SAN ANTONIO — Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr.’s star continues to rise as he carries Todd Golden’s Gators to new heights — this time all the way to the national-title game.
Clayton’s driving layup while falling to the floor and getting fouled with 1:33 to go was the dagger Saturday night at the Alamodome, culminated a UF career-high 34-point night and pushed the Gators past Auburn 79-73 and into Monday night’s national-championship game.
Sophomore sixth Thomas Haugh sealed the win with a layup with 37.6 seconds remaining to give UF an eight-point lead, its largest of the game and too much for Auburn to ultimately overcome.
UF (35-4) will play the winner of the nightcap at the Alamodome pitting Duke and Houston.
“The heart and toughness both physically and mentally was incredible,” Golden said.
Auburn star Johni Broome could not match Clayton, his fellow All-American and fellow south central Florida native. Broome missed two free throws with 2:02 remaining and Auburn trailing 71-68.
The 6-foot-10 senior scored 12 first-half points as the Tigers held a 26-14 scoring edge in the paint and a 46-38 halftime lead.
The Gators appeared on the ropes early in the second half. But following a missed 3-pointer by Haugh with UF trailing 49-40, Will Richard snagged a rebound in traffic and was fouled while scoring on a putback.
Richard corralled another tough rebound following an Auburn miss and found Clayton, who immediately drained a 3. Another Auburn miss followed by a 3 by Alijah Martin tied the game 49-49.
A driving layup by Clayton gave UF its first lead at 51-49 to complete an 11-0 run.
After Auburn tied the game, the teams traded the lead seven times until UF took the lead for good at 64-63 on Haugh’s driving layup.
Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com
