At one level, a victory appeared unimaginable for the No. 1 seed Florida Gators on Saturday’s Elite Eight matchup. The Gators have been on the point of elimination with six minutes remaining, struggling to match No. 3 Texas Tech’s physicality as their illustrious season gave the impression to be coming to an finish.
However, via a miraculous comeback led by a star and an surprising hero, the Gators are nonetheless dancing, reaching a Last 4 in head coach Todd Golden’s first 12 months with this system. Florida’s Walter Clayton had 30 factors and Thomas Haugh completed with 20 to safe the Gators are journey to San Antonio subsequent weekend.
How did we get so far, and what’s subsequent for the Gators?
The loss that sparked all of it
The Gators have been probably the greatest groups in school basketball all season lengthy, being ranked contained in the High 10 since Week 6 of the common season.
However, there was one particular loss that basically served because the turnaround for them arguably being the most popular staff in school basketball getting into the postseason: their 64-44 blowout defeat towards Tennessee.
Simply weeks earlier, the Gators had shut out the Volunteers, who have been the No. 1 staff within the nation on the time, in a 30-point blowout in Gainesville, cementing themselves early within the SEC as a pressure to be reckoned with.
Nevertheless, within the second matchup between the 2, Florida fell flat, scoring a season-low 44 factors, as they shot a paltry 24.5 % from the sphere and 14.8 % from deep to file simply their third lack of the season.
It appeared like somebody lastly discovered a system to stifle the Gators’ high-flying offense, as star Walter Clayton was held in verify, whereas no different participant hit double figures within the loss.
It appears unlikely {that a} loss would function the turning level for a staff. However, that’s precisely what occurred for the Gators as a result of they might go on to be the perfect staff in school basketball for the ultimate 5 weeks of the common season.
Florida began to get sizzling, rattling off back-to-back wins towards No. 1 Auburn and No. 22 Mississippi State on the highway. Later, after an surprising loss to Georgia, the Gators bounced again with wins over No. 12 Texas A&M and No. 7 Alabama, the latter being on the highway.
The Gators completed the common season 9-1, resulting in them incomes the No. 2 seed within the SEC Match, the place they did some main harm. They rattled off No. 21 Missouri by 14 within the quarterfinals earlier than blowing out Alabama 104-82, preserving Mark Sears in verify to achieve the SEC Championship Recreation.
Then got here the rematch towards the staff that rotated their season: Tennessee. With the season collection at 1-1 and each video games being blowouts, Florida regarded to take the mantle as soon as and for all.
They usually did, to the tune of an 86-77 victory to assert the SEC Match Championship, ending off the season with six straight wins, together with 5 towards ranked opponents.
However, whereas the celebrations started, Florida knew that the work wasn’t near accomplished, having a vivid reminiscence of the 2024 season of their minds, the place they have been a one-and-done within the NCAA match.
Adversity within the first weekend
Incomes a No. 1 seed within the West area, the Gators cruised previous Norfolk State within the first spherical of the NCAA match.
Adversity struck once more as they have been dealt a troublesome hand with No. 8 seed UConn ready within the wings. The Huskies had confronted an uneven season, marred by accidents and inconsistencies, however head coach Dan Hurley had gained back-to-back championships and was searching for a serious upset.
The sport proved to be a battle. The Gators by no means bought a lot separation within the first half, as the 2 sides have been tied at 31 heading into the break. They usually even trailed for a lot of the second half as UConn jumped out to a slight lead and maintained it for almost your complete last interval.
All of it got here right down to the ultimate minutes. UConn had held the lead for the primary 17 minutes of the second half, though Florida managed to maintain it tight, trailing 61-59 after Alex Condon hit one in all two free throws with 3:28 remaining.
Getting a key cease, Florida star guard Walter Clayton rose to the event, hitting a clutch three to provide Florida its first lead of the half at 62-61 with beneath three minutes to go. However, they have been met with resistance, as UConn’s Solo Ball tied issues up at 64 with simply over two minutes to go.
From there, although, it was Clayton’s time to take over. The star guard was in a position to knock down a pair of free throws earlier than hitting a clutch three to provide Florida a six-point lead with 1:07 remaining.
It was the free-throw recreation for the Gators from there, which proved to be sufficient for a 77-75 victory, advancing them to the Candy 16 in an exciting end.
Damage causes concern
Two wins for the Gators within the 2025 NCAA match led them to dealing with the Maryland Terrapins within the Candy 16 in a matchup that appeared centered round dimension. Maryland had elite bigs Derik Queen and Julian Reese, who had been their system to success for a lot of the 12 months, whereas Florida’s depth within the frontcourt was a focal a part of their well-rounded nature.
The primary half was a story of two components, because the Gators jumped out to a fast 20-9 lead, due to threes from Walter Clayton, Will Richard and Thomas Haugh. However, as soon as once more, they have been handled adversity as star ahead Alex Condon suffered a lower-body harm and instantly hobbled to the locker room.
With Condon out, the Gators began to lose their contact as Maryland overcame the 11-point deficit with a 15-4 run of their very own, tying issues up at 24 apiece with 7:11 remaining within the half.
From there, a slugfest ensued because the Terrapins and Gators went back-and-forth with six lead modifications and 4 ties over the ultimate six minutes as Florida took a 40-38 lead into halftime.
Needing a fast response, Florida stepped on the fuel pedal to start the second half, leaping out on a 10-4 run to safe a double-digit lead. However, Maryland wouldn’t go away, as chopping the result in six due to a layup from Julian Reese and a key three from Rodney Rice.
Then got here the turning level: the return of Alex Condon, who had been warming up within the tunnel for the six minutes of the interval.
With their full depth in use, the Gators and their tempo started to out duel the Terrapins’ short-handed rotation, as they pulled again out to a double-digit lead with simply over eight minutes to go. From there, Maryland by no means minimize the lead inside 10, as Florida cruised on to the Elite Eight with an 87-71 victory over the Terrapins.
Condon didn’t mild up the stat sheet, ending with two factors, two rebounds, an help and a block in 9 minutes through the second half. However, his presence allowed Florida to rotate of their bigs extra successfully, preserving them working in transition, which Maryland wasn’t in a position to counteract as the sport slipped away.
Now, the ultimate problem standing of their approach of a Last 4 was the resilient, tough-minded Texas Tech Purple Raiders.
A miraculous comeback and an surprising hero
Florida’s first half towards Texas Tech was similar to their one towards Maryland, solely the tables have been turned originally.
After taking pictures simply 25 % from three of their 85-83 additional time win over Arkansas within the Candy 16, Texas Tech got here out firing from deep, hitting six of their first seven three-point makes an attempt.
That bought the Purple Raiders out to a 24-19 begin over the Gators, however Florida started to combat again. Utilizing the free throw line to their benefit, Florida slowly clawed again to regain the lead, however they weren’t getting their common offense early on, needing a participant to step up.
And that’s precisely what occurred. After 5 early factors in his first stint on the court docket, reserve ahead Thomas Haugh hit a serious three to chop Texas Tech’s result in one with beneath six minutes to go within the first half.
From there, he and Walter Clayton have been the 2 solutions for Florida, because the duo mixed to attain 13 of the final 15 first-half factors for the Gators, ending the half with 12 and eight factors, respectively.
The sport remained a slugfest within the second half as each groups traded buckets, however Texas Tech actually began to drag away with a 12-2 run halfway via the interval, giving the Purple Raiders a 67-57 lead with 7:49 to go.
Because the Purple Raiders began to surge ahead, it was their physicality down low that gave them the benefit. Forwards Darrion Williams and J.T. Toppin took benefit of 1-on-1 matchups down low, powering their strategy to the rim with backdowns and rolls off screens to get basket after basket, outpacing Florida’s offense.
With their season on the brink, down by 10, the Gators wanted a solution on each ends of the court docket, and quick.
Walter Clayton began issues off with a 3 and a layup, however Texas Tech saved the stress ahead, as a J.T. Toppin layup bought it to 75-66 with 3:14 left. Then, magic began to seem for the Gators.
Working the pick-and-roll, Clayton fired a deep three that rimmed out. However, Thomas Haugh saved issues alive with a key rebound, kicking the ball out earlier than receiving the move again for a 3. Cash.
Sensing the momentum coming, Florida’s Todd Golden known as timeout, electing to go along with a daring technique: begin enjoying the foul recreation with Texas Tech’s bigs. And it labored out. Darrion Williams was the primary one fouled, dealing with a 1-on-1 with 2:43 left, and he missed the entrance finish, giving Florida the ball again.
Setting again into their offense, Florida went again to their pick-and-roll between Clayton and Haugh. Sensing a double staff, Clayton kicked out to Haugh, who faked a move earlier than firing a second consecutive three. Cash once more.
Identical to that, the Gators had all of the momentum, dealing with a 75-72 deficit with simply over two minutes left. And the plan continued, as Florida then fouled J.T. Toppin, who additionally missed the entrance finish of a 1-and-1, creating a serious alternative for the Gators to tie issues up.
“We felt like being down 9 or 10, no matter it was, on the under-four, we needed to discover a strategy to get a number of extra possessions within the ball recreation and attempt to stretch it out a bit bit,” Florida head coach Todd Golden mentioned after the sport about his daring technique. “And being within the one-on-one [bonus], we thought that was an opportunistic time to foul their entrance court docket, given the chance. Toppin was the man we wished to foul. And Williams was a second choice. And luckily, they missed two entrance ends. These have been big-time performs that flipped the sport a bit bit.”
And from there, it was all Walter Clayton, who fired an off-balance three working one-on-one from the wing to tie issues up at 75. Then, after Williams bought a backdown layup for Texas Tech, Clayton created one thing out of nothing, pulling the ball again and firing a fadeaway three after getting nothing on a minimize to the basket. Cash instances three.
Immediately, Florida, as soon as staring elimination within the face, had the lead on the most important second of the sport, main 78-77 with lower than a minute to go. The Purple Raiders went again to Williams, who misfired on a 3, and from there, it was the free-throw recreation for the Gators.
Alijah Martin, Clayton and Will Richard every knocked down a pair of free throws because the Gators pulled off the miraculous comeback, reaching the Last 4 with an 84-79 victory over Texas Tech in one more thrilling end.
All season lengthy, anyone has discovered a strategy to step up for the Gators. Within the Candy 16, it was a collective effort, as Martin and Richard have been the keys to the turnaround. On Saturday, it was the star, Clayton, and an surprising hero in Haugh.
“It goes to point out how collectively all of us are,” Clayton mentioned after the sport. “Many instances might simply simply break, begin pointing the finger, blaming one another for this and that. However we simply stayed collectively via the top and stayed the course. And fortunately, we bought it accomplished in the present day.”
“He’s meant every thing,” Clayton mentioned of Haugh. “You understand what I’m saying? I’ve mentioned it a number of instances, I feel a number of guys don’t get sufficient recognition. Tommy is certainly one in all them. He is available in daily, places his head down and works. There’s much more to his recreation, however he’s sacrificing for the staff. He performs his position and does every thing we’d like him to do. I’m grateful for him and I really like him and let’s get two extra.”
The underdog mentality
All season lengthy, the Gators have been probably the greatest groups in school basketball. However, via all of the success, they’ve been fueled by that underdog mentality with a chip on their shoulder, and each Clayton and Haugh resonate with that.
Clayton was an unranked recruit popping out of highschool, initially touchdown at Iona with Rick Pitino as a freshman earlier than transferring to Florida final 12 months. Two years in with the Gators, he’s turn out to be one of many greatest stars in school basketball and a major cause why Florida is headed to the Last 4.
“He’s clearly a blessing to have in our program, have on our staff,” Golden mentioned about Clayton after the sport. “He’s an unbelievable participant, however outdoors of that, he’s a fantastic chief. He’s been every thing we might have requested him to be for this program since he bought to campus two years in the past. Clearly, this 12 months he’s taken on much more ball-handling duties for us. He’s closed out loads of video games for us. And there’s not one other participant in America you’ll somewhat have proper now than Walter Clayton with the ball in his fingers in a big-time second. As he mentioned, I feel he mentioned he blacked out or no matter, he doesn’t get too excessive or too low. He does a fantastic job controlling his feelings. And most gamers in that second, their coronary heart price would stand up. He has that particular expertise and talent to remain even-keeled.
Golden added, “The most important factor in these moments is that you must have anyone that desires to take these pictures. They’re clearly troublesome performs, however somebody that has the arrogance to step up and make unbelievable particular person performs. And Walter did that for us tonight.”
However, Clayton isn’t the one one who got here into school as an under-appreciated prospect. Star ahead Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh, Alijah Martin, Will Richard and Denzel Aberdeen have been all three-star recruits.
The Gators have gotten gamers from all around the nation, however many have purchased into this system, staying true to Florida for extra than simply this season and at the moment are reaping the rewards of that course of.
Subsequent up for Florida is the Last 4, the place they’ll tackle the winner of the Auburn Tigers versus the Michigan State Spartans. Battle-tested via many various kinds of video games, the Gators have seen a troublesome path on their strategy to a championship. Now, they’re simply two video games away from reaching that last objective.
