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Florida punches ticket to Final Four: Gators' frantic second-half too much for Texas Tech in Elite Eight
The Gators overcame a 10-point deficit in the game's final 6:18 to advance
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After trailing by 10 with 6:18 left, No. 1 seed Florida roared back to pull off a stunning 84-79 comeback win over No. 3 seed Texas Tech on Saturday. The win punches the Gators' ticket to the Final Four for the first time since 2014.
Florida star Walter Clayton Jr. knocked down a go-ahead 3-pointer with 59 seconds left, and the Gators never looked back as they secured a dramatic Elite Eight win. Clayton finished with a team-high 30 points, while Thomas Haugh tied a career-high with 20.
The Gators will face No. 1 seed Auburn or No. 2 seed Michigan State next weekend in San Antonio.
Texas Tech's Darrion Williams, who led the Red Raiders' comeback win over Arkansas in the Sweet 16, finished with 23 points. The junior forward imposed his will in the paint for much of the game before the Gators stiffened defensively and surged ahead behind a late barrage of 3-pointers from Clayton and Haugh.
"THE GATORS ARE GOING TO THE FINAL FOUR" 🗣️#MarchMadness @GatorsMBK pic.twitter.com/m2QYIw6hO7
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 30, 2025
Florida also hit 23 of 25 free throws, compared to just 7 of 13 from the Red Raiders, who lost despite a 22-5 edge in points off turnovers and a 23-8 edge in second-chance points.
Florida in March This Season
| Category | Stat |
|---|---|
| W-L | 10-0 << |
| PPG | 90.6 |
| Opp PPG | 76.9 |
| PPG Diff | +13.7 |
>> 7 wins vs. AP-ranked teams (tied with 1949-50 CCNY for most in March all-time)
Quick hitters
- Florida 4 for 4 from 3 over the final 2:50 after starting the 2nd half 1 for 9 from deep
Texas Tech's JT Toppin/Darrion Williams: First duo with 20-plus pts and 5-plus rebounds each in three-straight NCAA Tournament games since 1970 (Austin Carr/Collis Jones)
Florida's Walter Clayton: 13 points on 4 for 6 shooting in final 5:24 (17 points, 3 for 8 FG in first 34:36)
Florida's Walter Clayton Jr (8) and Thomas Haugh (6) both outscored Texas Tech (4) over the game's final three minutes.
Florida is the fourth SEC team to make the Final Four in the last 10 seasons. No SEC team has reached the title game since 2014 (Kentucky). No SEC team has won it all since 2012 (Kentucky).
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Walter Clayton Jr. delivers again
When Florida rallied for a 77-75 win over two-time reigning national champion UConn in the second round, Clayton delivered with a series of clutch late 3-pointers as he delivered 13 points in the final eight minutes. With the Gators' season hanging in the balance, Clayton came through again Saturday. With under six minutes remaining, UF was just 4 of 16 from deep and trailing 74-64. But the Gators drilled five shots from beyond the arc over the final 5:24 with Clayton providing three of them. He finished with a game-high 30 points, including a 13 of 14 mark from the free-throw line.
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Thomas Haugh steps up
Clayton was the hero late for Florida, but Thomas Haugh was the player who kept the Gators in it. The sophomore forward produced just his fourth double-double of the season with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Among his contributions was a pair of critical 3-pointers in the final three minutes. Haugh's defensive possessions against Texas Tech star Darrion Williams may have overshadowed his offense, though. The 6-foot-6 bruiser gave Florida fits all game, but Haugh was one of few defenders capable of keeping Williams from getting clean looks in the paint.
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Everything but the ending
Florida entered at No. 9 nationally in offensive rebounds per game at 14 and ranking No. 5 in offensive rebounding percentage, per KenPom. But the Red Raiders beat the Gators at their own game with a 23-8 edge in second-chance points. Even 6-foot-1 Christian Anderson got in on the action with three offensive boards for TTU. Despite the gutty performance on the glass, the Red Raiders came up short in the end amid a lack of late-game execution. It was eerily reminiscent of Texas Tech's Sweet 16 win over Arkansas, except the roles were reversed. The Red Raiders rallied from a double-digit deficit to win that one in overtime, only to squander a double-digit lead of their own in the Elite Eight.
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No. 1 seed Florida advances with a dramatic win
FINAL: (1) Florida 84, (3) Texas Tech 79
After trailing by 10 with 6:18 left, No. 1 seed Florida pulled off a stunning comeback 84-79 win over No. 3 seed Texas Tech to advance to the Final Four. Florida star Walter Clayton Jr. knocked down a go-ahead 3-pointer with 59 seconds left, and the Gators never looked back to secure a dramatic win on Saturday in the Elite Eight.
Clayton finished with a team-high 28 points, and Thomas Haugh added 20. The 20 points Haugh scored tied his career best.
Florida is heading to its first Final Four since 2014. The Gators will face No. 1 seed Auburn or No. 2 seed Michigan State next weekend in San Antonio.
Texas Tech forward Darrion Williams, the hero of Texas Tech's dramatic comeback win over Arkansas in the Sweet 16, finished with 23 points.
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Going down to the wire in San Francisco
MID 2H: (3) Texas Tech 71, (1) Florida 64
Walter Clayton Jr. just knocked down a huge 3-pointer moments ago to cut the Texas Tech lead to seven. The Red Raiders have a 71-64 advantage with 4:31 left to play. Clayton is going to have to keep shooting to get his team back in this game.
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No. 1 Florida is on upset alert
MID 2H: (3) Texas Tech 67, (1) Florida 57
The Texas Tech lead has reached double-digits heading into the Under 8 Media Timeout. The Red Raiders have a 67-57 advantage over No. 1 seed Florida with 7:48 left. The Gators will need to stage a comeback, or else Florida will be the first No. 1 seed to go down.
Florida hasn't scored a field goal in over four minutes.
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Who else on Florida can get going offensively?
EARLY 2H: (3) Texas Tech 50, (1) Florida 48
Walter Clayton Jr. has 12 points. Thomas Haugh has 14 points. Only one other player on Florida (Alex Condon) has more than four points. Someone other than those two players will need to get going for Florida during the final 13:26. Texas Tech is physical and relentless down low. Texas Tech is playing undersized, but they're hanging tough.
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Darrion Williams is putting the team on his back
EARLY 2H: (3) Texas Tech 45, (1) Florida 42
The hero of Texas Tech's win over Arkansas in the Sweet 16 is doing everything he can to get his team to San Antonio. Williams is making plays on both ends of the floor and isn't backing down from a stout Florida frontcourt. Williams is up to 15 points and has knocked down three 3-pointers.
Texas Tech is on a 8-0 run.
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Led by Haugh, Florida is up at halftime
HALF: (1) Florida 40, (3) Texas Tech 37
The story of the first half has been the play of Florida reserve big man Thomas Haugh. He recorded 12 points, six rebounds and two assists in 14 first-half minutes. All eight Florida players who played scored at least two points. Florida has a 40-37 halftime advantage after trailing by as many as six points in the opening minutes.
Texas Tech caught fire from the 3-point line out of the gate. The Red Raiders made six of their first seven shots from beyond the arc but finished 7 of 16 to end the first half. Texas Tech forward Darrion Williams -- the hero of the Red Raiders win over Arkansas in the Sweet 16 -- has 10 points.
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Thomas Haugh is playing well for Florida
LATE 1H: (3) Texas Tech 29, (1) Florida 28
I feel confident saying that Florida big man Thomas Haugh would be a starter at most high-major programs. It's a luxury that Florida can bring him off the bench because it is so deep at the position. Haugh has eight points off the bench for UF.
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Texas Tech still ahead
MID 1H: (3) Texas Tech 24, (1) Florida 23
Texas Tech started this game by drilling six of its first seven attempts from the 3-point line. The Red Raiders have missed their last three shots from beyond the arc. Florida bigs Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh each have five points, while Darrion Williams -- the hero of the Red Raiders win over Arkansas in the Sweet 16 -- has eight.
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Good one from San Francisco so far
EARLY 1H: (3) Texas Tech 19, (1) Florida 19
Texas Tech won the rebounding battle during the first two minutes, but it's been all Florida since. The Gators have 10 rebounds (four offensive) during the first eight minutes. Seven different players have already scored for Florida.
On the Texas Tech front, star guard Chance McMillan checked in and scored on his second field goal attempt.
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Hot start for Texas Tech
EARLY 1H: (3) Texas Tech 9, (1) Florida 5
Texas Tech is winning the rebounding battle early. That's two offensive rebounds already. Both possessions resulted in a wide-open 3-pointer. That's going to be something to monitor throughout this game.
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Here we go
We are officially underway from San Francisco. The winner goes to the Final Four in San Antonio. Great crowd at the Chase Center.
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Florida eyes national championship
The lyrics to Young Dolph's 2015 hit "Cut it" ripped through the locker room as Florida players took turns parading in front of a camera in accordance with a trending TikTok dance.
They had just cut down the nets after an SEC Tournament title in Nashville's Bridgestone Arena, so it was a fitting celebration.
But the Gators only let the jubilation go so far.
March Madness pick to win it all: Why red-hot Florida Gators will run bracket to win 2025 NCAA Tournament
David Cobb
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Expert pick for Texas Tech vs. Florida
Texas Tech's resiliency is to be commended, storming back from a 16-point deficit to beat Arkansas. But in looking forward we should consider why the Red Raiders found themselves in a deep hole early against the Razorbacks and whether a similar comeback would be possible against Florida. The Gators have a deeper and healthier rotation than Arkansas, and what they might give up in terms of NBA-focused talent they make up for with much more consistent performance when they've faced real game pressure all through the season. The availability of Chance McMillan is going to give some the hesitancy to jump in with a pick early but I think the Gators keep rolling. Pick: Florida -6.5
2025 March Madness predictions: NCAA bracket expert picks against the spread, Elite Eight odds for Saturday
Chip Patterson
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How Texas Tech stunned Arkansas
Arkansas was up 16 points midway through the second half of its Sweet 16 game vs. Texas Tech on Thursday and appeared to be on its way to the Elite Eight. Making it to the West Regional Final would have been anther step in one of the best coaching jobs of John Calipari's career and made the Razorbacks' slow start in Calipari's first season in Fayetteville a distant memory.
Instead, it's the No. 3 seed Red Raiders who will face No. 1 seed Florida for the right to go to the Final Four after completely outplaying No. 10 seed Arkansas the rest of the game in Texas Tech's 85-83 shocking overtime victory at the Chase Center.
How John Calipari wasted one of his best NCAA Tournament coaching jobs as Arkansas blows lead vs. Texas Tech
Cameron Salerno
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Florida's Martin eyes history
When Dusty May left FAU to take the vacant job at Michigan last offseason, it seemed logical for some of his players to follow him to Ann Arbor. One of the players May coached at FAU was current Floridastar Alijah Martin, who entered the transfer portal weeks after May left the program.
When Martin entered the portal, he did so with a "do not contact" tag, which designates a player or his representatives already have a shortlist of preferred destinations.
It certainly would have made sense for Martin to follow the coach he referred to as a "father figure," but that wasn't the case. Martin took official visits to Ole Miss, which is located less than 200 miles from his hometown of Summit, Mississippi, and Florida.
Florida's Alijah Martin makes March Madness history after passing on reunion with Dusty May at Michigan
Cameron Salerno
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Texas Tech star is active vs. Florida
Texas Tech star Chance McMillian will be active tonight vs. No. 1 seed Florida. He is going through pre-game warmups right now. McMillian is not in the starting lineup for the Red Raiders, but he will be active after missing the last four games with a strained oblique. Huge boost for Texas Tech getting him back.
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Florida star Alex Condon is available
Florida star center Alex Condon will be available for today's game vs. Texas Tech. Condon left the Gators' Sweet 16 game vs. Maryland in the first half Thursday with an ankle injury. Condon left the game with 12:15 remaining in the first half, limping off the floor before heading to the locker room near the Florida bench Chase Center. He returned midway through the second half.
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Battle on the boards in Florida vs. Texas Tech
Texas Tech pulled off a stunning comeback win over Arkansas by dominating the offensive glass. Twenty-two of the Red Raiders' 51 total rebounds came on the offensive end of the floor. At one point in the second half, Texas Tech secured six offensive rebounds on a single possession, which helped spark its comeback win.
Florida was also dominant on the glass in its Sweet 16 win. The Gators outrebounded Maryland 42-20 and recorded 15 offensive rebounds in their blowout win. The greatest strength of this Florida team is its frontcourt. Even when star big man Alex Condon went down with an ankle injury and missed nearly 20 minutes of game action, his team didn't miss a beat. The team that wins the rebounding battle will likely be the representative from the West side of the bracket in San Antonio next weekend.
2025 March Madness live stream: NCAA Tournament TV schedule, watch Elite Eight streaming online Saturday
Cameron Salerno
