Clayton Jr. Named West Regional Most Outstanding Player
SAN FRANCISCO– Moments after sparking the Florida Gators to a comeback win over Texas Tech in the Elite Eight, guard Walter Clayton Jr. was named the West Regional Most Outstanding Player.
Across Florida’s wins over No. 16 Norfolk State, No. 8 UConn, No. 4 Maryland and No. 3 Texas Tech, the senior All-American averaged over 22 points per game while shooting just over 45 percent from beyond the arc.
It wasn’t just the fact that he put up big points, though. Clayton Jr. came up in big moments multiple times during the Gators’ run to its first Final Four in 11 years.
In the Round of 32 against UConn, the defending back-to-back champions, Clayton Jr. hit a pair of 3-pointers in the game’s final three minutes. Florida had trailed for nearly 17 minutes in the second half before the senior knocked down a 3-pointer to take the lead, and he added another to extend the lead to six points with just over a minute left.
While the next win over Maryland was largely a team effort, Florida’s comeback over Texas Tech came down to consistency from Thomas Haugh and more late heroics from Clayton Jr. The Gators trailed by 10 in the second half before an 18-4 run over the final three minutes erased the deficit and punched Florida’s ticket to the Final Four.
Clayton Jr. hit another pair of late 3-pointers with less than two minutes left. The first, a cross-over from the left wing, tied the game with 1:47 left. The second, a turnaround from the top of the arc after he retreated from the post, gave Florida its first lead in nearly 16 minutes.
“There’s not another player in America you would rather have right now than Walter Clayton with the ball in his hands in a big-time moment,” head coach Todd Golden said. “As he said, I think he said he blacked out or whatever, he doesn’t get too high or too low. He does a great job controlling his emotions.”
Haugh, who was named to the West All-Regional Team, was just as good on Saturday. In a 20-point, 11-rebound effort, the sophomore sixth-man was the glue that consistently kept Florida in place despite its Final Four hopes diminishing.
He also hit a pair of 3-pointers in the final minutes, bringing the score to 75-72 before Clayton Jr. took the lead.
“He’s meant everything,” Clayton Jr. said of Haugh. “I’ve said it multiple times, I think multiple guys don’t get enough recognition. Tommy is definitely one of them. He comes in every day, puts his head down and works.”
Across Florida’s four wins, Haugh averaged just over 13 points, 7.5 rebounds and a block per game.
Now, the Gators turn its attention to the Final Four in San Antonio, its sixth Final Four appearance in program history, where they’ll play the winner of Sunday’s matchup between Auburn and Michigan State in the South Regional Final.
“It’s crazy. I feel like I’m dreaming,” Haugh said. “I was watching the Round of 64 in the eighth-grade sneaking my phone into science class watching it. Now to say I’m playing in the Final Four is wild. It’s wild.”
The Final Four will be played on April 5. Start times will be announced at a later time.
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