Todd Golden stopped the marching run of the SEC rival Auburn Tigers. It was the winningest season for Bruce Pearl’s team, but they were unable to hold on to their first-half advantage. The most disappointed will be the SEC player of the year, Johni Broome, who only added 15 points. On the other hand, it was the Gators’ Walter Clayton Jr., who scored 34 points to lead his team to the finals. His coach made sure to sing the senior guards’ laurels after all; Pearl had previously questioned the 22-year-old’s output.

Despite trailing 38-46 at the halftime, the Gators turned it around to win 79-73. “We were just able to flip the momentum with our defense and our rebounding,” said Todd Golden while speaking to Jon Fanta after the win. The Florida head coach gave credit to Auburn for their first-half display. “You know, Johni, I thought controlled the game in the first half. We were not able to guard them. They got 46 in the first half, and they were just dictating.”

But, the 39-year-old did, however, proceed to celebrate his senior guard who had a Larry Birdesque performance. “He’s been doing it all year for us. And, uh, you know, it’s, uh, I don’t want to say we take it for granted, but we believe he’s the best guard in America…And there’s no player in America that you would rather have the ball in his hands late in the game with the game on the line.” This comment from Todd Golden was not only to praise Clayton Jr, but a shot at Bruce Pearl’s previous assessment.

“Yesterday, Auburn HC Bruce Pearl said that Walter Clayton Jr. can’t be the best guard on the court. Tonight, he has looked like it. 14 first-half points on 5-for-9 shooting from the floor. #MFinalFour,” Dorian Waller, beat writer for AZPreps365, shared on X. The performance meant he’s the first player since Larry Bird in 1979 to score at least 30 points in the Elite Eight and national semifinals.

Todd Golden’s team made sure Bruce Pearl changed his tune on Walter Clayton Jr.

This win moves the Gators to 35-5, and the 35 victories mark ties the 2007 team for the second-most in a single season in program history. Florida went a combined 40-29 in coach Todd Golden’s first two seasons, so a considerable improvement from the Gators. It was possible, thanks to the 22-year-old. Clayton went 11 of 18 from the field, 5 of 8 from 3-point range, and made all seven of his free throws as he amassed 34 points.

Even in the post-game conference, Bruce Pearl had only positive words for the Lake Wales, Florida native. “Clayton was the difference. He was just flat out the difference. We couldn’t contain him down that end.” In the game’s deciding moment, he scored on a driving and-one to make it 74-68 with 1:33 to play. To seal the deal, he would score a pair of free throws with 9.6 seconds to play.

This was the first time since their titles in 2006 and 2007 that the Gators would be part of the national championship game. A hard-fought victory over Bruce Pearl’s top overall seed made it an 11-game winning streak into the title championship game.