Clayton scores 26, sparks Florida to 77-57 victory over Merrimack
AP
Dec 05, 2023
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) Walter Clayton Jr. scored 26 points and Florida Gators used a 20-0 run in the second half to pull away for a 77-57 victory over Merrimack Warriors on Tuesday night.
Clayton and Zyon Pullin scored eight points each in the run and the Gators (5-3) turned a three-point deficit into a 54-37 lead with 9:43 left to play. Samba Diallo’s layup gave Merrimack a 37-34 lead at the 17:20 mark. The Warriors (4-6) didn’t score again until Jordan Derkack’s layup ended the drought 7:37 later.
Clayton made 10 of 15 shots, including 4 of 7 from 3-point range for Florida. Freshman reserve Alex Condon had 12 points and a season-best 16 rebounds for his first double-double. Tyrese Samuel had 11 points, while Diallo scored 10 off the bench, adding four boards and three assists. Freshman Thomas Haugh had 11 rebounds to go with seven points.
Gators center Micah Handlogten, a 7-foot-1 sophomore transfer from Marshall, returned from an ankle injury after missing two weeks. Handlogten, who started the first five games, grabbed two rebounds in four minutes off the bench.
Diallo and Derkack led Merrimack with 14 points apiece in the first meeting between the two schools. Derkack added nine rebounds and three of the Warriors' six assists. Diallo had six rebounds and three steals. Freshman Adam Clark scored 11.
Diallo had nine points and Devon Savage scored all eight of his points to help Merrimack take a 31-30 lead into halftime. Condon scored nine to keep Florida close.
Florida will play its next three games at neutral sites, starting with a matchup against Richmond on Sunday at the Orange Bowl Classic in Sunrise, Florida.
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1st Half
MRMK
Warriors
31
FLA
Gators
30
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
(Warriors gains possession)
19:36
Adam Clark turnover (bad pass) (Walter Clayton Jr. steals)
19:30
+2
Riley Kugel makes two point running layup (Thomas Haugh assists)
0-2
19:15
+3
Samba Diallo makes three point jump shot (Jordan Derkack assists)
3-2
18:51
Devon Savage shooting foul (Thomas Haugh draws the foul)
18:51
Thomas Haugh misses regular free throw 1 of 2
18:51
Thomas Haugh misses regular free throw 2 of 2
18:51
Bryan Etumnu defensive rebound
18:28
Riley Kugel shooting foul (Jordan Derkack draws the foul)
18:28
+1
Jordan Derkack makes regular free throw 1 of 2
4-2
18:28
Jordan Derkack misses regular free throw 2 of 2
18:28
Will Richard defensive rebound
18:20
Riley Kugel turnover (lost ball) (Devon Savage steals)
18:14
Walter Clayton Jr. shooting foul (Jordan Derkack draws the foul)
18:14
+1
Jordan Derkack makes regular free throw 1 of 2
5-2
18:14
+1
Jordan Derkack makes regular free throw 2 of 2
6-2
18:08
Walter Clayton Jr. turnover (bad pass)
17:47
Samba Diallo turnover (out of bounds)
17:26
Bryan Etumnu shooting foul (Tyrese Samuel draws the foul)
17:26
+1
Tyrese Samuel makes regular free throw 1 of 2
6-3
17:26
+1
Tyrese Samuel makes regular free throw 2 of 2
6-4
16:55
Warriors turnover (shot clock violation)
16:46
+2
Thomas Haugh makes two point cutting dunk (Will Richard assists)
6-6
16:32
+2
Devon Savage makes two point stepback jump shot
8-6
16:19
Riley Kugel misses two point jump shot
16:17
Samba Diallo defensive rebound
16:02
Jordan Derkack misses three point jump shot
16:00
Samba Diallo offensive rebound
15:58
Samba Diallo misses two point putback layup
15:56
Thomas Haugh defensive rebound
15:53
Thomas Haugh turnover (bad pass)
15:53
TV timeout
15:35
Samba Diallo misses two point layup
15:33
Samba Diallo offensive rebound
15:31
Samba Diallo misses two point layup
15:29
Micah Handlogten defensive rebound
15:19
Will Richard misses three point jump shot
15:17
Jordan Derkack defensive rebound
15:06
+3
Jacob O'Connell makes three point jump shot (Devon Savage assists)
11-6
14:43
Will Richard turnover (bad pass)
14:35
+2
Jordan Derkack makes two point fadeaway jump shot
13-6
14:25
Will Richard misses two point driving layup
14:23
Jaylen Stinson defensive rebound
14:19
Devon Savage misses three point jump shot
14:17
Zyon Pullin defensive rebound
14:08
Walter Clayton Jr. misses three point jump shot
14:05
Warriors defensive rebound
13:51
+2
Samba Diallo makes two point driving reverse layup
15-6
13:43
Jordan Derkack personal foul (Zyon Pullin draws the foul)
13:33
Zyon Pullin misses two point jump shot
13:32
Jordan Derkack defensive rebound
13:30
Micah Handlogten personal foul (Jordan Derkack draws the foul)
13:22
Jordan Derkack turnover (bad pass) (Will Richard steals)
13:16
Will Richard misses two point driving layup
13:14
Alex Condon offensive rebound
13:14
Jacob O'Connell shooting foul (Alex Condon draws the foul)
13:14
+1
Alex Condon makes regular free throw 1 of 2
15-7
13:14
+1
Alex Condon makes regular free throw 2 of 2
15-8
13:01
Jordan McKoy misses three point jump shot
12:59
Julian Rishwain defensive rebound
12:45
Alex Condon misses two point floating jump shot
12:43
Jacob O'Connell defensive rebound
12:20
+3
Devon Savage makes three point jump shot (Jacob O'Connell assists)
18-8
12:11
Zyon Pullin turnover (lost ball) (Adam Clark steals)
12:01
Adam Clark misses three point jump shot
11:59
Micah Handlogten defensive rebound
11:42
Gators 30 second timeout
11:42
TV timeout
11:36
Julian Rishwain misses three point jump shot
11:34
Jaylen Stinson defensive rebound
11:13
Jacob O'Connell misses two point hook shot
11:11
Riley Kugel defensive rebound
10:57
Tyrese Samuel misses two point driving layup
10:55
Julian Rishwain offensive rebound
10:44
Alex Condon misses two point hook shot
10:42
Jacob O'Connell defensive rebound
10:36
Jaylen Stinson misses three point jump shot
10:34
Alex Condon defensive rebound
10:18
+2
Alex Condon makes two point driving layup (Tyrese Samuel assists)
18-10
10:07
Adam Clark turnover (lost ball)
9:55
Riley Kugel misses three point jump shot
9:53
Jordan Derkack defensive rebound
9:43
Samba Diallo misses two point driving layup
9:41
Riley Kugel defensive rebound
9:37
Jordan Derkack shooting foul (Thomas Haugh draws the foul)
9:37
Thomas Haugh misses regular free throw 1 of 2
9:37
+1
Thomas Haugh makes regular free throw 2 of 2
18-11
9:18
Julian Rishwain shooting foul (Devon Savage draws the foul)
9:18
+1
Devon Savage makes regular free throw 1 of 3
19-11
9:18
+1
Devon Savage makes regular free throw 2 of 3
20-11
9:18
+1
Devon Savage makes regular free throw 3 of 3
21-11
9:08
Bryan Etumnu blocks Tyrese Samuel's two point driving layup
9:07
Gators offensive rebound
8:50
Zyon Pullin misses two point pullup jump shot
8:48
Thomas Haugh offensive rebound
8:48
Devon Savage personal foul (Thomas Haugh draws the foul)
8:44
Walter Clayton Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Adam Clark steals)
8:25
Bryan Etumnu turnover (lost ball) (Tyrese Samuel steals)
8:18
Walter Clayton Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Jordan Derkack steals)
8:11
Jordan Derkack misses two point driving layup
8:09
Tyrese Samuel defensive rebound
8:00
Will Richard misses two point floating jump shot
7:58
Thomas Haugh offensive rebound
7:57
+2
Thomas Haugh makes two point tip layup
21-13
7:34
Samba Diallo misses three point jump shot
7:32
Riley Kugel defensive rebound
7:23
+3
Walter Clayton Jr. makes three point jump shot (Thomas Haugh assists)
21-16
7:20
Warriors 30 second timeout
7:20
TV timeout
7:09
Jordan McKoy turnover (bad pass) (Thomas Haugh steals)
6:54
+2
Walter Clayton Jr. makes two point driving reverse layup
21-18
6:26
Jordan Derkack turnover (bad pass) (Riley Kugel steals)
6:25
Jacob O'Connell personal foul (Riley Kugel draws the foul)
6:25
Riley Kugel misses regular free throw 1 of 1
6:25
Jaylen Stinson defensive rebound
6:13
+2
Adam Clark makes two point driving layup
23-18
5:59
+2
Tyrese Samuel makes two point driving hook shot
23-20
5:46
Jacob O'Connell misses three point jump shot
5:44
Will Richard defensive rebound
5:35
Tyrese Samuel misses two point driving layup
5:33
Jaylen Stinson defensive rebound
5:20
Jaylen Stinson turnover (traveling)
4:50
Jacob O'Connell shooting foul (Alex Condon draws the foul)
4:50
Alex Condon misses regular free throw 1 of 2
4:50
+1
Alex Condon makes regular free throw 2 of 2
23-21
4:29
+2
Jaylen Stinson makes two point driving reverse layup
