By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay
Guard Walter Clayton Jr. ignited a comeback in the last six minutes Saturday to rally the top-seeded Florida Gators past the Texas Tech Red Raiders, 84-79, to earn a trip to the NCAA Final Four in San Antonio.
After the No. 3 Red Raiders took a 71-61 lead with 6:18 remaining, Clayton seized control of the game, scoring 13 of his game-high 30 points to carry the Gators to the West regional title and their first Final Four in 11 years.
Texas Tech contributed to its own demise in a couple of crucial sequences with less than three minutes remaining. Leading by six, the Red Raiders missed the front end of one-and-one free-throw situations twice within a span of 35 seconds.
The Gators capitalized both times with three-point baskets on the other end. The first one, by forward Thomas Haugh, brought Florida to within three with 2:27 remaining. The second, by Clayton, tied the game 75-75 at the 1:47 mark.
After Texas Tech’s Darrion Williams scored inside to push the Red Raiders into a two-point lead, Clayton responded with a three as Florida took a 79-78 lead with 59 seconds left and never relinquished it.
Clayton started the game slowly but gradually got himself into it by driving and drawing contact and then knocking down free throws. He hit 13 of 14 at the line for the game. Haugh produced 20 points and 11 rebounds off the bench.
At 6-foot-9, he was hard to guard on the perimeter, knocking down four of six from beyond the arc.
For the Red Raiders, Williams led the way with 23 points, five rebounds and three steals. Forward JT Toppin, the Big 12 Player of the Year, had 20 points and 11 rebounds. But in one of the keys to the game, the Gators made Toppin work, limiting him to nine of 22 shooting.
First half
In the last few minutes of the half, Florida stepped up its defense on one end and pushed the pace on the other, taking a 40-37 lead at intermission.
Averaging 85 points per game for the season, a quicker pace is definitely in the Gators’ favor. In the late run against the Red Raiders, guard Walter Clayton Jr. took advantage of it with three buckets.
Thomas Haugh was good throughout the first 20 minutes with 12 points and six rebounds.
For the Red Raiders, forward Darrion Williams finished the half with 10. JT Toppin, the Big 12 Player of the Year, scored nine. Both of them struggled against the Gators’ length, shooting only four of 10 apiece.
Chance McMillian, the Red Raiders’ third-leading scorer, returned to play after sitting out since March 13. He had seven points off the bench.
Records
Texas Tech 28-9
Florida 34-4
Coming up
Florida vs. Auburn or Michigan State in the national semifinals, April 5, in San Antonio
Road to the Elite Eight
Third-seeded Texas Tech: Opened the tournament with an 82-72 victory over 14 seed UNC Wilmington. Next, downed No. 11 Drake, 77-64, to advance to the second weekend. On Thursday night in San Francisco, rallied to beat the Arkansas Razorbacks 85-83 in overtime.
Top-seeded Florida: Routed 16th-seeded Norfolk State, 95-69. Edged defending national champion and No. 8 Connecticut, 77-75. In San Francisco, powered past No. 4 seed Maryland, 87-71.