UF senior guard Walter Clayton Jr. rises up for his go-ahead 3-pointer with a minute left against Texas Tech on his way to 30 points and MVP honors in the Gators' 84-79 win in the NCAA West Region title game.
SAN FRANCISCO – In the days leading up to Florida’s Elite Eight matchup, Walter Clayton Jr. fielded countless comparisons to Steph Curry. It wasn’t surprising—throughout the 2024–25 season, analysts frequently likened the Gators’ standout point guard to Curry, especially as Clayton’s postseason heroics continued to build the case. Playing at Chase Center, the home court of Curry and the Golden State Warriors, only amplified the buzz.
Clayton appreciated the praise but kept things in perspective.
"That's arguably the greatest point guard in the history of basketball, so I've got a ways to go," Clayton said Saturday night. "I wouldn't compare myself, but just thankful for the recognition."
That humility came shortly after Clayton delivered a performance worthy of the spotlight. In one of Florida’s most memorable NCAA Tournament wins, he scored 13 of his game-high 30 points in the final five-plus minutes. The Gators, trailing by nine with under three minutes left, surged past 3-seed Texas Tech with a barrage of clutch plays to secure an 84–79 victory in the West Region final.
The win marks Florida’s sixth trip to the Final Four—and its first in over a decade—with the next stop set for San Antonio, Texas.
At just 39 years old, Coach Todd Golden has transformed Florida’s men’s basketball program in only three seasons—from a team on the fringe of postseason play to a contender on college basketball’s biggest stage.
"It's incredible, absolutely incredible," Golden said after the team secured its 10th consecutive win and 16th in the last 17 games. "It's a direct result of the work our players have done all year and the work my staff has done. They've all, to a man, been incredibly consistent, unselfish and worked their tails off. We don't do this without the collective work of our program."
That collective effort was anchored by Walter Clayton Jr., who delivered a standout performance: 7-of-14 shooting, three second-half three-pointers, 13-for-14 from the line, and four assists in 35 minutes of play.
Clayton, the only first-team All-American in UF history, hit two critical three-pointers in the final two minutes—one to tie the game and another to take the lead just 30 seconds later. Florida, ranked fourth nationally, closed the game with an 18–4 run over the final 3:32 to defeat Texas Tech. Clayton’s final two free throws with 10.6 seconds remaining sealed the win.
"I can't even begin to describe how much of an amazing player he is," said UF sophomore forward Alex Condon. "We give him the ball in the clutchest situations and tell him to go cook – and he delivers."
Sophomore forward Thomas Haugh (10), here throwing down for two of his 20 points off the bench, saved his best moments (and buckets) for late in the game.
Walter Clayton Jr. wasn’t alone in powering Florida’s dramatic Elite Eight win. Sophomore forward Thomas Haugh delivered a breakout performance off the bench, recording a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Two of his four made three-pointers came during the late-game rally and proved just as crucial as Clayton’s clutch shots.
"What just happened, it's wild. I don't even know what to say," said an emotional Haugh after the game. "I just know Walter Clayton is a cold, cold man!"
In the first half, Haugh contributed 12 points, two three-pointers, and six rebounds—standing out as one of the few bright spots for Florida while ninth-ranked Texas Tech (28–9) applied relentless pressure. The Red Raiders dominated the paint with physical post play from Darrion Williams (23 points, 5 rebounds) and All-American JT Toppin (20 points, 11 rebounds), while piling up 14 offensive rebounds and 23 second-chance points.
With eight minutes remaining, Florida had managed just four field goals in the second half (on 16 attempts) and missed all four of its three-point tries. Texas Tech held a 67–57 lead.
"They started wearing us down and putting us in the basket a little bit," said Coach Todd Golden, who chose to stick with single coverage in the post rather than risk giving up open perimeter shots. "I thought giving up 3s at that point would be daggers for us. They were [making] 2s, they weren't 3s."
The Gators had their hands full most of the night with Texas Tech's low-post players, especially beefy Darrion Williams (5), who led the Red Raiders with 23 points.
"The reality was, yeah, we were down nine, but you still have to stay the course," said Florida’s fifth-year guard Alijah Martin, who contributed 10 points and seven rebounds. Martin is now headed to his second Final Four with a second program, having previously led Florida Atlantic’s memorable run in 2023. "You don't have a choice. Period. That's what we did."
Following a bucket by JT Toppin, Florida responded with a three-pointer from Thomas Haugh on the right wing. Coach Todd Golden immediately called timeout with the Gators trailing 75–69 and 2:47 left on the clock.
"The message was we've got to make every winning play down the stretch," Golden said, echoing the urgency of their second-round comeback against defending champion Connecticut in Raleigh. "I didn't feel like we were without hope. I felt like our guys still felt we had a shot, but understood that we didn't have much time. We had to pick it up and make sure we got every block-out and make sure we got every 50-50 ball and, obviously, step up and make big shots."
Florida also aimed to extend the game by fouling Toppin, who had a 70.1% free-throw average but just 60% on front ends this season. Unable to reach him on the inbound, they fouled Darrion Williams, an 84% shooter. Williams missed the front end of a one-and-one, and Haugh drilled another three—this time from the left side off a pass from Walter Clayton Jr.—cutting the deficit to 75–72 with 2:24 remaining.
"Walt got doubled, but trusted me to make the shot," Haugh said.
Florida then successfully fouled Toppin, still in the one-and-one. He missed again—his fifth miss from the line—and the Gators grabbed the rebound. In the halfcourt, Clayton received a pass on a cut, met a wall of defenders, pivoted back to the arc, and launched a go-ahead three over two Texas Tech players. Bang. The Red Raiders bench turned in disbelief.
Asked what was going through his mind when he took the shot, Clayton replied:
"Nothing," he said. "My mind was blank."
As Haugh put it—Clayton is a cold man.
Florida grabbed its first lead since the 13-minute mark when Walter Clayton Jr. capped a furious rally, putting the Gators ahead 78–77 with just a minute remaining. The crowd erupted inside Chase Center.
"He's a hard cover, just so difficult," said Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland, who just two nights earlier had guided his team to a comeback win over Arkansas in the "Sweet 16." "He can hurt you in so many ways and is just so crafty in his change of pace."
On the Red Raiders’ next possession, Darrion Williams missed a potential go-ahead three-pointer. Alijah Martin soared for the rebound, drew a foul with 22.2 seconds left, and calmly sank both free throws to extend the lead to three.
Williams had another chance from deep with 16 seconds to play, but missed again. Florida center Rueben Chinyelu secured the rebound, and seconds later Clayton capped his late-game scoring burst—eight points in 96 seconds—by hitting two free throws to push the margin to 82–77 with 10.6 seconds left.
Tech guard Chance McMillian cut the deficit to three with a layup at 4.5 seconds, but senior guard Will Richard iced the game with two more free throws. Florida finished an impressive 25-for-27 at the line (92%), compared to Texas Tech’s 7-for-13 (53.8%).
The Gators, who had endured heartbreaking Elite Eight exits in the past, closed this one with perfection—four straight made field goals (all from beyond the arc) and six consecutive free throws in the final 22 seconds.
As the buzzer sounded, the celebration began: “READY 4 MORE” shirts and hats, confetti falling, trophy lifts, net-cutting, and plenty of tears on the Chase Center floor.
Walter Clayton Jr. snips down the championship net during the post-game celebration.
Walter Clayton Jr. was recognized as the West Region’s Most Valuable Player after his stellar performance across four NCAA Tournament games. He averaged 19.8 points, connected on nearly 46% of his field goal attempts, went 14-for-31 from three-point range (45.3%), and converted 31 of 35 free throws (88.6%).
"There's not another player in America you would rather have right now than Walter Clayton with the ball in his hands in a big-time moment," Coach Todd Golden said. "He does a great job of controlling his emotions. Most players in that moment, their heart rate would go up, but he has a special talent to stay even-keeled."
That composure translated into clutch shot-making—especially fitting on Steph Curry’s home court, where Clayton delivered in the most pressurized moments.
"I think that just goes to show the togetherness of the team, the love we have for each other to get through those tough times," Clayton said. "But we stay the course. It's the Gator mentality."
Next stop: Texas.
For more information, contact senior writer Chris Harry at chrish@gators.ufl.edu.
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