The Florida Gators were on the brink of elimination from the NCAA Tournament during their Elite Eight matchup with the Texas Tech Red Raiders, yet they found a way to weather the storm and come out on top. More importantly, the Gators found a hero: Walter Clayton Jr, who received a bold message from his head coach, Todd Golden, stating similarities with NBA star Stephen Curry.
The Gators found themselves down nine points to the Red Raiders, with less than three minutes left in the game. In an epic battle against the #3 Texas Tech, and the clock, Florida mounted a comeback and prevailed 84-79 when the buzzer sounded off.
The late push couldn’t have been possible without Clayton Jr, who put on a show when the lights shined in the brightest, and the Gators had their backs against the walls in the NCAA Tournament. Clayton Jr finished the night with 30 points, with thirteen of them being scored in the final 5:24 minutes.
The senior star in Gainesville went off, draining three-pointers from all over the court to help his team come from behind and crush the Red Raiders’ hopes. Clayton Jr has drawn attention from all over the country during his stellar college basketball career, with many comparing him to NBA greats.
Head coach Todd Golden of the Florida Gators reacts after cutting down the net after defeating the Texas Tech Red Raiders 84-79 in the West Regional Elite Eight round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Chase Center on March 29, 2025 in San Francisco, California.
The latest to chime in on the conversation around Clayton Jr was his coach, Golden, who made something clear about his playstyle, underlining a parallel with Golden State Warrios icon Steph Curry.
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“[Comparing him to Curry] is kind of a lot to put on a young man,” Golden stated, via ESPN. “But I’d say the one thing where Walt 100 percent is similar to Steph is their shot-making and their ability to get it off whenever they want.“
The man of the hour
The Gators trusted Clayton Jr in their darkest hour during March Madness, with the No.1 team caught between a rock and a hard place, the star guard’s number was called and he delivered.
Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors looks on during the first half of a basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center.
“Just like the Warriors want Steph to be able to find a way to get open and get those shots in those moments, we want Walt taking the shots for us down the stretch,” Golden added. “There’s a reason why he was an AP first-team All-American. He is, in my humble opinion, the best guard in America.”
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Final Four
Clayton Jr stole the spotlight against Texas Tech, and all the attention will be centered around him as Florida gears up for the Final Four, where they’ll take on Auburn or Michigan State on April 5.
