Walter Clayton Jr. scores 34 points to lead Florida to Final Four win over Auburn

SAN ANTONIO – Walter Clayton Jr.’s introduction to March Madness came 14 years ago. 

It was the month when Kemba Walker put Connecticut on his back, leading the Huskies to a Big East Tournament crown and unexpected NCAA Tournament title. 

Clayton is one win away from pulling off a pretty good imitation of Cardiac Kemba. 

The former Iona University star’s huge tournament now includes a memorable Final Four performance, after he lifted No. 1 Florida past fellow No. 1 Auburn, 79-73, at the Alamodome Saturday night. 

This wasn’t as dramatic as his second-half outbursts in come-from-behind wins over No. 9 Connecticut in the second round and No. 3 Texas Tech in the Elite Eight.

But it was just as impressive, Clayton going off for 34 points and five 3-pointers. 

Again, he was at his best in crunch time.

Clayton scored 10 points in the final 4:29, and 20 in the second half.

His 3-point play with 1:33 to go pushed the Florida lead to six, after he had scored in a driving layup on the previous possession, going past Auburn forward Dylan Cardwell like he wasn’t there. 

Clayton’s emergence is straight out of a Hollywood script.

An under-recruited kid who only had mid- and low-major scholarship offers coming out of high school.

Rick Pitino, then at Iona, took a liking to him, and Clayton developed into a star under Pitino’s tutelage.

He then went back home after his sophomore year, flirted with going pro last spring, only to return to lead Florida to a spot in the national championship game. 

Alijah Martin added 17 points for Florida and Thomas Haugh had 12.

Chad Baker-Mazara scored 18 points for Auburn and Johni Broome had 15.

The Gators, trailing by nine early in the second half, turned the game over the final 20 minutes with their defense.

They forced 12 Auburn turnovers and limited them to 33.3 percent shooting after halftime. 

If there were any question if Broome would be himself, it was answered on the game’s opening possession.

He posted up inside and sank a short jumper.

It was the start of a strong half for the SEC Player of the Year, a 12-point, four-rebound, two-block effort that helped the Tigers control the opening 20 minutes. 

Auburn owned the inside, outscoring Florida by 12 in the paint and doubling them up in second-chance points. Broome keyed an 11-4 run that pushed the Tiggers lead to nine late in the first half. 

Clayton and Martin kept Florida close, combining for 24 points on 8-of-15 shooting.

The other Gators were 4-of-12.

It was Clayton and Martin again early in the second half, the two producing eight points in an 11-0 burst that turned a nine-point deficit into a two-point Florida lead. 

Auburn responded with six straight points, but trailed by two at the under-8 timeout.

Over the first 12:13 of the second time, the Tigers had just 12 points along with seven turnovers and missed their lone 3-point attempt.

A clearly tiring Broome was limited to three points in that span.