Florida's Late Surge Sends Gators to Sweet 16 with 77-75 Win Over UConn

Florida’s March Madness journey continued Sunday with a thrilling 77-75 victory over two-time reigning national champion UConn.

The No. 1-seed Gators had been trailing for much of the second half.

However, an explosive 8-0 run late in the game pushed Florida to the win.

The score was tied at 64 after UConn’s Solo Ball hit a 3-pointer.

Florida’s Alex Condon put the Gators back in the lead with a free throw.

Walter Clayton Jr., a senior All-American, followed with two crucial free throws.

Clayton then nailed a 3-pointer, extending the Gators' lead to 70-64.

Condon missed two free throws soon after, but Alijah Martin grabbed the rebound off the second miss.

Martin drove to the basket for an emphatic dunk, giving Florida an eight-point lead.

UConn fought back by fouling to stop the clock, but Florida held on for the win.

This victory marks the Gators' first trip to the Sweet 16 since 2017.

Clayton was the standout player once again, scoring 23 points to lead Florida to their eighth consecutive win.

The senior guard’s performance helped snap a five-game losing streak to the Huskies.

Clayton’s 23 points included 5-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc.

His 3-pointer with 2:54 remaining gave the Gators their first lead of the second half.

Will Richard then extended the lead to 64-61 with a fastbreak basket just 24 seconds later.

UConn responded with a 3-pointer from Ball to tie the game.

But Florida’s game-clinching run proved to be too much for the Huskies.

The victory set the Lenova Center ablaze with excitement from Gators fans.

Florida shot 46% from the field (23-of-50), while UConn struggled at just 38% (24-of-64).

The Gators dominated from 3-point range, hitting 9-of-19, while UConn made just 8-of-29.

Along with Clayton’s 23 points, Martin added 18, and Richard finished with 15.

Richard had a quiet first half with just two points, but he stepped up when it mattered most.

The Gators now advance to the Sweet 16 for the 12th time in program history.

This includes their 1987 trip, which was later vacated by the NCAA.

Florida is now 12-1 all-time as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The win sets up a Sweet 16 matchup with the winner of the Maryland vs. Colorado State game.

Florida has a 2-2 all-time record against Maryland, with the last meeting resulting in a 70-68 loss in 2021.

The Gators have met Colorado State only once before, a 68-46 loss in the 1989 NCAA Tournament.