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Walter Clayton becomes first player since Larry Bird with impressive scoring string in March Madness
By Mark Kern
Published:
Walter Clayton is having an NCAA Tournament unlike any player in a long time, and he continued that on Saturday as he poured in 34 points to help Florida overcome an 8-point halftime deficit to beat Auburn to advance to Monday night’s national championship.
Clayton has scored at least 13 points in all 5 games, but it has been the Elite Eight game and Saturday night’s game against Auburn where he has taken it to another level. The Gators were in big trouble against Texas Tech in the Elite Eight, trailing by 9 points late in that game. However, Clayton hit multiple huge 3-pointers late, finishing with 30 points in that game as well.
Posting back-to-back 30+ point games in an Elite Eight and Final Four is something that hasn’t happened in college basketball since 1979 when Larry Bird did it at Indiana State. Considering the legacy Bird left behind, that is quite the company for Clayton.
The 34 points in a Final Four game was also something that hasn’t happened in some time, as the last player to do that was Danny Ferry for Duke in 1989 against Seton Hall.
Florida will be in the national championship for the first time since 2007, and that was when Noah and the Gators were clinching back-to-back championships. The Gators will take on the winner of Houston and Duke on Monday night.
