How a miraculous comeback and an unexpected hero led Florida to first Final Four in a decade

Just when it looked the Gators were done, their March Madness story lives on.

At one point, a victory seemed impossible for the No. 1 seed Florida Gators on Saturday’s Elite Eight matchup. The Gators were on the brink of elimination with six minutes remaining, struggling to match No. 3 Texas Tech’s physicality as their illustrious season appeared to be coming to an end.

But, through a miraculous comeback led by a star and an unexpected hero, the Gators are still dancing, reaching a Final Four in head coach Todd Golden’s first year with the program. Florida’s Walter Clayton had 30 points and Thomas Haugh finished with 20 to secure the Gators are trip to San Antonio next weekend.

How did we get to this point, and what’s next for the Gators?

The loss that sparked it all

The Gators were one of the best teams in college basketball all season long, being ranked inside the Top 10 since Week 6 of the regular season.

But, there was one specific loss that really served as the turnaround for them arguably being the hottest team in college basketball entering the postseason: their 64-44 blowout defeat against Tennessee.

Just weeks earlier, the Gators had shut out the Volunteers, who were the No. 1 team in the country at the time, in a 30-point blowout in Gainesville, cementing themselves early in the SEC as a force to be reckoned with.

However, in the second matchup between the two, Florida fell flat, scoring a season-low 44 points, as they shot a paltry 24.5 percent from the field and 14.8 percent from deep to record just their third loss of the season.

It seemed like someone finally found a formula to stifle the Gators’ high-flying offense, as star Walter Clayton was held in check, while no other player hit double figures in the loss.

It seems unlikely that a loss would serve as the turning point for a team. But, that’s exactly what happened for the Gators because they would go on to be the best team in college basketball for the final five weeks of the regular season.

Florida started to get hot, rattling off back-to-back wins against No. 1 Auburn and No. 22 Mississippi State on the road. Later, after an unexpected loss to Georgia, the Gators bounced back with wins over No. 12 Texas A&M and No. 7 Alabama, the latter being on the road.

The Gators finished the regular season 9-1, leading to them earning the No. 2 seed in the SEC Tournament, where they did some major damage. They rattled off No. 21 Missouri by 14 in the quarterfinals before blowing out Alabama 104-82, keeping Mark Sears in check to reach the SEC Championship Game.

Then came the rematch against the team that turned around their season: Tennessee. With the season series at 1-1 and both games being blowouts, Florida looked to take the mantle once and for all.

And they did, to the tune of an 86-77 victory to claim the SEC Tournament Championship, finishing off the season with six straight wins, including five against ranked opponents.

But, while the celebrations began, Florida knew that the work wasn’t close to done, having a vivid memory of the 2024 season in their minds, where they were a one-and-done in the NCAA tournament.

Adversity in the first weekend

Earning a No. 1 seed in the West region, the Gators cruised past Norfolk State in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Adversity struck again as they were dealt a tough hand with No. 8 seed UConn waiting in the wings. The Huskies had faced an uneven season, marred by injuries and inconsistencies, but head coach Dan Hurley had won back-to-back championships and was looking for a major upset.

The game proved to be a battle. The Gators never got much separation in the first half, as the two sides were tied at 31 heading into the break. And they even trailed for much of the second half as UConn jumped out to a slight lead and maintained it for nearly the entire final period.

It all came down to the final minutes. UConn had held the lead for the first 17 minutes of the second half, although Florida managed to keep it tight, trailing 61-59 after Alex Condon hit one of two free throws with 3:28 remaining.

Getting a key stop, Florida star guard Walter Clayton rose to the occasion, hitting a clutch three to give Florida its first lead of the half at 62-61 with under three minutes to go. But, they were met with resistance, as UConn’s Solo Ball tied things up at 64 with just over two minutes to go.

From there, though, it was Clayton’s time to take over. The star guard was able to knock down a pair of free throws before hitting a clutch three to give Florida a six-point lead with 1:07 remaining.

It was the free-throw game for the Gators from there, which proved to be enough for a 77-75 victory, advancing them to the Sweet 16 in a thrilling finish.

Injury causes concern

Two wins for the Gators in the 2025 NCAA tournament led them to facing the Maryland Terrapins in the Sweet 16 in a matchup that seemed centered around size. Maryland had elite bigs Derik Queen and Julian Reese, who had been their formula to success for much of the year, while Florida’s depth in the frontcourt was a focal part of their well-rounded nature.

The first half was a tale of two parts, as the Gators jumped out to a quick 20-9 lead, thanks to threes from Walter Clayton, Will Richard and Thomas Haugh. But, once again, they were dealt with adversity as star forward Alex Condon suffered a lower-body injury and immediately hobbled to the locker room.

With Condon out, the Gators started to lose their touch as Maryland overcame the 11-point deficit with a 15-4 run of their own, tying things up at 24 apiece with 7:11 remaining in the half.

From there, a slugfest ensued as the Terrapins and Gators went back-and-forth with six lead changes and four ties over the final six minutes as Florida took a 40-38 lead into halftime.

Needing a quick response, Florida stepped on the gas pedal to begin the second half, jumping out on a 10-4 run to secure a double-digit lead. But, Maryland wouldn’t go away, as cutting the lead to six thanks to a layup from Julian Reese and a key three from Rodney Rice.

Then came the turning point: the return of Alex Condon, who had been warming up in the tunnel for the six minutes of the period.

With their full depth in use, the Gators and their pace began to out duel the Terrapins’ short-handed rotation, as they pulled back out to a double-digit lead with just over eight minutes to go. From there, Maryland never cut the lead within 10, as Florida cruised on to the Elite Eight with an 87-71 victory over the Terrapins.

Condon didn’t light up the stat sheet, finishing with two points, two rebounds, an assist and a block in nine minutes during the second half. But, his presence allowed Florida to rotate in their bigs more effectively, keeping them running in transition, which Maryland wasn’t able to counteract as the game slipped away.

Now, the final challenge standing in their way of a Final Four was the resilient, tough-minded Texas Tech Red Raiders.

A miraculous comeback and an unexpected hero

Florida’s first half against Texas Tech was very similar to their one against Maryland, only the tables were turned at the beginning.

After shooting just 25 percent from three in their 85-83 overtime win over Arkansas in the Sweet 16, Texas Tech came out firing from deep, hitting six of their first seven three-point attempts.

That got the Red Raiders out to a 24-19 start over the Gators, but Florida began to fight back. Using the free throw line to their advantage, Florida slowly clawed back to regain the lead, but they weren’t getting their usual offense early on, needing a player to step up.

And that’s exactly what happened. After five early points in his first stint on the court, reserve forward Thomas Haugh hit a major three to cut Texas Tech’s lead to one with under six minutes to go in the first half.

From there, he and Walter Clayton were the two answers for Florida, as the duo combined to score 13 of the last 15 first-half points for the Gators, finishing the half with 12 and eight points, respectively.

The game remained a slugfest in the second half as both teams traded buckets, but Texas Tech really started to pull away with a 12-2 run midway through the period, giving the Red Raiders a 67-57 lead with 7:49 to go.

As the Red Raiders started to surge forward, it was their physicality down low that gave them the advantage. Forwards Darrion Williams and J.T. Toppin took advantage of 1-on-1 matchups down low, powering their way to the rim with backdowns and rolls off screens to get basket after basket, outpacing Florida’s offense.

With their season on the brink, down by 10, the Gators needed an answer on both ends of the court, and fast.

Walter Clayton started things off with a three and a layup, but Texas Tech kept the pressure forward, as a J.T. Toppin layup got it to 75-66 with 3:14 left. Then, magic started to appear for the Gators.

Working the pick-and-roll, Clayton fired a deep three that rimmed out. But, Thomas Haugh kept things alive with a key rebound, kicking the ball out before receiving the pass back for a three. Money.

Sensing the momentum coming, Florida’s Todd Golden called timeout, electing to go with a bold strategy: start playing the foul game with Texas Tech’s bigs. And it worked out. Darrion Williams was the first one fouled, facing a 1-on-1 with 2:43 left, and he missed the front end, giving Florida the ball back.

Setting back into their offense, Florida went back to their pick-and-roll between Clayton and Haugh. Sensing a double team, Clayton kicked out to Haugh, who faked a pass before firing a second consecutive three. Money again.

Just like that, the Gators had all the momentum, facing a 75-72 deficit with just over two minutes left. And the plan continued, as Florida then fouled J.T. Toppin, who also missed the front end of a 1-and-1, creating a major opportunity for the Gators to tie things up.

“We felt like being down nine or 10, whatever it was, at the under-four, we had to find a way to get a few more possessions in the ball game and try to stretch it out a little bit,” Florida head coach Todd Golden said after the game about his bold strategy. “And being in the one-on-one [bonus], we thought that was an opportunistic time to foul their front court, given the opportunity. Toppin was the guy we wanted to foul. And Williams was a second option. And fortunately, they missed two front ends. Those were big-time plays that flipped the game a little bit.”

And from there, it was all Walter Clayton, who fired an off-balance three working one-on-one from the wing to tie things up at 75. Then, after Williams got a backdown layup for Texas Tech, Clayton created something out of nothing, pulling the ball back and firing a fadeaway three after getting nothing on a cut to the basket. Money times three.

Suddenly, Florida, once staring elimination in the face, had the lead at the most crucial moment of the game, leading 78-77 with less than a minute to go. The Red Raiders went back to Williams, who misfired on a three, and from there, it was the free-throw game for the Gators.

Alijah Martin, Clayton and Will Richard each knocked down a pair of free throws as the Gators pulled off the miraculous comeback, reaching the Final Four with an 84-79 victory over Texas Tech in yet another thrilling finish.

All season long, somebody has found a way to step up for the Gators. In the Sweet 16, it was a collective effort, as Martin and Richard were the keys to the turnaround. On Saturday, it was the star, Clayton, and an unexpected hero in Haugh.

“It goes to show how together we all are,” Clayton said after the game. “Many times could easily just break, start pointing the finger, blaming each other for this and that. But we just stayed together through the end and stayed the course. And thankfully, we got it done today.”

“He’s meant everything,” Clayton said of Haugh. “You know what I’m saying? I’ve said it multiple times, I think multiple guys don’t get enough recognition. Tommy is definitely one of them. He comes in every day, puts his head down and works. There’s a lot more to his game, but he’s sacrificing for the team. He plays his role and does everything we need him to do. I’m thankful for him and I love him and let’s get two more.”

The underdog mentality

All season long, the Gators have been one of the best teams in college basketball. But, through all the success, they’ve been fueled by that underdog mentality with a chip on their shoulder, and both Clayton and Haugh resonate with that.

Clayton was an unranked recruit coming out of high school, initially landing at Iona with Rick Pitino as a freshman before transferring to Florida last year. Two years in with the Gators, he’s become one of the biggest stars in college basketball and a prime reason why Florida is headed to the Final Four.

“He’s obviously a blessing to have in our program, have on our team,” Golden said about Clayton after the game. “He’s an incredible player, but outside of that, he’s a great leader. He’s been everything we could have asked him to be for this program since he got to campus two years ago. Obviously, this year he’s taken on a lot more ball-handling responsibilities for us. He’s closed out a lot of games for us. And there’s not another player in America you would rather have right now than Walter Clayton with the ball in his hands in a big-time moment. As he said, I think he said he blacked out or whatever, he doesn’t get too high or too low. He does a great job controlling his emotions. And most players in that moment, their heart rate would get up. He has that special talent and ability to stay even-keeled.

Golden added, “The biggest thing in those moments is you need to have somebody that wants to take those shots. They’re obviously difficult plays, but someone that has the confidence to step up and make incredible individual plays. And Walter did that for us tonight.”

But, Clayton isn’t the only one who came into college as an under-appreciated prospect. Star forward Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh, Alijah Martin, Will Richard and Denzel Aberdeen were all three-star recruits.

The Gators have gotten players from all over the country, but many have bought into the program, staying true to Florida for more than just this season and are now reaping the rewards of that process.

Next up for Florida is the Final Four, where they’ll take on the winner of the Auburn Tigers versus the Michigan State Spartans. Battle-tested through many different types of games, the Gators have seen a tough path on their way to a championship. Now, they’re just two games away from achieving that final goal.