Florida Gators star guard Walter Clayton Jr. etched his name into college basketball history on Saturday night, delivering a jaw-dropping performance in the Final Four that hasn’t been seen in nearly half a century. With 34 points against Auburn, Clayton became the first player since Hall of Famer Larry Bird in 1979 to score at least 30 points in both the Elite Eight and the National Semifinal games of the same NCAA Tournament.
Clayton was nearly unstoppable inside the Alamodome, shooting 11-of-18 from the field, 5-of-8 from three-point range, and a perfect 7-of-7 from the free-throw line. His offensive explosion helped propel Florida past Auburn and into the national championship game, where the Gators will face the winner of Duke vs. Houston on Monday night.
The Gators’ dynamic guard had already made headlines with his 30-point outburst in the Elite Eight against Texas Tech, a game in which he singlehandedly pulled Florida back from the brink. But his encore performance on the biggest stage in college basketball only solidified his legend. According to basketball statistician Jared Berson, no one has matched this level of dominance since Bird led Indiana State to the national title game in 1979.
Clayton now joins an exclusive list of NCAA Tournament greats who accomplished this feat before Bird, including names like Wilt Chamberlain (1957), Jerry West (1959), and Ernie DiGregorio (1973). This elite company underscores just how rare and special Clayton’s tournament run has been.
In addition to matching Bird’s historic achievement, Clayton also surpassed Joakim Noah as Florida’s all-time leader in NCAA Tournament points—a remarkable feat considering the Gators’ rich basketball legacy and championship pedigree.
This magical run is a culmination of grit, leadership, and unshakable confidence from Clayton, who has become the heart and soul of a Florida team chasing its first national championship since 2007. With the title game just one win away, the Gators’ hopes rest firmly on the shoulders of a player who’s doing things not seen in decades.
As Clayton prepares to lead his team into the biggest game of his life, one thing is certain: he’s not just making memories—he’s making history.
