AUBURN, Ala. – Senior guard Walter Clayton Jr. scored 19 points, matched his career-high with nine assists, and played the entire 40 minutes on Saturday, guiding sixth-ranked and short-handed Florida to a remarkable 90-81 upset over top-ranked Auburn at a sold-out Neville Arena. The win marked the Gators’ first-ever road victory against a No. 1 team in program history, with five UF players finishing in double figures.

Playing without his veteran teammate and second-leading scorer Alijah Martin (hip injury), Clayton knocked down four 3-pointers and orchestrated an offense that shot 48.4 percent overall, went 13-of-33 from deep (39.4 percent), dished out a SEC-best 22 assists, and converted 15-of-18 free throws in one of the toughest environments in college basketball. Clayton’s first basket of the night, a 3-pointer, pushed him past 1,000 career points as a Gator, making him the 57th player in school history to reach the milestone.

Sophomore forward Alex Condon contributed a double-double with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists. Backup forward Thomas Haugh added 14 points, nine rebounds, and several hustle plays that embodied the team’s effort on this historic day. Senior guard Will Richard scored 15 points and grabbed five boards, while junior guard Denzel Aberdeen, starting for the second time in his career in place of Martin, chipped in 10 points, including two clutch 3-pointers in the second half as Auburn attempted a rally.

Auburn opened quickly, building leads of 15-5 and 20-11 within the first nine minutes after hitting eight of its first 14 shots. Florida, which began just 2-for-11, steadied itself and mounted a comeback. The Gators hit five consecutive shots, including two from beyond the arc, to take their first lead at 23-22. After Auburn regained a six-point edge, UF responded with another run of five straight makes to reclaim control and closed the half on a 23-7 surge, taking a 48-38 advantage into the break. Clayton had 16 points at halftime on 5-of-6 shooting, including three 3s.

Less than five minutes into the second half, Florida’s lead ballooned to 19. Auburn trimmed the margin to nine with seven minutes remaining, but a 3-pointer by Aberdeen on a three-shot possession sparked an 8-2 run that rebuilt the cushion to 15 with four minutes left.

Florida’s defense held Auburn, the nation’s No. 1-rated offense, to 42.9 percent shooting overall and just 7-of-22 from long range. The Gators also limited 2025 NCAA Player of the Year favorite Johni Broom to 8-of-19 from the field. Broome finished with 18 points, nine rebounds, and six assists.

Sophomore forward Alex Condon (21) throws down in the first half Saturday against Auburn.