Clayton’s 34 points propel Florida into national championship

Walter Clayton, Jr. scored 34 points to send Florida to national championship game as Gators held off Auburn. Clayton’s tally is highest in Final Four game since Carmelo Anthony in 2003. (Photo by College Sports Network)

SAN ANTONIO — Before he led Florida into a Final Four battle with Southeastern Conference rival Auburn, Walter Clayton, Jr. downplayed the idea of him flipping a switch to activate his notorious clutch play in the second half.

The senior point guard instead said he tries to let the game come to him in those moments, with some shots being open more than others.

On Saturday, the game found Clayton again, and once again, he raised a bar that was already situated above the clouds.

Clayton scored 20 of his 34 points in the second half as Florida erased a nine-point deficit down the stretch to defeat Auburn for the second time this season, prevailing in the first of two national semifinals, 79-73.

With the win, the Gators will play for their third national championship on Monday, and first since 2007, with either Houston or Duke awaiting them.

“I feel like everybody sees it,” senior guard Will Richard said of his teammate and his explosiveness. “He’s poised, calm and collected, confident in himself (and) we have that confidence in him. We see him practice, see his work ethic. We’re glad everybody else is getting to see him do it in a game.”

“Clayton was the difference,” Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl admitted. “He was, just flat out, the difference. We couldn’t contain him down that end. He’s a great player. He can go both ways, he can make tough shots.”

Clayton is the first player to score 30 or more points in a Final Four game since Carmelo Anthony—who headlined this year’s Hall of Fame induction class on Saturday—posted 33 points for Syracuse in 2003 when the Orange took down Texas on its way to the program’s sole national title. He is also the first player to have consecutive 30-point games in a regional final and Final Four since Larry Bird did so for Indiana State in 1979.

“I know I’ve got weapons around me,” Clayton said of his ability to get open. “(Auburn) was kind of showing hard all night, that kind of forced them not to stay as long on me. Like I said, the guys around me making plays allows my game to open up, and I appreciate them.”

Clayton’s latest virtuoso performance in a run that Florida fans hope becomes unforgettable Monday night has started to evoke memories of Kemba Walker during UConn’s magical surge to a national championship in 2011. Clayton watched that generational run growing up outside Orlando, but bristled somewhat at the idea that he was trying to imitate it.

“I try to be my own person,” he said. “But yeah, man. Kemba on one of the biggest stages was calm, cool and collected. Just watching that, I kind of admired that. He was able to just zone himself out, just play his game.”

Clayton has done the same the past year, and his teammates had only one word to describe it.

“Special,” Richard, Thomas Haugh and Alijah Martin concurred.