Clayton and Richard come up big for No. 21 Florida in 98-83 victory over South Florida
AP
Nov 04, 2024
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) Walter Clayton Jr. scored 29 points, Will Richard added 25 and No. 21 Florida Gators overcame a 13-point deficit to beat South Florida Bulls 98-83 in their season opener Monday night.
Still coping with the death of coach Amir Abdur-Rahim, the Bulls looked inspired while building a double-digit lead. They hit six of their first 15 shots from 3-point range and led 36-23 early.
Florida, meanwhile, missed 11 of its first 12 from behind the arc until Richard found the net. Richard’s eight-point spurt in a little more than a minute made it close. The Gators tightened up on defense in the second half and dominated inside. They used a 14-2 run to create some breathing room. Clayton and Richard played key roles in the decisive stretch.
Jamille Reynolds led the Bulls with 17 points and six boards.
South Florida: The arena held a moment of silence for Abdur-Rahim, who died last month from surgery complications. USF players and coaches wore his initials on their uniforms. Florida honored Abdur-Rahim by wearing warmup jerseys with his last name on the back.
Florida: Clayton and Richard both went through NBA pre-draft testing before opting to return to the Gators and are now coach Todd Golden’s most important veterans. They combined to hit 20 of 32 shots, including four of the team’s five 3s.
The Gators looked to be in trouble when center Alex Condon picked up his fourth foul with 11 minutes to play. But Thomas Haugh and Sam Alexis stepped in and stepped up down low.
Florida had seven players with at least four rebounds, with Richard, Haugh and Alijah Martin leading the way with six each.
South Florida plays at College of Charleston on Friday. Florida hosts Jacksonville on Thursday.
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1st Half
FLA
Gators
39
USF
Bulls
40
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Rueben Chinyelu vs. Jamille Reynolds (Jayden Reid gains possession)
19:48
Jamille Reynolds misses two point jump shot
19:46
Walter Clayton Jr. defensive rebound
19:37
Walter Clayton Jr. misses three point jump shot
19:35
Jamille Reynolds defensive rebound
19:25
+3
Kobe Knox makes three point jump shot (Brandon Stroud assists)
0-3
19:07
Brandon Stroud personal foul
18:51
Walter Clayton Jr. misses three point jump shot
18:49
Alex Condon offensive rebound
18:34
+2
Alijah Martin makes two point jump shot
2-3
18:15
Kobe Knox misses two point jump shot
18:13
Will Richard defensive rebound
18:07
Alijah Martin misses three point jump shot
18:05
Brandon Stroud defensive rebound
17:59
Jayden Reid turnover (bad pass) (Alijah Martin steals)
17:48
Will Richard misses three point jump shot
17:46
Kasen Jennings defensive rebound
17:40
+2
Kobe Knox makes two point layup (Kasen Jennings assists)
2-5
17:30
Walter Clayton Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Jayden Reid steals)
17:22
Alijah Martin personal foul
17:15
Jayden Reid turnover (lost ball)
17:05
+2
Walter Clayton Jr. makes two point layup (Alex Condon assists)
4-5
16:49
+2
Kasen Jennings makes two point jump shot
4-7
16:38
Alijah Martin misses three point jump shot
16:36
Bulls defensive rebound
16:09
Alex Condon blocks Brandon Stroud's two point jump shot
16:03
Kasen Jennings misses three point jump shot
16:01
Brandon Stroud offensive rebound
15:54
+2
Brandon Stroud makes two point jump shot
4-9
15:50
TV timeout
15:39
+2
Alex Condon makes two point layup (Alijah Martin assists)
6-9
15:18
Quincy Ademokoya misses three point jump shot
15:16
Thomas Haugh defensive rebound
15:10
+2
Alex Condon makes two point dunk (Thomas Haugh assists)
8-9
15:07
Quincy Ademokoya shooting foul (Alex Condon draws the foul)
15:07
+1
Alex Condon makes regular free throw 1 of 1
9-9
14:52
Kasen Jennings misses two point jump shot
14:50
Alijah Martin defensive rebound
14:18
Gators turnover (shot clock violation)
14:06
Quincy Ademokoya misses three point jump shot
14:04
Denzel Aberdeen defensive rebound
13:51
+2
Walter Clayton Jr. makes two point layup
11-9
13:37
+3
Quincy Ademokoya makes three point jump shot (De'Ante Green assists)
11-12
13:12
+3
Walter Clayton Jr. makes three point jump shot (Denzel Aberdeen assists)
14-12
12:51
Quincy Ademokoya misses three point jump shot
12:49
Sam Alexis defensive rebound
12:32
+2
Sam Alexis makes two point jump shot
16-12
12:03
Walter Clayton Jr. shooting foul (Quincy Ademokoya draws the foul)
12:03
+1
Quincy Ademokoya makes regular free throw 1 of 2
16-13
12:03
+1
Quincy Ademokoya makes regular free throw 2 of 2
16-14
11:40
Sam Alexis misses three point jump shot
11:38
Jamille Reynolds defensive rebound
11:29
+3
Jimmie Williams makes three point jump shot (Brandon Stroud assists)
16-17
11:03
Walter Clayton Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Jimmie Williams steals)
10:50
Walter Clayton Jr. personal foul
10:50
TV timeout
10:40
Jamille Reynolds turnover (lost ball) (Will Richard steals)
10:19
Alijah Martin turnover (bad pass) (CJ Brown steals)
10:08
+2
CJ Brown makes two point dunk
16-19
9:59
Denzel Aberdeen misses three point jump shot
9:57
Gators offensive rebound
9:57
Rueben Chinyelu offensive rebound
9:56
Brandon Stroud personal foul
9:54
Will Richard misses two point jump shot
9:52
Quincy Ademokoya defensive rebound
9:49
+2
Kobe Knox makes two point dunk (Jimmie Williams assists)
16-21
9:32
+2
Will Richard makes two point jump shot
18-21
9:15
+2
Jamille Reynolds makes two point jump shot
18-23
8:59
Will Richard misses three point jump shot
8:57
Alex Condon offensive rebound
8:51
Alijah Martin misses three point jump shot
8:49
Alex Condon offensive rebound
8:40
Alijah Martin misses two point jump shot
8:38
Rueben Chinyelu offensive rebound
8:32
Rueben Chinyelu turnover (Jayden Reid steals)
8:26
+2
Kobe Knox makes two point jump shot (Jayden Reid assists)
18-25
8:18
Denzel Aberdeen misses three point jump shot
8:16
Kobe Knox defensive rebound
8:09
Kasen Jennings misses three point jump shot
8:07
Kobe Knox offensive rebound
8:07
Alex Condon personal foul
7:54
+3
Quincy Ademokoya makes three point jump shot (Kobe Knox assists)
18-28
7:35
Quincy Ademokoya personal foul
7:35
TV timeout
7:29
Walter Clayton Jr. misses two point jump shot
7:27
Alex Condon offensive rebound
7:27
Kasen Jennings shooting foul (Alex Condon draws the foul)
7:27
+2
Alex Condon makes two point layup
20-28
7:27
+1
Alex Condon makes regular free throw 1 of 2
21-28
7:07
+2
Jayden Reid makes two point layup
21-30
6:56
+2
Alex Condon makes two point layup (Alijah Martin assists)
23-30
6:41
+3
Kasen Jennings makes three point jump shot (Jayden Reid assists)
23-33
6:24
Alijah Martin misses three point jump shot
6:22
De'Ante Green defensive rebound
6:15
+3
Jayden Reid makes three point jump shot
23-36
5:54
+2
Walter Clayton Jr. makes two point jump shot
25-36
5:34
Jayden Reid misses two point jump shot
5:32
Jayden Reid offensive rebound
5:29
De'Ante Green misses three point jump shot
5:27
Alijah Martin defensive rebound
5:23
Kasen Jennings personal foul
5:15
Walter Clayton Jr. misses three point jump shot
5:13
Jamille Reynolds defensive rebound
4:58
Alex Condon shooting foul (Jamille Reynolds draws the foul)
4:58
Jamille Reynolds misses regular free throw 1 of 2
4:57
Jamille Reynolds misses regular free throw 2 of 2
4:57
Sam Alexis defensive rebound
4:51
+3
Will Richard makes three point jump shot (Walter Clayton Jr. assists)
28-36
4:26
Jayden Reid misses three point jump shot
4:24
Will Richard defensive rebound
4:13
+2
Will Richard makes two point layup (Sam Alexis assists)
30-36
3:44
Kobe Knox misses three point jump shot
3:42
Walter Clayton Jr. defensive rebound
3:31
+3
Will Richard makes three point jump shot
33-36
3:31
Bulls 30 second timeout
3:31
TV timeout
3:17
De'Ante Green turnover (bad pass) (Alijah Martin steals)
3:09
Will Richard misses three point jump shot
3:07
Bulls defensive rebound
2:40
+2
Jamille Reynolds makes two point layup
33-38
2:19
+2
Sam Alexis makes two point jump shot
35-38
1:50
Kobe Knox turnover (lost ball)
1:38
Sam Alexis misses three point jump shot
1:36
Bulls defensive rebound
1:17
Sam Alexis blocks Jimmie Williams's two point jump shot
1:15
Jimmie Williams offensive rebound
1:02
Corey Walker Jr. misses two point jump shot
1:00
Corey Walker Jr. offensive rebound
0:56
Corey Walker Jr. misses three point jump shot
0:54
Thomas Haugh defensive rebound
0:54
De'Ante Green personal foul
0:54
+1
Thomas Haugh makes regular free throw 1 of 2
36-38
0:54
+1
Thomas Haugh makes regular free throw 2 of 2
37-38
0:43
CJ Brown misses two point jump shot
0:41
Thomas Haugh defensive rebound
0:33
Thomas Haugh misses three point jump shot
0:31
Jimmie Williams defensive rebound
0:27
Thomas Haugh shooting foul (Jimmie Williams draws the foul)
0:27
+1
Jimmie Williams makes regular free throw 1 of 2
37-39
0:27
+1
Jimmie Williams makes regular free throw 2 of 2
37-40
0:27
Gators 30 second timeout
0:02
+2
Will Richard makes two point jump shot
39-40
0:00
End of period
2nd Half
FLA
Gators
59
USF
Bulls
43
Time
Team
Play
Score
19:29
Jamille Reynolds misses two point layup
19:27
Alijah Martin defensive rebound
19:19
Will Richard turnover (bad pass) (Jayden Reid steals)
19:19
Will Richard misses two point jump shot
19:17
Jimmie Williams defensive rebound
19:13
Will Richard blocks Kasen Jennings's two point jump shot
19:11
Kobe Knox offensive rebound
19:06
Jayden Reid turnover (bad pass) (Alijah Martin steals)
19:06
+2
Will Richard makes two point jump shot
41-40
18:53
+2
Jamille Reynolds makes two point dunk
41-42
18:40
Kasen Jennings personal foul
18:15
Will Richard misses three point jump shot
18:13
Kobe Knox defensive rebound
18:09
Rueben Chinyelu blocks Brandon Stroud's two point jump shot
18:07
Brandon Stroud offensive rebound
18:07
Brandon Stroud turnover (lost ball)
17:54
+2
Walter Clayton Jr. makes two point jump shot
43-42
16:59
+3
Walter Clayton Jr. makes three point jump shot
44-42
17:38
Jimmie Williams turnover (lost ball) (Alijah Martin steals)
17:33
+2
Will Richard makes two point layup (Alijah Martin assists)
45-42
17:33
Jamille Reynolds shooting foul (Will Richard draws the foul)
17:33
+1
Will Richard makes regular free throw 1 of 1
46-42
16:37
Alijah Martin misses regular free throw 2 of 2
16:37
Jayden Reid defensive rebound
17:22
+2
Jamille Reynolds makes two point layup
46-44
17:22
Rueben Chinyelu shooting foul (Jamille Reynolds draws the foul)
17:22
+1
Jamille Reynolds makes regular free throw 1 of 1
46-45
17:22
Rueben Chinyelu shooting foul (Jamille Reynolds draws the foul)
17:22
+1
Jamille Reynolds makes regular free throw 1 of 1
46-45
17:11
Alex Condon misses three point jump shot
17:09
Brandon Stroud defensive rebound
16:58
+3
Kasen Jennings makes three point jump shot (Jamille Reynolds assists)
46-48
16:38
Kobe Knox shooting foul (Alijah Martin draws the foul)
16:38
+1
Alijah Martin makes regular free throw 1 of 2
47-48
16:38
Alijah Martin misses regular free throw 2 of 2
16:38
Jamille Reynolds defensive rebound
16:12
Jamille Reynolds misses two point jump shot
16:10
Alijah Martin defensive rebound
16:05
Kasen Jennings shooting foul (Walter Clayton Jr. draws the foul)
16:03
+1
Walter Clayton Jr. makes regular free throw 1 of 2
48-48
16:03
+1
Walter Clayton Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2
49-48
15:45
Alex Condon shooting foul (Kobe Knox draws the foul)
15:45
TV timeout
15:45
+1
Jamille Reynolds makes regular free throw 1 of 2
49-49
15:45
Jamille Reynolds misses regular free throw 2 of 2
15:45
Will Richard defensive rebound
15:32
Brandon Stroud personal foul
15:30
Will Richard misses two point jump shot
15:28
Will Richard offensive rebound
15:22
Alijah Martin misses three point jump shot
15:20
Thomas Haugh offensive rebound
15:05
Thomas Haugh misses two point jump shot
15:03
Brandon Stroud defensive rebound
14:57
Kobe Knox misses three point jump shot
14:55
Sam Alexis defensive rebound
14:47
+2
Alijah Martin makes two point jump shot
51-49
14:47
Jimmie Williams shooting foul (Alijah Martin draws the foul)
14:47
+1
Alijah Martin makes regular free throw 1 of 1
52-49
14:34
Will Richard personal foul
14:27
+3
Jimmie Williams makes three point jump shot (Jayden Reid assists)
52-52
14:19
Sam Alexis turnover (bad pass) (Jimmie Williams steals)