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Florida Gators

Walter Clayton exits game against Tennessee with first-half injury

Derek Peterson

By Derek Peterson

Published:

Walter Clayton Jr. rolled his left ankle late in the first half against Tennessee on Saturday, stayed down on the floor for a few moments, and then was helped to the locker room.

The leading scorer for Florida this season was struggling to put much weight on his left ankle after landing awkwardly from a jumpshot. He had to be helped off the floor by a Gator trainer. He initially tried to walk to the Florida bench before quickly pivoting and heading straight for the locker room. At the time of his exit, less than 2 minutes remained in the first half.

Clayton had 10 points to lead all scorers in the first half. The Gators held a slim lead for most of the first half as both teams struggled mightily from the field. Clayton wasn’t shooting particularly well — going 3-for-11 from the field — but his teammates combined to shoot 4-for-16.

Tennessee closed on an 8-2 run to take a 24-21 lead into the break.

On the season, Clayton has started all 21 games for the Gators. The senior guard entered Saturday’s matchup averaging 17.8 points, 4.0 assists, and 3.4 rebounds per game. He ranks in the top 10 among all SEC players in points per game, assists per game, and effective field goal percentage.

If Clayton is forced to miss any significant time, it’ll be a significant blow for the fifth-ranked Gators, who went into the weekend with an 18-2 record and a 5-2 mark in league play. Florida hosts No. 24 Vanderbilt on Tuesday and travels to No. 1 Auburn next Saturday. Each of Florida’s next 3 opponents is currently ranked in the AP poll.

Update (1:30 p.m. ET, Feb. 1): Clayton returned to start the second half for the Gators, though he had a noticeable limp. After subbing out of the game midway through the second half, Clayton was seen on a stationary bike off to the side of Florida’s bench.

Derek Peterson

Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.

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