FLORIDA — The Florida men’s basketball team is playing for the NCAA Tournament National Championship tonight against the Houston Cougars.
Gators point guard Walter Clayton, Jr. (Lake Wales, Fla.) has been the best player in the tournament so far. In the five games, he’s averaged nearly 25 points per game and his shooting the lights out — 50% from the field, 49% from the three-point arc and 90% from the free throw line.
When the Gators’ backs are against the wall, it’s Clayton who carries the team.
“I feel like everyone sees it,” Florida guard Will Richard said. "He’s poised, calm, and collected and confident in himself. We see him practice, we see his work ethic. We’re glad everyone else is seeing him do it in the game.”
“He’s incredible,” Florida forward Thomas Haugh added. “On and off the court he is, just a great dude. We trust him in those situations and he knocks down big shots day after day.”
Florida (35-4) clinched a spot in the title game by defeating Auburn 79-73 in Saturday’s Final Four. Led by Clayton’s career-high 34 points, UF rallied from nine points down in the second half.
“Me, personally, I just let the game come to me,” Clayton said. “I have bunch of other guys around me that are threats also. If you try to double me, like Tommy hit that three in the first half, it kind of loosened up their defense a little bit, kind of went away from me. Just read and react to the defense. I know I got weapons around me.”
The Gators face a Houston (35-4) defense that will do everything to get the ball out of Clayton’s hands and make someone else beat them.
“They’re the best defensive team in America,” Florida head coach Todd Golden said. “They have a great identity as a program of being physically and mentally tough. Houston is a great example of that. Not only this year but Coach Sampson and his program have done it for a long time now.”
Florida will play in its fourth NCAA title game and first since winning back-to-back crowns in 2006-07.
Tip-off is set for 8:50 p.m. in San Antonio.
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