UF MBK: (1) Florida 95, (16) Norfolk State 69

Records: Florida 31-4, 14-4 SEC; Norfolk State 24-11, 11-3 MEAC
Next Up: Sunday, March 23, Time/TV TBA, vs. UConn or Oklahoma

Notable

* Florida cruised to a 26-point win in the opening round of NCAA Tournament play, as Walter Clayton Jr.’s 23 points and four 3-pointers led the way.
* Alijah Martin added 17 points, while Thomas Haugh scored 13 off the bench and Alex Condon added 12.
* Florida’s 53 points at the break were its most first-half points in its NCAA Tournament.
* The Gators had their eighth 20-assist game of the season.
* Clayton generated 10 points off 3-point fouls, converting a 4-point play and going 6-for-6 from the line after getting fouled on 3-point attempts.
* Clayton reached the 2,000-point career scoring mark, now at 2,006. That total includes 1,235 as a Gator and 771 at Iona. He is one of five active four-year players with 2,000+ points: Erik Reynolds II (Saint Joseph’s), Zeke Mayo (South Dakota State, Kansas), Wade Taylor IV (Texas A&M) and Kam Jones (Marquette).
* Will Richard tied career high with five assists.
* Clayton moved into fifth place for single-season 3-point field goals at UF, reaching 101. He is the fourth Gator to hit 100 in a season, joining Lee Humphrey (twice), Michael Frazier II and Kenny Boynton.
* With 1,235 points as a Gator, Clayton passed Dorian Finney-Smith (1,220) for most career points by a transfer.
* Florida improves to 17-6 in first-round NCAA Tournament action, including 3-0 as a 1-seed.
* Florida has won seven games in a row and 13 of its last 14. The Gators are 7-0 in the month of March and averaging 94.0 points per game.
* Clayton extended his streak to 57 straight appearances with a 3-pointer.
* Florida is 2-0 all-time vs. Norfolk State, with both meetings coming in the NCAA Tournament. The teams also met in the 2012 second round, an 84-50 Florida win in Omaha, Neb.
* Todd Golden is the eighth coach since the 1979 tournament expansion to pick up his first NCAA Tournament win while coaching a No. 1 seed (chart below).

First NCAA Tournament Win Came as a 1-Seed
Since 1979, when NCAA Tournament expanded to 40 teams and began seeding all teams
1979

Bill Hodges

Indiana State

1981

Terry Holland

Virginia

1985

Bill Frieder

Michigan

1998

Bill Guthridge

North Carolina