BREAKING: Florida Gators Advance to National Championship, Defeat Auburn Tigers 79-73
By Space Coast Daily // April 5, 2025
Gators rallied from a 46-38 halftime deficit
ABOVE VIDEO: The Florida Gators men’s basketball team advanced to the NCAA National Championship after defeating the No. 1 overall seeded Auburn Tigers 79-73 in Atlanta on Saturday.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS– The Florida Gators men’s basketball team advanced to the NCAA National Championship after defeating the No. 1 overall seeded Auburn Tigers 79-73 in San Antonio on Saturday.
The Gators rallied from a 46-38 halftime deficit at a packed Alamodome, led by a standout performance from senior guard Walter Clayton Jr., who poured in a game-high 34 points.
Clayton shot an impressive 11-for-18 from the field, including 5-of-8 from beyond the arc, continuing his stellar run through the NCAA Tournament.
Guard Alijah Martin chipped in 17 points, while sophomore Thomas Haugh contributed 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds, helping Florida extend its winning streak to 11 games. Clayton’s 34-point effort set a new program record for a Final Four game, eclipsing the previous mark of 27 points set by Udonis Haslem in the 2000 national championship matchup against Michigan State.
Now 35-4 on the season, Florida will play the winner of the Houston-Duke showdown on Monday night for the national title.
