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Box Score<https://floridagators.com/documents/2023/12/14/2023.12.14_Florida_vs._East_Carolina.PDF> | Season Stats<https://floridagators.com/documents/2023/11/17/2023-24_UFStats.pdf> | Media Resources<https://www.dropbox.com/sh/iv6cc1nl98a49pv/AAD_LkZm6hKvVz7FpyboOUR1a?dl=0>
Records: Florida 7-3; East Carolina 6-5
Next up for Florida: vs. Michigan (at Charlotte, N.C.), Jumpman Invitational, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 7 p.m., ESPN
Notable
* Walter Clayton Jr. put up 20 of his 22 points in the first half while playing just down the road from his hometown of Lake Wales.
* Clayton scored 10 of Florida’s first 12 points and had 20 by halftime. He shot 8-for-13 and hit 3 of 6 3-point attempts in the first half.
* Tyrese Samuel and Zyon Pullin added 11 points each and Will Richard chipped in 10. Freshman Alex Condon grabbed a team-leading 12 rebounds to go with eight points, tallying his third double-figure rebounding game.
* Florida had another big night on the boards, outrebounding the Pirates, 51-32, and grabbing 21 offensive rebounds.
* Samuel had a dunk off an offensive rebound with 20 seconds left in the game to give Florida a four-point lead.
* It marked the team’s fifth game with at least 20 offensive rebounds, the much such performances in a season this century.
Head Coach Todd Golden
Opening statement…
“Old saying, ‘A win is a win.’ It’s hard to be good, and obviously we didn’t have our best tonight. Credit to East Carolina, I thought they did a good job in the second half dictating what we were doing on the offensive end for the most part, turned us over 11 times. But what I talked about to the guys in the locker room, I thought the last four of the game, we did a really, really good job of gathering ourselves and executing, ran good offense, got good shots, got on the glass, did a good job defending and found a way to win the game. I think as our program continues to mature, these are the type of wins that, you know, they build character, they build trust, they build belief. I’m proud of our guys to find a way to win tonight.”
On the defensive effort carrying the team in the second half…
“Huge, huge. I thought our guys did a really good job of sticking to the game plan for the most part. We talked a lot going into this game about keeping them off the offensive glass. They’re a very, very good offensive rebounding team – top 30, top 40 team – and to only limit them to 10 and then win the boards by 19, obviously I think that was a difference in the game for us tonight.”
On Walter Clayton Jr….
“Obviously, through the evaluation process, through the film you see a really talented player, a great three-level scorer, a guy that can really make plays with the ball in his hands, a great facilitator for his teammates, just a really efficient and effective guard. And when you get to know him as a person, he’s a warrior, man. He’s a warrior. He’s the kind of guy that as a coach gives you confidence when you’re out on the floor when you have guys that, they believe, they trust, and they don’t get rattled. Him and ZP [Zyon Pullin] did a really good job of that tonight. It wasn’t going our way a lot of the second half, but those two guys and Will [Richard], they didn’t point fingers. They were just staying the course, talking to each other, trying to pump each other up. You can live with yourself losing a game like that with these two guys out there that are fighting and have their competitive nature in the right place. Feel good. Love this guy. He’s been a huge addition to our program and will continue to have a great year for us.”
Junior G Walter Clayton Jr.
On his big game…
“First half, I just felt a little good out there and my teammates were finding me, so I give some credit to them. They were just finding me, and the shots were going in.”
On being back in the building where he won two state championships…
“It felt great. Obviously, I’ve never lost here, so that’s always a good feeling. So just adding to the win column in this building.”
On the biggest difference between Florida and Iona) –
“Weather is one of the biggest ones. [Laughter] I walk outside, it’s sunny every day. But, no, just the environment. It’s just a little different environment walking in every day, very close-knit here. Family. Just a different environment.”
