UConn vs. Florida: box score, stats, game summary and more ft. Walter Clayton Jr. 

No. 8 seed Connecticut was given only the longest of shots at winning a third straight NCAA title. But based on their matchup with No. 1 seed Florida, maybe the Huskies should have been given more respect. Florida came from behind in the final three minutes to outlast UConn, 77-75.

UConn vs. Florida Box Score

UConn

Player	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF
L. McNeeley	22	2	3	2	0	1	1
A. Karaban	14	5	3	1	0	0	2
S. Johnson	10	10	1	1	1	1	4
S. Ball	8	4	3	1	0	2	3
H. Diarra	6	4	5	2	0	2	4
J. Ross	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
J. Stewart	6	1	0	0	1	0	1
T. Reed Jr.	5	8	1	1	0	0	4
A. Mahaney	4	1	0	0	0	0	1

Florida

Player	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF
A. Condon	5	7	4	0	0	1	0
R. Chinyelu	6	7	0	0	0	1	4
W. Richard	15	6	2	3	0	3	2
W. Clayton Jr.	23	3	1	0	0	5	4
A. Martin	18	4	3	1	0	0	0
T. Haugh	7	5	2	0	0	0	4
M. Handlogten	0	4	0	0	0	1	2
U. Klavzar	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
D. Aberdeen	3	4	0	0	0	1	1

UConn vs. Florida Game Summary

The Gators scored the first six points, but Uconn rapidly played its way back into the game. UConn grabbed an 18-16 lead on an Alex Karaban 3-pointer. The teams battled back and forth, reaching halftime tied at 31.

In the first four minutes of the second half, UConn grabbed a 40-34 advantage on a Karaban layup. The teams battled back and forth, but UConn stretched its edge to six again on an Aidan Mahaney layup with 11:56 to play. Florida took a lead, but UConn tied the game at 64 on a Solo Ball 3-pointer with 2:12 to play.

Alex Condon made a free throw to give UF a lead. When Condon missed the second, the rebound came to Walter Clayton Jr., who was fouled and made both free throws. With UF ahead 67-64, Liam McNeeley missed a 3-pointer with 1:29 to play which would have tied the game. Instead, Clayton buried a 3-pointer for the Gators with 1:07 left that all but finished the game.

Florida was led by Walter Clayton Jr's 23 points and 5-for-8 3-point shooting. Alijah Martin added 18 points and four boards for the Gators. Will Richard tallied 15 points and six rebounds for UF.

The Huskies were paced by freshman Liam McNeeley's 22 points. Alex Karaban added 14 points and five rebounds. Samson Johnson tallied 10 points and 10 boards. UConn shot just 38% and 8-for-29 (28%) from 3-point range. The Gators were 22 for 34 (65%) from the foul line, which left the Huskies within range late in the game.

Florida will advance to the regional round in San Francisco, where the Gators will face the winner of No. 4 seed Maryland and No. 12 seed Colorado State. With the defeat of St. John's yesterday, Florida would face a potential Elite Eight matchup against No. 3 seed Texas Tech or No. 10 seed Arkansas.