What Happened

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Florida’s senior guard trio combined for 52 points as the fourth-ranked Gators secured a 95-81 victory over No. 21 Missouri in Friday night’s SEC Tournament quarterfinal at Bridgestone Arena.

Walter Clayton Jr. tallied 18 points—17 of them in the first half—to help Florida build a 13-point advantage at the break, while also adding six assists. Alijah Martin and Will Richard each contributed 17 points. Off the bench, sophomore forward Thomas Haugh delivered 16 points, hitting 10 of 12 free throws, along with seven rebounds and five assists in 27 minutes. The Gators, winners of four straight and 10 of their last 11, shot nearly 62% overall, connected on 9 of 24 from long range (37.5%), and avenged Missouri’s 83-82 win in Gainesville on Jan. 14—their only home loss of the season.

Unlike that earlier matchup, when Missouri raced to a 19-point first-half lead, Florida came out strong this time. The Gators scored the first 10 points of the game, built a 14-point cushion within nine minutes, and carried a 50-37 lead into halftime after shooting 52% in the opening period.

Missouri, missing forward and leading scorer Mark Mitchell, continued to fight. Guard Tamar Bates led with 16 points, and the Tigers used an 18-9 advantage on the offensive glass plus Florida’s 16 turnovers to close the gap. Mizzou cut the margin to 64-60 with 13 minutes left, but Florida responded with timely plays, including a 10-2 run that stretched a five-point lead into a 13-point cushion with under four minutes remaining.

Walter Clayton Jr. (1) on the attack in the first half against the Tigers.