turned into a hell of a starter and big time outside shooter for the Gators this year. I think even Kentucky’s coach Calipari said Parsons was the most improved player in the SEC this year – or maybe it was Bruce Pearl?

Another cool note from last night’s game – Dan Werner notched his 105th win as a Florida Gator, moving him into 3rd all-time. Werner has not been a fan favorite lately, but he did hit a big three last night and it’s pretty incredible that he has been part of so many wins.

It’s always tough for a team to play back to back games, especially when their opponent has had several days rest. The Gators will have their work cut out for them tonight against Mississippi State. They need to dominate the boards and shoot well from the free throw line. If they can keep the pace of the game down a little, I like their chances to advance.