Walter Clayton scores 27 points, No. 13 Florida beats Virginia 87-69 in SEC/ACC Challenge
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) Walter Clayton scored 27 points, Alex Condon added 19 points and eight rebounds and No. 13 Florida beat Virginia 87-69 in the SEC/ACC Challenge on Wednesday night to remain unbeaten.
Clayton hit five 3-pointers, including a four-point play in the second half, as the Gators (9-0) matched their best start since the 2005-06 season. That one ended with a national championship. This one looks promising, especially considering Florida has won every game by at least 13 points.
Turnovers had a lot to do with the latest victory. The Gators scored 20 points off 15 turnovers, forcing the Cavaliers (5-3) into mistake after mistake.
Virginia was a 17 1/2-point underdog, according to BetMGM, and held tough early. But the Gators showed their talent and depth while erasing a nine-point deficit and pulling away in the second half.
Alijah Martin chipped in 16 points for Florida, and Denzel Aberdeen added 12.
Elijah Saunders led Virginia with 19 points. Isaac McKneely finished with 12 points, seven boards and five assists.
Virginia: The Cavaliers have lost their three toughest games by double digits, including 64-42 to Tennessee and 80-55 to St. John's.
Florida: A day after expressing little concern about Virginia’s defensive prowess or McKneely - “I ain’t worried about him” - Clayton proved to be the best player on the court. He hit 10 of 19 shots.
The Gators hit three 3-pointers to spark a 15-0 run that turned a six-point deficit into a nine-point lead in the first half. Aberdeen hit two shots from long range.
Florida had nine steals, giving coach Todd Golden's team 74 in nine games.
Virginia opens ACC play at SMU on Saturday, and Florida plays Arizona State in the Holiday Hoopsgiving in Atlanta on Dec. 14.
---
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
Copyright 2025 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20:00 |  | Blake Buchanan vs. Rueben Chinyelu (Elijah Saunders gains possession) | ||
| 19:47 |  | +3 | Isaac McKneely makes three point jump shot (Dai Dai Ames assists) | 3-0 |
| 19:29 | | Walter Clayton Jr. misses three point jump shot | ||
| 19:27 | | Dai Dai Ames defensive rebound | ||
| 19:02 | | Alex Condon personal foul (Blake Buchanan draws the foul) | ||
| 18:46 | | +3 | Dai Dai Ames makes three point jump shot (Andrew Rohde assists) | 6-0 |
| 18:32 | | +2 | Alijah Martin makes two point layup | 6-2 |
| 18:17 | | Isaac McKneely misses three point jump shot | ||
| 18:15 | | Blake Buchanan offensive rebound | ||
| 18:12 | | +2 | Blake Buchanan makes two point layup | 8-2 |
| 17:58 | | Blake Buchanan blocks Rueben Chinyelu's two point layup | ||
| 17:56 | | Alex Condon offensive rebound | ||
| 17:42 | | Will Richard turnover (bad pass) | ||
| 17:40 | | Andrew Rohde turnover (bad pass) (Alijah Martin steals) | ||
| 17:32 | | Walter Clayton Jr. misses three point jump shot | ||
| 17:30 | | Cavaliers defensive rebound | ||
| 17:15 | | Dai Dai Ames misses two point jump shot | ||
| 17:13 | | Alijah Martin defensive rebound | ||
| 17:05 | | +2 | Alex Condon makes two point layup (Will Richard assists) | 8-4 |
| 16:33 | | Andrew Rohde misses three point jump shot | ||
| 16:31 | | Elijah Saunders offensive rebound | ||
| 16:16 | | +3 | Isaac McKneely makes three point jump shot (Andrew Rohde assists) | 11-4 |
| 16:01 | | Alijah Martin misses two point jump shot | ||
| 15:59 | | Rueben Chinyelu offensive rebound | ||
| 15:54 | | Rueben Chinyelu misses two point layup | ||
| 15:52 | | Elijah Saunders defensive rebound | ||
| 15:32 | | +2 | Blake Buchanan makes two point jump shot (Isaac McKneely assists) | 13-4 |
| 15:16 | | +2 | Walter Clayton Jr. makes two point layup | 13-6 |
| 15:16 | | Dai Dai Ames shooting foul (Walter Clayton Jr. draws the foul) | ||
| 15:16 | | TV timeout | ||
| 15:16 | | +1 | Walter Clayton Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 13-7 |
| 15:00 | | +3 | Elijah Saunders makes three point jump shot (Andrew Rohde assists) | 16-7 |
| 14:30 | | +2 | Alijah Martin makes two point jump shot | 16-9 |
| 14:18 | | +2 | Andrew Rohde makes two point layup | 18-9 |
| 14:00 | | +2 | Denzel Aberdeen makes two point jump shot (Alex Condon assists) | 18-11 |
| 14:00 | | Andrew Rohde shooting foul (Denzel Aberdeen draws the foul) | ||
| 14:00 | | Denzel Aberdeen misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | ||
| 14:00 | | Taine Murray defensive rebound | ||
| 13:32 | | Alex Condon blocks Dai Dai Ames's two point layup | ||
| 13:30 | | Alijah Martin defensive rebound | ||
| 13:15 | | +2 | Thomas Haugh makes two point layup (Alex Condon assists) | 18-13 |
| 13:15 | | Jacob Cofie shooting foul (Thomas Haugh draws the foul) | ||
| 13:14 | | +1 | Thomas Haugh makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 18-14 |
| 13:01 | | +2 | Elijah Saunders makes two point layup | 20-14 |
| 12:48 | | +2 | Alijah Martin makes two point layup | 20-16 |
| 12:15 | | Dai Dai Ames turnover (bad pass) (Alex Condon steals) | ||
| 12:08 | | Dai Dai Ames personal foul (Denzel Aberdeen draws the foul) | ||
| 11:48 | | Denzel Aberdeen misses two point jump shot | ||
| 11:46 | | Jacob Cofie defensive rebound | ||
| 11:20 | | Isaac McKneely turnover (bad pass) (Will Richard steals) | ||
| 11:12 | | Will Richard turnover (bad pass) | ||
| 11:11 | | TV timeout | ||
| 10:44 | | Blake Buchanan misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:42 | | Ishan Sharma offensive rebound | ||
| 10:42 | | Cavaliers turnover (shot clock violation) | ||
| 10:15 | | Will Richard misses two point jump shot | ||
| 10:13 | | Sam Alexis offensive rebound | ||
| 10:08 | | Will Richard misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:06 | | Sam Alexis offensive rebound | ||
| 10:02 | | +2 | Sam Alexis makes two point layup | 20-18 |
| 9:30 | | Cavaliers turnover (shot clock violation) | ||
| 9:05 | | +3 | Denzel Aberdeen makes three point jump shot (Walter Clayton Jr. assists) | 20-21 |
| 8:35 | | Isaac McKneely misses two point jump shot | ||
| 8:33 | | Walter Clayton Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 8:25 | | Walter Clayton Jr. misses two point layup | ||
| 8:23 | | Sam Alexis offensive rebound | ||
| 8:19 | | +3 | Will Richard makes three point jump shot (Sam Alexis assists) | 20-24 |
| 8:15 | | Cavaliers 30 second timeout | ||
| 8:15 | | TV timeout | ||
| 7:57 | | Isaac McKneely misses three point jump shot | ||
| 7:55 | | Rueben Chinyelu defensive rebound | ||
| 7:33 | | Walter Clayton Jr. misses three point jump shot | ||
| 7:31 | | Alex Condon offensive rebound | ||
| 7:23 | | Alijah Martin misses three point jump shot | ||
| 7:21 | | Isaac McKneely defensive rebound | ||
| 7:08 | | Taine Murray turnover (out of bounds) | ||
| 6:55 | | +3 | Denzel Aberdeen makes three point jump shot (Walter Clayton Jr. assists) | 20-27 |
| 6:28 | | Blake Buchanan misses two point jump shot | ||
| 6:26 | | Alex Condon defensive rebound | ||
| 6:15 | | +2 | Alex Condon makes two point dunk (Walter Clayton Jr. assists) | 20-29 |
| 5:53 | | Alex Condon shooting foul (Elijah Saunders draws the foul) | ||
| 5:53 | | +1 | Elijah Saunders makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 21-29 |
| 5:53 | | +1 | Elijah Saunders makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 22-29 |
| 5:42 | | Walter Clayton Jr. misses three point jump shot | ||
| 5:40 | | Isaac McKneely defensive rebound | ||
| 5:29 | | Elijah Saunders misses three point jump shot | ||
| 5:27 | | Denzel Aberdeen defensive rebound | ||
| 5:16 | | Alijah Martin misses two point jump shot | ||
| 5:14 | | Alijah Martin offensive rebound | ||
| 5:07 | | Alijah Martin misses three point jump shot | ||
| 5:06 | | Isaac McKneely defensive rebound | ||
| 5:06 | | Rueben Chinyelu personal foul | ||
| 4:49 | | Taine Murray misses three point jump shot | ||
| 4:47 | | Thomas Haugh defensive rebound | ||
| 4:39 | | +3 | Walter Clayton Jr. makes three point jump shot (Thomas Haugh assists) | 22-32 |
| 4:13 | | +2 | Jacob Cofie makes two point layup | 24-32 |
| 3:57 | | Sam Alexis misses two point layup | ||
| 3:55 | | Taine Murray defensive rebound | ||
| 3:46 | | +2 | Dai Dai Ames makes two point layup | 26-32 |
| 3:36 | | +3 | Walter Clayton Jr. makes three point jump shot | 26-35 |
| 3:18 | | +2 | Elijah Saunders makes two point dunk (Dai Dai Ames assists) | 28-35 |
| 3:18 | | Walter Clayton Jr. misses two point layup | ||
| 3:18 | | Jacob Cofie defensive rebound | ||
| 3:10 | | Jacob Cofie turnover (bad pass) (Denzel Aberdeen steals) | ||
| 3:06 | | +2 | Denzel Aberdeen makes two point dunk | 28-37 |
| 2:53 | | +2 | Dai Dai Ames makes two point jump shot | 30-37 |
| 2:43 | | Walter Clayton Jr. misses three point jump shot | ||
| 2:40 | | Isaac McKneely defensive rebound | ||
| 3:18 | | TV timeout | ||
| 2:28 | | Jump ball. Andrew Rohde vs. Thomas Haugh (Thomas Haugh gains possession) | ||
| 2:28 | | Andrew Rohde turnover (lost ball) (Thomas Haugh steals) | ||
| 2:02 | | Will Richard turnover (traveling) | ||
| 1:52 | | TJ Power misses three point jump shot | ||
| 1:50 | | Alijah Martin defensive rebound | ||
| 1:44 | | Alijah Martin misses three point jump shot | ||
| 1:42 | | Isaac McKneely defensive rebound | ||
| 1:31 | | Isaac McKneely misses two point layup | ||
| 1:29 | | Jacob Cofie offensive rebound | ||
| 1:25 | | +3 | Elijah Saunders makes three point jump shot (Jacob Cofie assists) | 33-37 |
| 1:08 | | Will Richard misses three point jump shot | ||
| 1:06 | | Sam Alexis offensive rebound | ||
| 1:03 | | Jacob Cofie shooting foul (Will Richard draws the foul) | ||
| 1:03 | | +1 | Will Richard makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 33-38 |
| 1:03 | | +1 | Will Richard makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 33-39 |
| 0:57 | | Will Richard personal foul (Andrew Rohde draws the foul) | ||
| 0:44 | | Elijah Saunders misses two point jump shot | ||
| 0:42 | | Blake Buchanan offensive rebound | ||
| 0:37 | | +2 | Blake Buchanan makes two point layup | 35-39 |
| 0:29 | | Isaac McKneely personal foul (Alijah Martin draws the foul) | ||
| 0:26 | | Blake Buchanan blocks Will Richard's two point jump shot | ||
| 0:24 | | Andrew Rohde defensive rebound | ||
| 0:00 | | End of period |