Florida Beats Auburn in Final Four as Walter Clayton Jr. Gets Love From CBB Fans

Florida secured a hard-fought victory over Auburn in the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA tournament on Saturday night.

Led by standout senior Walter Clayton Jr., the Gators took down the Tigers by the final score of 79-73.

With Florida leading by three points and just over one minute remaining in the second half, Clayton connected on a layup while getting fouled to put the Gators up by six.

The 22-year-old finished with a game-high 34 points on 11-of-18 shooting, hitting five of his eight attempts from behind the arc. Clayton added four rebounds and two assists.

Fans and pundits praised his performance.

Alijah Martin also served as a key contributor for the Gators, scoring 17 points while shooting 60 percent from the field. Martin also threw down a powerful one-handed dunk that gave Florida a one-point advantage with just over five minutes left in the second half.

Saturday's contest was a back-and-forth affair, with neither team taking a double-digit lead throughout the duration of the game.

Auburn held its own in the first half and led 49-40 early in the second, but Florida immediately responded with an 11-0 run to jump back in front.

Tigers forward Johni Broome started off strong offensively, but he couldn't maintain the momentum. Broome, who suffered an elbow injury in the Elite Eight, scored just three of his 15 points in the second half.

He finished 3-of-7 on free throws and missed both of his long-range attempts.

Auburn shot just 28.0 percent from three-point territory as a team, committing 14 turnovers compared to 11 assists.

Florida will now attempt to win its third national championship in school history, awaiting the winner of Saturday's matchup between Duke and Houston.