* What: NCAA West Region / "Elite Eight" round
* When: Saturday, 6:09 p.m. (ET)
* Where: Chase Center / San Francisco
* Records: Florida (33-4) / Texas Tech (28-8)
* TV: TBS/TruTV (Kevin Harlan, Dan Bonner, Stan Van Gundy and
Lauren Shehadi)
* Radio: Gator Sports Network from LEARFIELD / Stations list
(with Sean Kelley, Lee Humphrey and Steve Egan)
* Ticket info
Projected Starters
| Florida | Position | Height / Weight | Class | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Condon | F | 6-11 / 230 | Sophomore | 10.9 pts / 7.7 reb |
| Rueben Chinyelu | C | 6-10 / 255 | Sophomore | 6.2 pts / 6.6 reb |
| Will Richard | G | 6-4 / 206 | Senior | 13.5 pts / 4.5 reb |
| Alijah Martin | G | 6-2 / 195 | Graduate | 14.6 pts / 4.5 reb |
| Walter Clayton Jr. | G | 6-2 / 195 | Senior | 17.7 pts / 3.7 reb / 4.1ast |
| Texas Tech | Position | Height / Weight | Class | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darrion Williams | F | 6-6 / 225 | Junior | 14.8 pts / 5.5 reb |
| JT Toppin | F | 6-9 / 225 | Sophomore | 18.2 pts / 9.3 reb |
| Kerwin Walton | G | 6-5 / 210 | Senior | 6.0 pts / 1.3 reb |
| Christian Anderson | G | 6-2 / 165 | Freshman | 10.8 pts / 3.0 reb |
| Elijah Hawkins | G | 5-11 / 160 | Senior | 9.4 pts / 3.5 reb / 6.6 ast |
The Breakdown
UF coach Todd Golden will try to become the third coach in program history to guide the Gators to the Final Four.
Preview: Florida vs. Texas Tech – West Region Title Clash
Top-seeded Florida is set to face third-seeded Texas Tech in the NCAA West Region final, with the winner earning a spot in next weekend’s Final Four in San Antonio, Texas. The Gators reached this stage by defeating fourth-seeded Maryland 87-71 in Thursday’s opening “Sweet 16” matchup. Later that night, the Red Raiders pulled off a dramatic comeback against 10-seed Arkansas, erasing a 16-point second-half deficit—and trailing by 13 with five minutes left—to secure an 85-83 overtime win.
This marks Florida’s 10th appearance in the “Elite Eight,” their first since 2017. Texas Tech returns to this round for the third time, last appearing in 2019. The Gators are aiming for their sixth Final Four berth, while the Red Raiders are chasing a second—having reached the national championship game in 2019 before falling to Virginia in overtime.
Head-to-Head History
Florida holds a 2-1 edge in the all-time series. The Gators won 79-76 in Gainesville in 1960 and followed with a 71-69 overtime victory at a neutral site in 1962. The programs didn’t meet again until the 2018 NCAA Tournament, when Texas Tech edged Florida 69-66 in a second-round game played in Dallas.
Coaching Milestone Watch
Todd Golden entered the 2025 NCAA Tournament with an 0-2 record from previous appearances—one each with San Francisco and Florida. He now stands at 3-2 in tournament play and holds a 73-33 overall record (.689) across three seasons. With a win, Golden would join Lon Kruger and Billy Donovan as the only Florida coaches to guide the program to a Final Four.
Tale of the Tape
| Florida | Statistics | Texas Tech |
|---|---|---|
| 85.5 | Scoring | 80.9 |
| 0.473 | Field-goal percentage | 0.467 |
| 0.357 | 3-point percentage | 0.425 |
| 69.4 | Scoring defense | 68 |
| 0.399 | Field-goal percentage defense | 0.367 |
| 0.293 | 3-point percentage defense | 0.322 |
| 2nd | KenPom.com overall ranking | 9th |
| 2nd | KenPom.com offensive efficiency | 5th |
| 9th | KenPom.com defensive efficiency | 39th |
| 62 | KenPom.com adjusted tempo | 268th |
| 4th | NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) ranking | 7th |
| 12th | Overall strength of schedule ranking | 42nd |
The Gators
Will Richard (5)
Florida enters the Elite Eight riding a nine-game winning streak and having claimed 15 of their last 16 contests. Six of those victories came against teams ranked in the final Associated Press Top 25, with additional wins over Ole Miss—still active in the Sweet 16 as of Friday—and reigning two-time national champion Connecticut.
The Gators’ 87-71 win over No. 11 Maryland was especially impressive considering a rocky first half that included 13 turnovers and the temporary loss of forward Alex Condon to an ankle injury. Florida regrouped after halftime, shooting 53% from the field against the nation’s sixth-ranked defense and holding Maryland to 39%. Their 47-point second half was the most scored against the Terrapins all season.
Statistically, Florida is among the nation’s elite, ranking second in offensive efficiency and ninth in defensive efficiency. Only Duke shares top-10 status on both ends of the court among remaining tournament teams. The Gators dominated the boards against Maryland, out-rebounding them 42-20—including a 15-7 edge on the offensive glass—leading to a 21-9 advantage in second-chance points. Florida ranks fifth nationally in offensive rebounding, recovering 39% of their missed shots. Defensively, they’re fifth in effective field-goal percentage allowed (45.4%), 15th in two-point defense (46.2%), and fifth in three-point defense (29.3%).
Depth was another key factor, with Florida’s bench outscoring Maryland’s 29-3. Five Gators grabbed at least four rebounds, though ball control remained a concern—six players committed multiple turnovers, and three had three or more.
First-team All-America point guard Walter Clayton Jr. had a quieter night, scoring 13 points in 32 minutes—his lowest output of the postseason. Still, he facilitated an offense that saw five other players reach double figures. Will Richard led the team with 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including three triples, and added four rebounds and three assists. Alijah Martin contributed 14 points, two 3-pointers, and seven rebounds. Off the bench, Denzel Aberdeen was sharp, scoring 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting with two 3s in 19 minutes.
Condon’s ankle injury—originally sustained on February 11 at Mississippi State—resurfaced at the 12:15 mark of the first half. He missed the remainder of the period but returned after halftime, logging nine minutes and finishing with six points and four rebounds. X-rays were negative, and he’s receiving continuous treatment. His status remains a game-time decision, with effectiveness dependent on pain management.
If Condon is unavailable to start, sophomore Thomas Haugh (9.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg) is expected to step in. Haugh excelled Thursday, posting 13 points, a team-high nine rebounds (including five offensive), four assists, and two steals in 32 minutes. Center Rueben Chinyelu rebounded from a slow start to deliver 10 points and eight boards, hitting all three of his second-half field goals during a key surge. Micah Handlogten, meanwhile, was limited by early foul trouble and finished with two points and three rebounds.
The RED RAIDERS
Texas Tech forward JT Toppin (15)
Texas Tech is in its second year under head coach Grant McCasland, one of the most successful coaches in college basketball over the past four seasons. Before arriving in Lubbock, McCasland led North Texas to an average of over 22 wins per season across six years in the Sun Belt Conference, including one NCAA Tournament appearance. His final two seasons with the Mean Green produced 56 total victories. Since taking over at Tech, McCasland has guided the Red Raiders to 51 wins and back-to-back NCAA Tournament berths as a 6-seed and 3-seed, respectively—averaging 26.8 wins over the last four years.
A disciple of Scott Drew’s coaching tree at Baylor, McCasland is known for his offensive philosophy. Texas Tech currently ranks sixth nationally in offensive efficiency according to KenPom, with top-50 metrics in several key categories: 2-point shooting (54.8%), 3-point accuracy (36.7%), effective field-goal percentage (54.9%), and turnover rate (14.3%, 20th nationally). The Red Raiders are disciplined with the ball, posting an 8.7% steal rate on offense and a 5.7% non-steal turnover rate—ranking 10th in the country.
In their Sweet 16 matchup against Arkansas, Tech found themselves trailing 61-45 with just over 10 minutes remaining. They responded with a 27-11 run to close regulation and executed efficiently in overtime, hitting five of six shots. Guard Darrion Williams sealed the win with a clutch post-up basket in the final seconds.
Texas Tech shares some roster dynamics with Maryland, particularly in terms of limited depth. In their overtime victory against Arkansas, five Red Raiders logged at least 37 minutes, with two players exceeding 44 minutes on the court.
A key question heading into the Elite Eight is the status of guard Chance McMillian, one of the nation’s premier long-range shooters with a 43.4% clip from beyond the arc. A San Francisco native, McMillian has been sidelined since March 30 due to an oblique injury sustained during Texas Tech’s Big 12 Tournament win over Baylor. He participated in Thursday’s shoot-around and was initially expected to play against Arkansas but was ultimately held out in a last-minute decision. Despite his absence, the Red Raiders secured their third NCAA Tournament win
Over his five-year collegiate career—three seasons at Grand Canyon and two at Texas Tech—McMillian has knocked down 225 three-pointers, underscoring his value as a perimeter threat.
JT Toppin, a transfer from New Mexico, anchors Texas Tech’s frontcourt and serves as their primary offensive weapon. He’s converting an exceptional 70% of his shots inside the arc and has also knocked down 16 three-pointers at a 31% success rate. On the glass, Toppin ranks among the nation’s elite—46th in offensive rebounding percentage (13.8%) and 24th on the defensive end (26%). His performance against Arkansas included 20 points, nine rebounds, and five blocks. Toppin currently ranks fifth in the KenPom National Player of the Year standings, trailing only Cooper Flagg (Duke), Johni Broome (Auburn), Walter Clayton Jr. (Florida), and Hunter Dickinson (Kansas).
Darrion Williams complements Toppin with a physical style of play, particularly effective in post-up mismatches. Though undersized for a forward, Williams is difficult to contain when backing down defenders. He’s shooting 48% from two-point range, 34% from three, and has converted 90 of 107 free throw attempts. In the second-round win over Drake—one of the top defensive teams in the country—Williams delivered a season-best 28 points and five assists, going 10-for-14 from inside the arc.
Elijah Hawkins, Texas Tech’s point guard, played all 45 minutes in Thursday’s overtime win and continues to be a key facilitator—assisting on 32.6% of the team’s made baskets, ranking 44th nationally. He’s also reliable at the line, shooting 84%, and connects on 31.5% of his three-point attempts.
Even if Chance McMillian remains unavailable, the Red Raiders still have perimeter scoring options. Christian Anderson stepped up against Arkansas, leading the team with 22 points in 44 minutes while shooting 38.4% from deep. Kerwin Walton, who shoots 39.7% from three, saw limited action and didn’t score in his 10 minutes. However, Kevin Overton, a transfer from Drake, made a strong impact off the bench—scoring 12 points, hitting two three-pointers, and grabbing seven rebounds in 37 minutes of play.
By the Numbers: Florida vs. Texas Tech
UF point guard Chris Chiozza leaves the court for the final time as a Gator following Texas Tech's 69-66 defeat of the Gators in the 2018 NCAA Tournament at Dallas.
• 1 — Texas Tech stands alone as the only team to defeat Big 12 champion Houston on its home court this season. The Red Raiders shot 43% and hit 12 three-pointers at Fertitta Center, handing the Cougars an 82-81 overtime loss—widely considered one of the top road wins of the 2024–25 campaign. Houston finished 16-1 at home with an average winning margin of 23.2 points. Tech’s résumé also includes three Quadrant 2 losses: to St. Joseph’s, at Central Florida, and at TCU.
• 2 — Florida has now recorded two NCAA Tournament games with six players scoring in double figures. The first came in 2007 during a 112-69 rout of Jackson State in Jacksonville, en route to a second consecutive national title. In that game, Corey Brewer led with 21 points, followed by Joakim Noah and Chris Richard (17 each), Marreese Speights (16), Al Horford (15), and Lee Humphrey (12). The Gators shot 59% and set a program record for points in NCAA play.
• 49.9 — Walter Clayton Jr.’s three-point shooting percentage across six postseason games, going 24-for-49 from deep. His streak of consecutive games with at least one made three-pointer has reached 59. With 201 career threes in just two seasons at Florida, Clayton becomes the 10th player in program history to surpass 200.
• 50.2 — The combined scoring average of Florida’s senior trio—Clayton, Will Richard, and Alijah Martin—during the postseason.
• 2018 — The last time Florida and Texas Tech met in the NCAA Tournament. On March 18 at American Airlines Arena in Dallas, the Gators erased an eight-point deficit with under eight minutes remaining to tie the game inside three minutes. Tech’s Keenan Evans hit a clutch three-pointer with 2:31 left for a 69-66 lead. Florida had two chances to tie—attempts by Egor Koulechov and KeVaughn Allen—but both missed, and the Red Raiders held on. That game marked the final appearance for UF point guard Chris Chiozza, the program’s all-time assist leader, who finished with 11 points, three assists, and three steals in 27 minutes despite second-half foul trouble. Tech advanced to the Elite Eight before falling to eventual champion Villanova, 71-59.
Bottom Line
Florida’s season has been remarkable—and it’s still unfolding.
Email Chris Harry at chrish@gators.ufl.edu
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