Records: Florida 29-4, 14-4 SEC; Alabama 25-8, 13-5 SEC
Next Up: Sunday, March 16, 1 p.m. EDT, vs. #8 Tennessee, ESPN
Notable
* Walter Clayton Jr.’s 22 points and Rueben Chinyelu’s double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds) led the Gators as six players scored in double figures in a Florida SEC Tournament-record 104-point scoring output.
* After Alabama took a 48-47 lead shortly after the break, Florida ripped off 11 straight points to jump start a 17-2 run that put the Gators up by double digits for good.
* Florida had six double-figure scorers for the first time since Nov. 28, 2021, vs. Troy.
* Will Richard and Alijah Martin scored 16 points each, while Thomas Haugh and Denzel Aberdeen added 11 points apiece off the bench.
* The Gators are into the SEC Tournament championship game for the 12th time in program history (4-7 record) and the second straight season following last season’s run to the final.
* This marks the third time the Gators have put together consecutive championship game appearances, previously reaching four in a row from 2004-07 and two straight in 2013 and 2014.
* Florida’s SEC Tournament championships came in 2005, ’06, ’07 and ’14.
* Florida’s 29 wins this season match the fourth-most in program history and are UF’s most since a program-record 36 victories in 2013-14.
* Florida picked up its seventh top-25 win of the season, tied for second-most in program history (1999-2000) and one short of matching the team’s record (eight, 2006-07).
* Florida has won five games in a row and 11 of its last 12.
* The Gators have won four straight meetings in the series against Alabama, and today was UF’s fifth consecutive win vs. Alabama in SEC Tournament action, a streak that dates back to 2012.
* Florida has averaged 102.5 points per game in those four wins vs. Alabama.
* The average margin of victory has been 14.8 points.
* Clayton’s two-season scoring total of 1,190 points ranks second in program history, trailing only Neal Walk’s 1,312 from 1967-69. Clayton passed Nick Calathes (1,170) during Saturday’s game.
* Clayton extended his streak to 55 straight appearances with a 3-pointer.
* During today’s game, both Clayton (1,190) and Richard (1,189) passed Florida assistant coach and two-time national champion point guard Taurean Green (1,174) on the Gators’ career scoring list.
* Today’s game was the fourth in Florida history between AP top-five teams. Florida is now 3-1 in such contests:
* March 8, 2003: #2 Kentucky 69, #3 Florida 67, Gainesville
* Dec. 23, 2006: #5 Florida 86, #3 Ohio State 60, Gainesville
* April 2, 2007: #3 Florida 84, #1 Ohio State 75, Atlanta, NCAA Tournament championship
* March 15, 2025: #4 Florida 102, #5 Alabama 82, Nashville, SEC Tournament semifinals
* It also marked Florida’s sixth top-10 matchup of the season, most in program history. The Gators are 4-2 in those games this season, 10-18 all-time.
