Walter Clayton Jr. scores 21 points, Florida holds off LSU 82-80
AP
Feb 13, 2024
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) Walter Clayton Jr. scored 21 points and Florida Gators held off LSU Tigers for an 82-80 victory on Tuesday night.
Tyrese Samuel split a pair of free throws and Clayton added a layup to give Florida an 81-78 lead with 20 seconds left. The Gators' Alex Condon made the first of two free throws to cap the scoring with nine seconds to play. Jordan Wright missed a jumper to end it.
Florida had its largest lead, 60-40 with 15:31 to play. LSU pulled within single digits with 8:48 remaining. Jalen Cook and Tyrell Ward later each hit a 3-pointer to bookend a 16-5 run to tie it 78-all with 1:33 left.
Tyrese Samuel scored 15 points and Zyon Pullin added 14 for Florida (17-7, 7-4 SEC), which has won six of seven. The Gators shot 67% (20 of 30) in the first half but cooled to 34% (13 of 38) in the second.
Wright and Will Baker scored 16 points apiece to lead LSU (12-12, 4-7). Cook and Ward each made three from long range and finished with 12 points apiece. The Tigers shot 62.5% (15 of 24) and 6 of 9 from distance in the second half.
Florida took the lead for good about four minutes in and led 48-34 at the break. Clayton scored 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting. Baker made a pair of 3s and scored 13 first-half points for LSU.
Florida plays at Georgia on Saturday. LSU, which has lost three straight and six of its last seven, plays at No. 11 South Carolina on Saturday.
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1st Half
LSU
Tigers
34
FLA
Gators
48
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Will Baker vs. Micah Handlogten (Tigers gains possession)
19:49
+2
Will Baker makes two point layup
2-0
19:30
Will Richard turnover (traveling)
19:14
+3
Mike Williams III makes three point jump shot (Jordan Wright assists)
5-0
19:02
+2
Tyrese Samuel makes two point jump shot
5-2
18:47
+2
Jordan Wright makes two point layup
7-2
18:17
Will Baker shooting foul (Will Richard draws the foul)
18:17
Will Richard misses regular free throw 1 of 2
18:17
+1
Will Richard makes regular free throw 2 of 2
7-3
17:54
Mike Williams III misses three point jump shot
17:52
Gators defensive rebound
17:37
+2
Walter Clayton Jr. makes two point jump shot
7-5
17:16
+2
Jalen Reed makes two point layup
9-5
17:07
Mike Williams III shooting foul (Walter Clayton Jr. draws the foul)
17:07
+1
Walter Clayton Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2
9-6
17:07
+1
Walter Clayton Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2
9-7
16:53
Will Baker misses two point driving hook shot
16:51
Tyrese Samuel defensive rebound
16:42
+2
Walter Clayton Jr. makes two point layup (Tyrese Samuel assists)
9-9
16:18
Jordan Wright turnover (bad pass) (Will Richard steals)
16:01
+2
Tyrese Samuel makes two point layup (Will Richard assists)
9-11
15:52
Micah Handlogten personal foul (Trae Hannibal draws the foul)
15:52
TV timeout
15:52
Trae Hannibal misses regular free throw 1 of 2
15:52
+1
Trae Hannibal makes regular free throw 2 of 2
10-11
15:35
+2
Walter Clayton Jr. makes two point floating jump shot
10-13
15:18
Will Baker misses three point jump shot
15:16
Trae Hannibal offensive rebound
15:05
+2
Will Baker makes two point driving layup
12-13
14:49
+2
Walter Clayton Jr. makes two point layup
12-15
14:17
Alex Condon blocks Derek Fountain's two point layup
14:15
Riley Kugel defensive rebound
14:04
Jordan Wright personal foul (Alex Condon draws the foul)
13:58
Walter Clayton Jr. misses three point jump shot
13:56
Hunter Dean defensive rebound
13:48
Alex Condon blocks Jordan Wright's two point layup
13:46
Tyrese Samuel defensive rebound
13:39
Tyrese Samuel misses two point layup
13:37
Alex Condon offensive rebound
13:31
+2
Zyon Pullin makes two point pullup jump shot
12-17
13:02
Jordan Wright misses three point jump shot
13:00
Derek Fountain offensive rebound
12:56
+2
Jordan Wright makes two point layup
14-17
12:56
Walter Clayton Jr. shooting foul (Jordan Wright draws the foul)
12:56
Jordan Wright misses regular free throw 1 of 1
12:56
Derek Fountain offensive rebound
12:39
Alex Condon shooting foul (Hunter Dean draws the foul)
12:39
Hunter Dean misses regular free throw 1 of 2
12:39
+1
Hunter Dean makes regular free throw 2 of 2
15-17
12:26
+2
Alex Condon makes two point dunk (Zyon Pullin assists)
15-19
12:12
Walter Clayton Jr. blocks Tyrell Ward's two point layup
12:10
Alex Condon defensive rebound
12:03
Alex Condon misses two point layup
12:02
Thomas Haugh offensive rebound
12:00
Hunter Dean personal foul (Thomas Haugh draws the foul)
11:40
Gators turnover (shot clock violation)
11:40
TV timeout
11:24
Alex Condon blocks Hunter Dean's two point layup
11:22
Jalen Reed offensive rebound
11:08
+3
Mwani Wilkinson makes three point jump shot (Tyrell Ward assists)
18-19
10:48
Will Richard misses three point jump shot
10:46
Hunter Dean defensive rebound
10:41
Thomas Haugh blocks Jalen Cook's two point layup
10:39
Will Richard defensive rebound
10:37
Hunter Dean shooting foul (Will Richard draws the foul)