Florida Ends UConn's Title Defense with a Thrilling 77-75 Victory

Florida Gators star Walter Clayton Jr. scored 23 points, including five 3-pointers, to lead the top-seeded Gators to a thrilling 77-75 victory over No. 8 UConn on Sunday afternoon, sending the two-time defending champions packing and advancing Florida to the Sweet 16.

The Gators trailed for much of the second half before putting the Huskies away with an 8-0 run late in the game.

Alijah Martin added 18 points for Florida, and Will Richard contributed 15 after scoring only two points in the first half.

UConn's Jordan Hawkins led all scorers with 25 points.

Here are some of the key highlights from the game:

• Clayton's clutch performance: Clayton was held to just eight points in the first half, but he caught fire in the second half, scoring 15 of his 23 points. He hit two big 3-pointers down the stretch to give Florida the lead for good.
• Florida's defensive intensity: The Gators clamped down on UConn's offense in the second half, forcing the Huskies into tough shots and turnovers.
• UConn's fight: The Huskies never gave up, and they made a late run to try to tie the game. But in the end, Florida's clutch play was too much to overcome.

Here are some of the key stats from the game:

• Florida shot 46% from the field, while UConn shot 38%.
• The Gators made nine 3-pointers, while the Huskies made eight.
• Florida outrebounded UConn 34-30.

With the win, Florida improves to 32-4 on the season and advances to the Sweet 16, where they will face the winner of the No. 4 Duke vs. No. 5 Houston game.

UConn's season is over, but the Huskies will be back next year looking to reclaim their title.

Here are some additional thoughts and takeaways from the game:

• This was a great game for college basketball. It was a back-and-forth battle between two evenly matched teams.
• Florida showed its championship mettle by coming back from a deficit to win the game.
• UConn will be disappointed to lose, but they should be proud of their effort.
• This game was a great reminder of why March Madness is the best time of year in college basketball.