The No. 2 seed Florida Gators triumphed over the No. 7 seed Missouri Tigers on Friday night in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals, securing a 95-81 victory and advancing to the semifinals. This win allowed Florida to avenge an earlier season loss to Missouri, as they came back with a 14-point margin.
The Gators had an impressive offensive display, with four players scoring at least 15 points. Walter Clayton Jr. led the charge with 18 points, while Will Richard and Alijah Martin contributed 17 points each.
Though Florida maintained their lead throughout the game, Missouri showed resilience and fought back at times. However, the Gators consistently responded, particularly with a decisive late-game run that saw them outscore their opponents 18-5 from 7:02 to 2:07 remaining in the second half.
jaw dropped. 🤯
📺SECN
Gators 37 | 26 pic.twitter.com/kvyKylsU4h— Florida Gators Men’s Basketball (@GatorsMBK) March 14, 2025
Florida will go on to face the winner of the Alabama versus Kentucky matchup in the SEC Tournament semifinals
Clayton Jr. Shines in the First Half
The Gators got off to a much stronger start in this rematch, launching into a 10-0 run right from the beginning and extending it to a 15-2 lead within the first three and a half minutes. Will Richard was the star of this opening stretch, scoring eight of the first 10 points.
In addition to their impressive initial run, the Gators nailed two more 3-pointers, making them a perfect 5-for-5 from beyond the arc early in the game against the Tigers. This hot shooting culminated in a 3-pointer from Clayton Jr., giving Florida a commanding 25-11 lead with 11:47 remaining in the half.
The Tigers fought back with an 11-2 run of their own, managing to disrupt the Gators’ rhythm during this period. Luckily for Florida, Richard steadied the situation with a timely 3-pointer in transition, restoring a nine-point lead for his team.
Clayton Jr. also delivered the highlight of the first half when, after Richard made a steal, he raced ahead and finished off an alley-oop dunk, increasing the Gators’ lead to 11
By halftime, the Gators were leading 50-37, showcasing a strong performance on both ends of the court. Offensively, they shot 63% from the field and 50% from three-point range, finishing 9-for-11 at the free-throw line. Defensively, Florida held Missouri to just 42.9% shooting overall and 18.2% from beyond the arc.
However, the Gators struggled with turnovers, committing 10 in the first half, which allowed Missouri to score 12 points off those mistakes.
Clayton wrapped up the first half with 17 points, four assists, two rebounds, two steals, and one block, while Richard supported him with 13 points. Together, they accounted for 30 of the team’s total points.
Late Run Secures the Win for the Gators
The turnover issue carried over for Florida at the beginning of the second half, as they committed three turnovers in the first five minutes, giving Missouri six easy points. Despite these mistakes, Florida managed to extend their lead to 14 points.
Nonetheless, Missouri refused to back down. Fueled by their tenacity and physical play, the Tigers fought their way back to narrow the gap to four points with 13 minutes left in the game.
Florida regrouped and pushed their lead back to 10 points with about nine minutes remaining, highlighted by an alley-oop dunk from Alijah Martin.
Once again, Missouri rallied, cutting the deficit to five points with seven minutes to go. However, a crucial 18-5 run by Florida ultimately sealed the victory and put the game out of reach.
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