Florida Defeats Defending Champs — Advances to First Sweet 16 Since 2017
Florida Defeats Defending Champs
Updated: 6:29 PM EDT Mar 23, 2025
WESH TWO NEWS. WELL, IT IS OFFICIAL. THE FLORIDA GATORS ARE HEADED TO THE SWEET 16. WESH TWO SPORTS DIRECTOR DAREN STOLZFUS IS JOINING US LIVE FROM RALEIGH TONIGHT IN DAREN. TALK ABOUT A ROLLER COASTER OF EMOTIONS WATCHING THIS GAME. YEAH. LUANA. THIS WAS A BIT OF A WILD ONE. FAR FROM FLORIDA’S FINEST PERFORMANCE THIS SEASON, BUT WE DID SEE THAT RESILIENCY. WE’VE SEEN ALL SEASON KIND OF SHOW UP AT THE END. NOTHING BETTER THAN WALTER CLAYTON’S TEN POINTS IN THE FINAL FOUR MINUTES OF PLAY TO REALLY SEAL THIS ONE FOR THE GATORS. THEY DO SURVIVE. THEY DO ADVANCE AND THEY ARE HEADED TO THE SWEET 16 FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ALMOST A DECADE. YOU KNOW, OUR GUYS STEPPED UP AND MADE WINNING PLAYS DOWN THE STRETCH. AND AS WE TALKED ABOUT WITH THE GUYS AFTER THE GAME, IT WASN’T ALWAYS PRETTY. BUT WE DID A GOOD JOB OF HANDLING, YOU KNOW, THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND STAYING THE COURSE. AND OUR OUR VETERANS STEPPED UP AND MADE BIG PLAYS DOWN THE STRETCH. NO PANIC. I MEAN, FROM YOU, FROM THE GUYS. WHERE DOES THAT ASSURANCE COME FROM? PANIC DOESN’T HELP. YOU KNOW, I CAN TELL YOU THAT MUCH. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, STAYING LEVELHEADED WAS ONE OF THE BIG KEYS AS TO WHY WE WERE ABLE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, BECOME VICTORIOUS. BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS SOME TENSE MOMENTS. AND I THINK OUR GUYS UNDERSTOOD THAT THERE WERE CERTAIN POSSESSIONS THAT IF WE DIDN’T MAKE BIG PLAYS, THAT WE WEREN’T GOING TO BE ABLE TO WIN. AND THEY DID A GOOD JOB. EVERY TIME WE NEEDED SOMETHING, THEY STEPPED UP AND FOUND A WAY TO DO IT. WE JUST CAME TOGETHER IN THE LOCKER ROOM IN THE SECOND HALF. WE WAS LIKE, MAN, JUST HAVE FUN WITH IT, MAN. WE’RE HERE FOR A REASON. WE CAME TOGETHER. NO ONE PUT OUR HEADS DOWN. NO ONE WAS POUTING. WE JUST SAID, THIS IS WHAT MARCH MADNESS IS ABOUT. IT’S GOING TO BE UPS AND DOWNS, BUT WE GOT TO KEEP KEEP PUSHING THROUGH. AND KEEP PUSHING THROUGH IS RIGHT. THIS TEAM’S MADE IT CLEAR. THEIR GOAL IS THAT NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. SO THIS IS BOX TWO OF SIX THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO CHECK. NEXT UP IS A TRIP TO SAN FRANCISCO FOR THE SWEET 16 SAN FRANCISCO OF COURSE, WHERE TODD GOLDEN USED TO COACH A LITTLE FAMILIARITY THERE THAT MAY HELP THEM. WE’LL HAVE MUCH MORE FROM THE GATORS LOCKER ROOM COMING UP A LITTLE B
Florida Defeats Defending Champs — Advances to First Sweet 16 Since 2017
Florida Defeats Defending Champs
Updated: 6:29 PM EDT Mar 23, 2025
The Florida Gators are headed back to the Sweet 16 for the first time in seven years, holding off the two-time defending national champion UConn Huskies 77–75.Walter Clayton Jr. led the way with 23 points, including two clutch three-pointers in the final five minutes. The Lake Wales native stepped up when Florida needed him most, giving the Gators a late lead they wouldn’t give back.“We knew this game wasn’t going to be easy. They’ve got a championship pedigree, back-to-back champions. That’s a great team,” Clayton said. “They had experience, but we kept our composure.”Florida, the No. 1 seed in the West region, didn’t play a perfect game. The Gators turned the ball over 12 times (twice more than UConn) and trailed for nearly the entire second half. Florida also shot 64% from the free-throw line (22-of-35), while UConn was 86% (18-of-21).However, Florida pulled ahead down the stretch, finishing the game shooting 47.4% (9-19) from three-point range compared to UConn’s 27.6% (8-29). Overall, Florida shot 46% from the field while UConn trailed them at 37.5%.Alijah Martin scored 18 points for Florida, while Will Richard added 15.“The time was now for us to take that next step. Again, Florida basketball back where it belongs,” Golden said. “Our players delivered today.”With the win, Florida moves on to face the winner of No. 4 Maryland and No. 12 Colorado State. The last time Florida reached the Sweet 16, they advanced to the Elite 8 before falling to the University of South Carolina 77-70.It’s been a long road back to national relevance for Florida basketball. But Sunday afternoon proved that the Gators are back in the conversation.
RALEIGH, N.C. —The Florida Gators are headed back to the Sweet 16 for the first time in seven years, holding off the two-time defending national champion UConn Huskies 77–75.
Walter Clayton Jr. led the way with 23 points, including two clutch three-pointers in the final five minutes. The Lake Wales native stepped up when Florida needed him most, giving the Gators a late lead they wouldn’t give back.
“We knew this game wasn’t going to be easy. They’ve got a championship pedigree, back-to-back champions. That’s a great team,” Clayton said. “They had experience, but we kept our composure.”
Florida, the No. 1 seed in the West region, didn’t play a perfect game. The Gators turned the ball over 12 times (twice more than UConn) and trailed for nearly the entire second half. Florida also shot 64% from the free-throw line (22-of-35), while UConn was 86% (18-of-21).
However, Florida pulled ahead down the stretch, finishing the game shooting 47.4% (9-19) from three-point range compared to UConn’s 27.6% (8-29). Overall, Florida shot 46% from the field while UConn trailed them at 37.5%.
Alijah Martin scored 18 points for Florida, while Will Richard added 15.
“The time was now for us to take that next step. Again, Florida basketball back where it belongs,” Golden said. “Our players delivered today.”
With the win, Florida moves on to face the winner of No. 4 Maryland and No. 12 Colorado State. The last time Florida reached the Sweet 16, they advanced to the Elite 8 before falling to the University of South Carolina 77-70.
It’s been a long road back to national relevance for Florida basketball. But Sunday afternoon proved that the Gators are back in the conversation.
