Records: Florida 33-4, 14-4 SEC; Maryland 27-9, 14-6 Big Ten
Next Up: Saturday, March 29, San Francisco, Time/TV TBA, vs. Arkansas or Texas Tech
Notable
* Six Gators in double figures led by Will Richard’s 15 points put the Gators into the Elite Eight for the 10th time in program history and the first since 2017.
* The Gators used an 11-0 run to build an early lead, but Maryland closed within 40-38 at halftime. Florida went on a 12-4 spurt out of the break to re-extend its lead, and Maryland never got closer than six the over the final 16+ minutes. A 13-2 Florida stretch extended the lead to 18 with 7:09 to play.
* Richard was joined in double figures by Alijah Martin (14), Walter Clayton Jr. (13), Thomas Haugh (13), Denzel Aberdeen (12) and Rueben Chinyelu (10). This marked the second time in its history that Florida has had six double figures in the NCAA Tournament (3/16/2007 vs. Jackson State).
* Florida imposed its will inside, posting a 42-20 rebounding advantage with 15 offensive boards leading to a 21-9 edge in second-chance points. Haugh led the Gators with nine rebounds, and Chinyelu snagged eight.
* In his six postseason games this season spanning the SEC and NCAA Tournaments, Clayton has averaged 20.2 points per game and shot 24-for-49 (.490) from 3-point range.
* Florida picked up its program-record ninth top-25 win, seven of which have come vs. teams in the top 12.
* The Gators have notched six of their top-25 wins in the month of March alone. Florida has only had six top-25 wins in a whole season five other times and had never had more than four in a month (Feb. 2001).
* Florida has won nine games in a row and 15 of its last 16. The Gators are 9-0 in the month of March and averaging 91.3 points per game.
* Clayton extended his streak to 59 straight appearances with a 3-pointer. He has averaged 23.0 points in four NCAA Tournament games as a Gator.
* Florida’s 3,163 points this season are the team’s second-most in program history.
* The 2024-25 team has now scored the most three-point baskets in single season program history with 367, breaking the previous record on 357 set in 2011-12.
* Florida’s trio of Clayton, Martin and Richard have all reached 500 points this season. It marks the second time in program history UF has had three 500-point scorers, also doing so last season with Clayton, Zyon Pullin and Tyrese Samuel.
* Clayton became the 10th Gator to hit 200 career 3-pointers and just the second to hit 200 over a two-season span (Lee Humphrey, 226, 2005-07).
* Florida improved to 3-2 all-time against Maryland and 1-0 in the NCAA Tournament.
