Walter Clayton Jr. points: Florida star joins Larry Bird in March Madness history

[ASFN Admin]

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.

REQUIRED READING: Walter Clayton Jr., Florida basketball too tough for Auburn in Final Four: Score and highlights

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:

• Points: 18.1
• Rebounds: 3.6
• Assists: 4.2
• Steals: 1.2
• Field Goal Percentage: 44.6%
• 3-Point Shooting Percentage: 38.5%
• Free-Throw Shooting Percentage: 86%

Here's a game-by-game breakdown of Clayton Jr.'s stats in the men's NCAA Tournament this year following Saturday's win:

• vs. Norfolk State (First Round): 23 points on 6-of-11 shooting with five rebounds, two assists and a steal
• vs. UConn (Second Round): 23 points on 6-of-14 shooting with three rebounds and an assist
• vs. Maryland (Sweet 16): 13 points on 3-of-9 shooting with four assists, a rebound and a steal
• vs. Texas Tech (Elite Eight): 30 points on 7-of-14 shooting with four assists, two blocks and two rebounds
• vs. Auburn (Final Four): 34 points on 11-of-18 shooting with four rebounds and two assists

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Walter Clayton Jr. points: Florida star joins Larry Bird in history

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