Next Up: Saturday, April 5, San Antonio, CBS, Time TBA, vs. (1) Auburn or (2) Michigan State
Notable
* Florida came back from nine points down with 3:00 to play, closing with an 18-4 run to advance to the program’s sixth Final Four.
* Walter Clayton’s 30 points led the Gators, while Thomas Haugh added 20 points and 11 rebounds.
* Clayton has now put up two of the three 30-point games in NCAA Tournament play by a Gator (33 vs. Colorado in 2024; also KeVaughn Allen 35 in 2017 Sweet 16 vs. Wisconsin). Clayton has averaged 24.4 points in five NCAA Tournament games as a Gator.
* Alijah Martin added 10 points,
* The Gators cashed in from the free throw line, hitting 25 of their 27 free throw attempts. Clayton shot 13-for-14 from the line, tying Joakim Noah’s record for free throws made in an NCAA Tournament game.
* Florida’s 3,247 points this season has set a school record for most points in a season, surpassing the 3,193 points scored in 2006-07. The Gators also extended their season record for most 3-point field goals, now with 376 (previous record: 357, 2011-12).
* In his seven postseason games this season spanning the SEC and NCAA Tournaments, Clayton has averaged 21.6 points per game and shot 27-for-57 (.474) from 3-point range.
* Florida advances to its sixth Final Four in program history, also reaching it in 1994, 2000, 2006, 2007 and 2014. Todd Golden is the third coach to lead the Gators to a Final Four, joining Billy Donovan (four) and Lon Kruger (one).
* Florida extended its single-season record with its 10th top-25 win, eight of which have come vs. teams in the top 12.
* The Gators notched seven of their top-25 wins in the month of March alone. Florida has only had seven top-25 wins in a whole season two other times (eight in 2006-07, seven in 1999-2000) and had never previously had more than four in a month (Feb. 2001).
* Florida has won 10 games in a row and 16 of its last 17. The Gators finish the month of March with a 10-0 record, averaging 90.6 points per game.
* Clayton extended his streak to 60 straight appearances with a 3-pointer. His 111 3-point field goals this season are the fourth-most in program history.
* Florida has gone 6-2 this season in top-10 matchups, knocking off the ninth-ranked Red Raiders. Prior to this season, the Gators had gone 6-16 all-time in top-10 matchups.
* Florida improved to 3-1 all-time vs. Texas Tech and 1-1 in the NCAA Tournament.
