JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – After helping lead the Florida program back to national relevance with a 24-win season and first NCAA Tournament berth in three years, Walter Clayton Jr. and Will Richard entered the NBA evaluation process last spring. The junior duo got feedback from the pros and opted to return for their senior seasons with the goal of churning out more explosive, winning-play performances on both ends of the floor.
Sort of like their combined effort in Monday night's season-opening defeat of South Florida.
Clayton scored 29 points, while Richard poured in a career-high 25, both providing sparks that ignited a comeback from 13 points down in the first half to fashion a 98-83 victory over the Bulls at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. Their 54 points came on an aggregate 20 of 32 shooting and a perfect 10-for-10 at the free-throw line.
"We felt incredibly fortunate to be able to get them back in our program," UF coach Todd Golden said. "They're really, really loyal guys and we felt like they were players we could build around after last season."
The Gators (1-0) also can consider themselves fortunate to have plucked their third guard, Alijah Martin, by way of Florida Atlantic, from the transfer portal. Martin, who helped lead the Owls to 60 wins and the 2023 Final Four the previous two seasons, missed all six of his 3-point shots Monday – a trend mostly followed by his new teammates – but still finished with 13 points (seven from the free-throw line), six rebounds, four steals and three assists, with his aggressive drives to the basket influencing his teammates during a 59-point, 59-percent shooting second half.
That's 67 points from the starting perimeter trio, with each playing at least 34 minutes.
"Our guards did a good job of getting in the paint, playing off two [feet], slowing it down and putting the ball in the bucket," Clayton said.
Will Richardcelebrates with the pro-Gator crowd Monday in Jacksonville, where he started his senior season by scoring a career-high 25 points. (Photo: Maddie Washburn/UAA Communications)
UF, on the whole, also did a good job of weathering a wicked shooting start by USF (0-1), which was running on emotional fumes after the death of their coach, 43-year-old Amir Abdur-Rahim, on Oct. 24 following complications during a surgical procedure. The Gators took the floor during pregame warm-ups wearing T-shirts with Abdur-Rahim's name on the back.
"That meant a lot and it was very classy on their part," South Florida interim coach Ben Fletcher said. "We have been through a lot of emotions over the last 10 days and it means a lot that Coach will be remembered not only by us, but by everyone."
Clearly, Abdur-Rahim's memory inspired his players Monday.
The Bulls had a 13-point lead, 36-23, and were shooting 61 percent through the game's first 14 minutes, looking quicker and faster to the ball, before the Gators finally came to life.
A driving floater by Clayton was followed by eight straight points from Richard, including a pair of 3s, to quickly close within three and force a USF timeout. By halftime, the margin was down to one, despite UF shooting just 3-for-17 from deep. The Bulls shot 47 percent overall through the first 20 minutes, made a half-dozen 3s and were the more active team in transition.
"They got out and they were getting downhill on us," Golden said. "I think we were kind of surprised about that, but I was proud of the way we rallied. A weak-minded team might not be able to come back like we did."
The first 10 minutes of the second half was a battle of two strong-minded foes, what with eight lead changes and three ties before the Gators – down 60-59, with the Bulls bombing in four of their five 3-point tries – scored 17 of the next 19 points, including 13 straight, with the last three points coming on a hard-driving and-one finish by Clayton. Along the way, the UF defense forced USF into a 1-for-9 segment with a couple turnovers.
By that time, the lead was 14 with less than seven minutes to go. The margin grew to as many as 18 and only once got inside double-digits the rest of the way.
"We were definitely getting out and running once we got stops," Richard said. "That's definitely our identity."
Though they connected on just five of 25 attempts (20 percent) from the arc, the Gators were a torrid 28 of 38 from the 2-point area (73.7 percent) for the game, including 15-for-21 after the break (71.4 percent). And after shooting only four free throws in the first half, UF went 23-for-29 at the line (79.3percent) in the second half.
Fifth-year guardAlijah Martin(15) draws contact from a USF defender on his way to 13 points in his debut game as a Gator after transferring from Florida Atlantic. (Photo: Maddie Washburn/UAA Communications)
South Florida shot 44 percent from the floor for the game and pretty much played UF to a stalemate on the glass, with the Gators up 37-32, but the offensive rebounds were even at 11. The Bulls were led by center Jamille Reynolds' 17 points and six rebounds, plus 15 points from guard Kasen Jennings.
Sophomore forward Alex Condon's 13 points and six boards gave the Gators four players in double-figure scoring.
"I thought we were settling [in the first half]. We weren't putting pressure on the rim or pressure on the refs to make any calls," Golden said. "We started [the second] with finishes and over the course of the half we just wore them down a little bit, getting them out of position defensively, finishing through their bodies and getting to the rim."
It was one of those games that was good to win, obviously, but will offer plenty of opportunities for critiquing in film sessions, particularly when it comes defense. The Gators, one of the best offenses in the nation in 2023-24, spent an overwhelming amount of time during the offseason and preseason working to improve a defense that ranked 94th overall last year. They were convinced they'd made significant strides on that front.
Allowing the opening-night opponent to go 13-for-27 from the 3-point line (48 percent) will be a topic of conversation Tuesday. Wednesday, also.
"I'm just not going to be OK with those type of results," Golden said.
No, but the early returns suggest the Gators have another explosive offense, thanks in great part to a couple senior returnees. Having back a pair of offensive mavens like Clayton (10 of 15 from the floor) and Richard (10 of 17) made for a better bus ride back to Gainesville.
"Basketball is a game of runs," Clayton said. "You have to be able to withstand those runs and get to doing things the way you do them. That's what we did."
Florida Men's Basketball | Rueben Chinyelu and Thomas Haugh Post Double-DoublesFlorida Men's Basketball | Rueben Chinyelu and Thomas Haugh Post Double-Doubles
