Clayton scores 22 as No. 4 Florida beats No. 5 Alabama 104-82 in SEC semis
AP
Mar 15, 2025
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Walter Clayton Jr. scored 22 points, and No. 4 Florida Gators pulled away from No. 5 Alabama Crimson Tide for a 104-82 victory in the Southeastern Conference Tournament semifinals on Saturday.
Alijah Martin and Will Richard each had 16 points for the Gators (29-4) in their fifth consecutive win.
Next up for Florida is Sunday's SEC championship game against No. 8 Tennessee, which beat No. 3 Auburn 70-65 in the first semifinal.
The second-seeded Gators led the Crimson Tide 47-45 after a first half that featured 10 lead changes. But Clayton and company really turned up their play down the stretch.
Chris Youngblood had 14 points for third-seeded Alabama (25-8). Clifford Omoruyi and Mouhamed Dioubate each had 12.
Clayton went 6 for 11 from 3-point range. The senior guard added six assists.
Alabama: The loss derailed the Crimson Tide’s hope of winning the program's third SEC tournament title in the last five seasons. With 10 wins over AP Top 25 opponents this season, a program record for most in a single season, Alabama has a strong case for a good seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Florida: The Gators were impressive in the defensive end, holding the high-scoring Crimson Tide to just 82 points. Entering Saturday, Alabama had scored 90 points or more in 18 games this season, the most in Division I.
Richard hit a 3-pointer with 9:24 remaining in the second half to give Florida a 21-point lead and put the game out of reach for Alabama.
After a tightly contested first half, Florida outscored the Crimson Tide 57-37 over the final 20 minutes.
Florida and Tennessee split the two-game season series, with both teams winning on their home courts. The Crimson Tide wait to learn the team's first opponent in the NCAA tourney.
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1st Half
ALA
Crimson Tide
45
FLA
Gators
47
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Clifford Omoruyi vs. Rueben Chinyelu (Mark Sears gains possession)
19:45
Mark Sears turnover (bad pass)
19:23
+2
Will Richard makes two point layup
0-2
19:14
Will Richard shooting foul (Clifford Omoruyi draws the foul)
19:14
+1
Clifford Omoruyi makes regular free throw 1 of 2
1-2
19:14
+1
Clifford Omoruyi makes regular free throw 2 of 2
2-2
19:02
Alijah Martin turnover (bad pass)
18:52
Clifford Omoruyi misses two point dunk
18:50
Rueben Chinyelu defensive rebound
18:44
Walter Clayton Jr. misses three point jump shot
18:42
Rueben Chinyelu offensive rebound
18:40
+2
Rueben Chinyelu makes two point layup
2-4
18:28
+2
Grant Nelson makes two point layup (Labaron Philon assists)
4-4
18:17
Walter Clayton Jr. misses three point jump shot
18:15
Grant Nelson defensive rebound
18:08
+2
Mark Sears makes two point layup
6-4
17:47
+2
Rueben Chinyelu makes two point layup (Alex Condon assists)
6-6
17:37
+3
Grant Nelson makes three point jump shot (Mark Sears assists)
9-6
17:22
Clifford Omoruyi blocks Walter Clayton Jr.'s two point jump shot
17:20
Grant Nelson defensive rebound
17:16
+3
Chris Youngblood makes three point jump shot (Grant Nelson assists)
12-6
16:52
Alex Condon misses three point jump shot
16:50
Will Richard offensive rebound
16:45
+2
Will Richard makes two point hook shot
12-8
16:37
Mark Sears turnover (bad pass) (Alijah Martin steals)
16:29
+3
Walter Clayton Jr. makes three point jump shot (Alijah Martin assists)
12-11
16:15
Grant Nelson misses three point jump shot
16:13
Alijah Martin defensive rebound
16:09
Alijah Martin turnover (bad pass) (Grant Nelson steals)
15:58
Clifford Omoruyi misses two point layup
15:56
Rueben Chinyelu defensive rebound
15:32
Grant Nelson blocks Alex Condon's two point layup
15:30
Mark Sears defensive rebound
15:29
TV timeout
15:17
Labaron Philon misses three point jump shot
15:15
Micah Handlogten defensive rebound
15:03
Aden Holloway shooting foul (Denzel Aberdeen draws the foul)
15:03
+1
Denzel Aberdeen makes regular free throw 1 of 2
12-12
15:03
+1
Denzel Aberdeen makes regular free throw 2 of 2
12-13
14:48
+3
Jarin Stevenson makes three point jump shot (Aden Holloway assists)
15-13
14:23
+2
Micah Handlogten makes two point dunk (Walter Clayton Jr. assists)
15-15
14:11
Labaron Philon misses two point layup
14:09
Aiden Sherrell offensive rebound
14:06
+2
Aiden Sherrell makes two point layup
17-15
13:56
Denzel Aberdeen misses two point jump shot
13:54
Micah Handlogten offensive rebound
13:52
+2
Micah Handlogten makes two point layup
17-17
13:41
Micah Handlogten shooting foul (Aiden Sherrell draws the foul)
13:41
Aiden Sherrell misses regular free throw 1 of 2
13:41
Aiden Sherrell misses regular free throw 2 of 2
13:41
Micah Handlogten defensive rebound
13:22
+3
Walter Clayton Jr. makes three point jump shot
17-20
13:11
+2
Jarin Stevenson makes two point layup
19-20
13:11
Micah Handlogten shooting foul (Jarin Stevenson draws the foul)
13:11
+1
Jarin Stevenson makes regular free throw 1 of 1
20-20
12:51
+2
Alijah Martin makes two point jump shot
20-22
12:37
Alijah Martin shooting foul (Clifford Omoruyi draws the foul)
12:37
+1
Clifford Omoruyi makes regular free throw 1 of 2
21-22
12:37
+1
Clifford Omoruyi makes regular free throw 2 of 2
22-22
12:19
Denzel Aberdeen misses three point jump shot
12:17
Jarin Stevenson defensive rebound
12:05
Rueben Chinyelu personal foul (Jarin Stevenson draws the foul)
11:59
Aden Holloway misses three point jump shot
11:57
Mouhamed Dioubate offensive rebound
11:51
Mark Sears misses three point jump shot
11:49
Mouhamed Dioubate offensive rebound
11:46
+3
Aden Holloway makes three point jump shot (Mouhamed Dioubate assists)
25-22
11:35
Aden Holloway personal foul (Urban Klavzar draws the foul)
11:35
TV timeout
11:31
+3
Urban Klavzar makes three point jump shot (Denzel Aberdeen assists)
25-25
11:19
+2
Clifford Omoruyi makes two point dunk (Mark Sears assists)
27-25
11:09
+2
Denzel Aberdeen makes two point layup
27-27
11:09
Clifford Omoruyi shooting foul (Denzel Aberdeen draws the foul)
11:09
Denzel Aberdeen misses regular free throw 1 of 1
11:09
Clifford Omoruyi defensive rebound
10:59
+2
Clifford Omoruyi makes two point layup (Labaron Philon assists)
29-27
10:48
Alijah Martin misses three point jump shot
10:46
Labaron Philon defensive rebound
10:36
+2
Grant Nelson makes two point dunk
31-27
10:20
+2
Thomas Haugh makes two point dunk
31-29
10:13
+2
Grant Nelson makes two point layup (Labaron Philon assists)
33-29
9:59
Denzel Aberdeen misses two point jump shot
9:58
Grant Nelson defensive rebound
9:58
Alex Condon personal foul (Grant Nelson draws the foul)
9:41
Grant Nelson misses three point jump shot
9:39
Rueben Chinyelu defensive rebound
9:28
Will Richard misses three point jump shot
9:26
Alex Condon offensive rebound
9:17
Alijah Martin turnover (bad pass)
9:10
Labaron Philon misses two point hook shot
9:08
Walter Clayton Jr. defensive rebound
9:01
Walter Clayton Jr. misses two point jump shot
8:59
Rueben Chinyelu offensive rebound
8:57
+2
Rueben Chinyelu makes two point layup
33-31
8:44
+2
Mark Sears makes two point jump shot
35-31
8:27
+3
Walter Clayton Jr. makes three point jump shot (Alijah Martin assists)
35-34
8:10
Mark Sears misses three point jump shot
8:08
Walter Clayton Jr. defensive rebound
8:00
Clifford Omoruyi shooting foul (Alijah Martin draws the foul)
8:00
TV timeout
8:00
+1
Alijah Martin makes regular free throw 1 of 2
35-35
8:00
Alijah Martin misses regular free throw 2 of 2
8:00
Mouhamed Dioubate defensive rebound
7:50
Rueben Chinyelu shooting foul (Mouhamed Dioubate draws the foul)
7:50
Mouhamed Dioubate misses regular free throw 1 of 2
7:50
Mouhamed Dioubate misses regular free throw 2 of 2
7:50
Thomas Haugh defensive rebound
7:24
Thomas Haugh misses two point layup
7:22
Rueben Chinyelu offensive rebound
7:18
Rueben Chinyelu misses two point hook shot
7:16
Aiden Sherrell defensive rebound
7:12
Mark Sears misses three point jump shot
7:08
Gators defensive rebound
6:56
+3
Walter Clayton Jr. makes three point jump shot (Thomas Haugh assists)
35-38
6:36
Jarin Stevenson misses three point jump shot
6:34
Crimson Tide offensive rebound
6:23
+3
Jarin Stevenson makes three point jump shot (Mark Sears assists)
38-38
6:11
Walter Clayton Jr. misses three point jump shot
6:09
Mark Sears defensive rebound
6:02
+2
Mark Sears makes two point jump shot
40-38
5:31
Jarin Stevenson shooting foul (Alex Condon draws the foul)
5:31
Alex Condon misses regular free throw 1 of 2
5:31
+1
Alex Condon makes regular free throw 2 of 2
40-39
5:10
Aden Holloway turnover (bad pass) (Walter Clayton Jr. steals)
