What Happened
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In his final home game for Florida, point guard
Walter Clayton Jr. delivered a memorable "Senior Night" performance, scoring 23 points, including five 3-pointers, while adding five rebounds and eight assists to guide the fifth-ranked Gators to a 90–71 victory over SEC rival Ole Miss in the 2024–25 regular-season finale Saturday at a packed Exactech Arena/O’Connell Center.
Following the pregame ceremony honoring Clayton and fellow seniors Alijah Martin and Will Richard, Clayton shot nine of 17 from the field and five of 11 from beyond the arc. Martin contributed 13 points and five rebounds, while Richard added 10 points. Sophomore forward Alex Condon recorded his second straight double-double, following up his standout performance in Wednesday’s upset at Alabama with 17 points, six of seven from the floor, 15 rebounds, and three assists.
Florida shot 49.2 percent for the game, drained 14 three-pointers, and dominated the boards with a 48–36 rebounding edge. The Gators held Ole Miss to 33.3 percent shooting overall and 33.3 percent from long range (7-of-21).
The win marked Florida’s third consecutive victory, their ninth in the last 10 games, and sent the Gators into next week’s SEC Tournament with strong momentum.
The first half remained relatively close, as Florida’s nine turnovers offset a 52-percent shooting effort, but UF still led 38–31 at halftime.
Ole Miss, paced by 22 points from guard Sean Pedulla, cut the lead to three early in the second half. Clayton responded with two 3-pointers and Richard added another during a 14–0 Gator run that pushed the lead to 17. Florida maintained a double-digit advantage for the remainder of the game, at one point extending it to 22 points.
Senior guard Will Richard (5) rains in a 3-pointer against the Rebels.
What it Means
With their 27th regular-season victory (the second-most in program history) and 14th conference win (the most since 2017), the Gators appear positioned as a strong candidate for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, likely in the West Region. While conference tournament outcomes could create minor adjustments, UF has firmly established itself as the second-best team in what is arguably the deepest league in college basketball in the last 20 years. The Gators are 8–4 in Quadrant 1 matchups and 19–0 in Quadrant 2–3 games, meaning there are no “bad losses” on the resume.
In the Spotlight
The three seniors closed out their regular-season careers in style, with Clayton standing out by posting his highest point total in 13 games. His development as an on-ball guard this season has been impressive, including seven games with at least seven assists.
Staggering Statistic
Florida wrapped up the 2024–25 season with a 15–1 home record and an average margin of victory of 23.5 points, including a 16.2-point margin in SEC contests.
Up Next
Florida (27–4, 14–4) will enter the SEC Tournament in Nashville, Tenn., as the No. 2 seed, earning a double-bye straight into Friday’s quarterfinals. Their opponent will be determined by results from Wednesday and Thursday. This marks the first double-bye for Florida since 2018. Ole Miss (21–10, 10–8) will begin SEC Tournament play in Thursday’s second round and is projected as a potential No. 5 or 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Email senior writer Chris Harry at chrish@gators.ufl.edu
