SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Walter Clayton Jr. scored 34 points and Florida defeated Southeastern Conference rival Auburn 79-73 in the Final 4 on Saturday night, sending the Gators into the National Championship Game for the first time since the 2006 and 2007 titles.
The Gators’ national security guard (35-4) made a driving layup with 2:24 left after Australian big man Alex Condon charged other national player Johnny Bloom in the national semi-finals.
After a record-breaking 14-second team created this NCAA tournament, seven arrived at Sweet 16 before the league filled half the Elite 8 and then filled with first-place seed.
The Gators have a chance to win their first SEC title since 2012 Kentucky on Monday night. Florida will take an 11-game winning streak in the Alamodome title championship game against either Duke or Houston.
“We’re just in court, we’re away from the court,” Clayton said.
Even at the end of his first SEC matchup in the Final Four, Clayton gently chased the rebound and returned the inbound, leaving the clock winning. As he began walking back to the court, teammate Aliya Martin stood looking at him in the endline, smiling and nodding to say hello.
The Tigers (32-6) were the overall seed and scored an eight-point halftime lead in their second Final Four with manager Bruce Pearl.
“Auburn made us heels in the first half, and we’ve got a great start, but we didn’t look back,” said 39-year-old Florida coach Todd Golden, who joined Pearl’s first staff in Auburn in 2014.
According to ESPN statistics, Clayton became the first player in the Elite Eight consecutive 30-point games and semifinals in the semifinals since 1979’s Larry Bird. Clayton went over 30 on three-point plays with 1:33 remaining, scoring on a layup while being fouled and adding a free throw.
Martin, who played for the FAU and the Final Four two years ago, added 17 points to the Gators. Thomas Howe was 12.
Florida opened the second half with a 13-3 run, and Clayton closed the 11-0 run with a layup after the steal of Reuben Chaiel. This allowed the Gators to go 51-49 with 15 minutes remaining.
Chad Baker Mazara led Auburn with 18 points, including four three-pointers, with his left hand partially wrapped due to a thumb issue. Bloom scored 15 points with 6/14 shooting and 7 rebounds. He only had three points after halftime.
Even before the final buzzer rang, Bloom bent over and then surrounded by cameras to capture the reaction. He finally got up and shook his hand, then walked out of the court with red eyes crying. The camera followed the exit and pulled his jersey to wipe his face.
Bloom and Baker Mazara were injured in a Michigan victory last Sunday, sending the Tigers to the Final Four. Bloom’s right elbow bends awkwardly during a violent fall in the second half, and in the final four he wore a brace of sorts on his arms covered in sleeves.
