Walter Clayton Jr. didn't want his time at the Final Four of the men's NCAA Tournament to last just one game.
And because of that — and his brilliance shooting the ball on Saturday vs. No. 1 overall seed Auburn — Florida basketball is one win away from cutting down the nets and creating "One Shining Moment" for the first time since 2007.
For the second game in a row, the All-American guard took over down the stretch, this time leading the Gators past SEC foe Auburn, 79-73, at the Alamodome in San Antonio.
He also created some March Madness history while doing so.
As noted by Fox Sports' John Fanta, the 6-foot-3 guard, who was named a finalist for the Wooden Award, joined Larry Bird as the only two players in the history of the NCAA Tournament to have back-to-back 30-point performances in the Elite Eight and after.
"Man, I got a whole bunch of guys that just trust me," Clayton Jr. told CBS' Tracy Wolfson when asked how he's been able to have back-to-back signature games.
Added Florida coach Todd Golden, who didn't know his star guard had back-to-back 30-point games: "I'm just used to seeing him put the ball in the basket, I guess. He's done what he's done all year for us. In big moments, he's stepped up, takes huge shots, settles our team down and makes winning plays when we need it the most."
Here's a deeper look at Clayton Jr.' points Saturday in the Final Four against Auburn:
Walter Clayton Jr. points today in Final Four
Here's Clayton Jr.'s stat line in the Final Four vs. Auburn:
- Points: 34
- Rebounds: Four
- Assists: Two
- Field Goal Percentage: 61.1% (11 of 18)
- 3-Point Shooting Percentage: 62.5% (5 of 8)
- Free-Throw Shooting Percentage: 100% (7 of 7)
Walter Clayton Jr. stats 2024-25 at Florida
Here's a look at Clayton Jr.'s season stats at Florida entering Saturday's game:
