Chomp, chomp: Florida has a knack for rallying from deficits and coming through in crunch time
Chomp, chomp: Florida has a knack for rallying from deficits and coming through in crunch time
Florida guard Alijah Martin sits on the court after defeating Texas Tech in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Florida forward Thomas Haugh celebrates their win over Texas Tech in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. (1) shoots a three pointer over Texas Tech forward Darrion Williams (5) during the second half in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Florida head coach Todd Golden does the Gator Chomp after cutting down the net after defeating Texas Tech in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Florida head coach Todd Golden does the Gator Chomp after cutting down the net after defeating Texas Tech in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Florida guard Alijah Martin sits on the court after defeating Texas Tech in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Florida forward Thomas Haugh celebrates their win over Texas Tech in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)
Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. (1) shoots a three pointer over Texas Tech forward Darrion Williams (5) during the second half in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Florida head coach Todd Golden does the Gator Chomp after cutting down the net after defeating Texas Tech in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Beware: these Gators bite, especially when they feel threatened.
Florida, which has shown a knack for wearing down opponents all season, has become the ultimate closer in the NCAA Tournament. Late-game rallies against two-time defending national champion UConn in the second round and against Texas Tech in the Elite Eight have the Gators (34-4) believing that no hole is too deep for this gritty group.
Advertisement
Coach Todd Golden pointed to confidence and maturity as the keys to his team's penchant for comebacks. He also joked that having All-American guard Walter Clayton Jr. on the floor makes a huge difference.
'It's our ability to not get too high or too low,' Golden said Tuesday.
Golden clearly would prefer to have his team get off to a better start when it faces fellow Southeastern Conference foe Auburn (32-5) — the Gators won their first meeting in February — to open the Final Four in San Antonio on Saturday. But he's seen enough to know there's no reason to panic if Florida falls behind.
After all, these Gators have looked fairly harmless for the first 20, 30 or even 35 minutes of games before attacking with a frenzy.
Advertisement
Just ask UConn or Texas Tech. Or Alabama, Georgia, LSU and South Carolina. The Gators overcame daunting deficits against all of them.
'Undying belief,' Clayton said. 'It goes to show how together we all are. Many times (we) could easily just break, start pointing the finger, blaming each other for this and that. But we just stayed together through the end and stayed the course.'
None of Florida's rallies have been as impressive as its latest one. The Gators trailed Texas Tech 71-61 with 5:30 to play when Clayton took over. The senior made three 3-pointers, a layup and two free throws down the stretch. He also dished out two assists by finding Thomas Haugh for open 3s.
'Instead of letting our emotions get the best of us or pointing fingers, we did a good job staying the course,' Golden said. 'Obviously our guys did a good job understanding it's now or never and made every big play down the stretch.'
Advertisement
Added Haugh: 'When you've got guards like these guys, the game's never over. It's just wild.'
Florida ranks second in the country in second-half scoring margin, a clear indication of the team's coaching/talent/depth combination. The Gators wore down against Alabama and Tennessee in the SEC tournament last month and did the same to the Huskies and Maryland in NCAA play.
UConn led much of the game until Clayton stepped up in the closing minutes. The Terrapins held tough early — they trailed 40-38 at halftime — before Florida made a few adjustments at the beak and dominated the second half.
It's hardly anything new for Golden's group, either.
Advertisement
The Gators nearly beat Missouri in mid-January despite trailing by 19. They rallied to shock South Carolina a week later after being down 14 in the second half. Although less dramatic, they did something similar at LSU in late February. Down eight in the second half, Florida flipped a switch and routed the Tigers the rest of the way.
Golden's squad nearly pulled off another stunner three days later. After trailing by 26 in the first half, Florida fought back to take a lead at Georgia before Cain Blue hit a dagger 3 with a minute to play.
'Again, the consistency, the maturity and their belief in each other is a big part of that,' Golden said.
Golden has spent three years rebuilding Florida, which is in the Final Four for the first time since 2014. He ended up with three senior guards — Clayton, Will Richard and Florida Atlantic transfer Alijah Martin — who comprise the core of the team. Each of them has made plays to spark comebacks, although Richard and Martin have so far taken a backseat to Clayton in the postseason.
Advertisement
Still, the trio is the main reason these Gators have won 10 in a row and have a shot at a third national title and first since going back-to-back in 2006-07. And all of them have the potential to chomp, especially in crunch time.
'Guys could just break apart during those moments,' Clayton said. 'We all stay the course, stay together. And I think that just goes to show the togetherness of the team, the love we have for each other to get through those tough times.'
___
AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Big Hunter Dickinson News Emerges Before NBA Draft
Big Hunter Dickinson News Emerges Before NBA Draft originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Hunter Dickinson was one of the more productive big men over his five-year college basketball career. He played three years with the Michigan Wolverines, then spent his final two seasons with the Kansas Jayhawks. Advertisement Dickinson began his college career by earning consensus second-team All-American honors in 2021. During his time at Michigan, he helped lead the team to two NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen appearances, including one trip to the Elite Eight. A three-time All-Big Ten selection—twice named to the first team—he led Michigan in both scoring and rebounding in each of his three seasons. Dickinson then transferred to Kansas, where he was named a 2024 All-American and earned first-team All-Big 12 honors. Granted a fifth year of eligibility, Dickinson again was named to the first-team All-Big 12 in 2025 after posting 17.4 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. The Jayhawks, ranked No. 1 in the preseason Top 25, had a disappointing season, finishing 21-13 after losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Kansas Jayhawks Center Hunter DickinsonWilliam Purnell-Imagn Images Despite his impressive college résumé, Dickinson is not included in ESPN's list of the top 100 draft prospects. He was also left off the list of 75 players invited to the 2025 NBA Combine and was not among the 45 participants selected for the 2025 NBA G League Elite Camp. Advertisement However, Dickinson recently got another chance to show off his skills before the draft. According to The Athletic's Will Guillory, the New Orleans Pelicans hosted Dickinson for a pre-draft workout on Thursday. Along with Dickinson, the Pelicans also worked out North Carolina's RJ Davis, Arkansas' Johnell Davis and Wisconsin's Steven Crowl. Even with a roster that includes star players Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, New Orleans finished the 2024-25 season with a 21-61 record. Defense was one of the Pelican's biggest deficiencies. They had the lowest defensive rebounding percentage and gave up the second-most points in the paint. The Pelicans also ranked last in defensive efficiency, last in transition defense and 29th in rim protection this season. Advertisement New Orleans' lone draft pick in the upcoming NBA draft is the No. 7 overall selection. Related: Seth Trimble's Strong Response After North Carolina Teammate Transfers to Rival This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
27 minutes ago
- New York Times
Buyers eye Tampa Bay Rays as hedge fund founder Trip Miller says he also made recent offer
While the Tampa Bay Rays announced this week that they are in 'exclusive discussions' about a potential sale of the team with a group led by Jacksonville-based real estate developer Patrick Zalupski, another possible contender has emerged to attempt a purchase of the club. Memphis hedge fund founder Trip Miller has formed a group that made an all-cash offer to current Rays owner Stu Sternberg last week, he told The Athletic, noting the group's willingness to up their offer if needed. He did not say what amount his group bid, and said he could not reveal who was in his group, citing an NDA. Advertisement 'We made an offer last week,' Miller said. 'We have had contact with the club over the past month, specifically about our offer. If there is an exclusivity period that expires soon, and I don't know when it expires, we would welcome the opportunity to have a deeper discussion with the Rays about our offer.' The Rays declined to discuss Miller's potential involvement, as did Zalupski via text message. MLB declined comment as well. However, the offer from Miller's group could loom over the negotiations with Zalupski, which have yet to be finalized. It is unclear if there are other groups or individuals interested in purchasing the team. Miller has been linked to the Rays in the past. In 2023, Forbes reported that the Gullane Capital Partners founder had put together a group looking to purchase the team for $1.85 billion. Sternberg rebuffed a sale at the time. The magazine valued the franchise at just $1.25 billion earlier this year. Miller said he believes the team will sell for more than $1.5 billion, and that the overall investment will require at least $3 billion. That would include the cost of the team, plus an additional $1.5 billion needed to fund a new stadium. Their intent would be to leave Tropicana Field and build a new ballpark, Miller said, with the caveat of first ensuring a productive partnership with local government. In any hypothetical sale, Miller said, his intent would be to keep the team local, specifically mentioning Hillsborough County (Tampa) or Pinellas County (St. Petersburg), while not fully ruling out exploring options in Orlando. 'This is not a relocation play to another state,' Miller said. 'You won't see the Rays relocating out of Central Florida, whether it was our group or another group. 'The league, that's what they're looking for. Someone who can not only buy the club, but solves the stadium problem.' Advertisement Zalupski's group reportedly offered $1.7 billion for the team, as first reported by Sportico. Miller noted that he believed their offer to be lower than that, and that Zalupski's group was still raising capital. 'I do know they're still out there raising money, and I know that because we've been contacted by people in their group to fill the void in their cap stack, on three occasions over the last three weeks. We were reached out directly and through intermediaries.' When asked if he believed Sternberg could be hoping to leverage the competing offers into a bidding war, Miller said, 'I think he wants to make sure if there is a transaction, that he is maximizing the value of the club.' 'We are fully funded, and frankly over-funded,' Miller said. 'We believe that this will trade in some range, and if it gets out of that range then we're not interested. We're not going to over-pay for the club in our opinion.' Miller declined to disclose what he believed would be an overpay. Last July, the Rays announced a $1.3 billion stadium agreement with the St. Petersburg City Council and Pinellas County Commission. However, that deal is no longer in place after a chaotic last eight months, which culminated in Sternberg's intention to sell the team he's owned since 2004. Hurricane Milton ripped the roof off Tropicana Field in October. As a result, both St. Petersburg and Pinellas County delayed approval on the funding for the new stadium, citing more immediate concerns. The Rays, frustrated about the delay, signaled that it would create cost overruns that prohibit construction from ever beginning. Even though the stadium funding was fully approved by January, the Rays formally pulled out of the deal in March. It's a move that might have actually raised the value of the team, Miller said, because it gives any new owner 'optionality' over what to do next. Advertisement Local politicians were calling for Sternberg to sell the team, while several owners were privately encouraging the same, according to a report from The Athletic's Evan Drellich. It became clear that the league wanted an owner committed to keeping the team in the Tampa Bay region, which no longer was a given under Sternberg. The Rays' lease at Tropicana Field expires in 2029. The team is playing its 2025 season at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, the spring training home of the New York Yankees. They intend to move back to their old home next season, and commissioner Rob Manfred indicated that the renovations to the ballpark are on track to be ready in time. (Top photo of Sternberg with MLB commissioner Rob Manfred: Brian Blanco / Getty Images)
Miami Herald
33 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Former Pac-12 Assistant Joins HBCU Hoops Contender
Alabama A&M just made a power move. Head coach Dawn Thornton announced the addition of veteran coach Paul Reed as the program's new associate head coach. The hire brings high-major experience, a reputation for developing talent, and a Pac-12 résumé packed with postseason success to HBCU women's basketball on The Hill. Reed, whose coaching stops include Cal, Washington, and Long Beach State, steps into the Bulldogs' program with a clear mandate. To elevate the team's culture and competitiveness in the SWAC. "We are thrilled to welcome Paul Reed as our Associate Head Coach," said Thornton. "Paul brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of developing talent and building winning programs. His dedication to fostering strong relationships with players and his commitment to excellence on and off the court make him an invaluable addition to our team." This is more than a résumé hire-it's a statement of intent. A&M is aiming higher. Reed spent last season in a support role at St. Mary's. Still, his most impactful recent work came at the University of Washington. He helped steer the Huskies to a Pac-12 Tournament quarterfinal appearance. That run included a decisive 68–54 upset of No. 6-seed Colorado. At UW, Reed didn't just collect wins-he developed stars. Three Huskies earned All-Pac-12 honors under his watch, and an impressive 11 players landed spots on the Pac-12 All-Academic Team. Before Washington, Reed was part of a resurgent Long Beach State program that tallied 69 wins in three seasons, racked up three straight 20-win campaigns, and earned a Big West Tournament title in 2017 to punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament. The years prior brought back-to-back WNIT berths, showcasing his consistency in keeping programs competitive deep into March. Before his collegiate coaching climb, Reed dominated the Arizona high school basketball scene. At Cienega High School, he went 45–13 in two seasons and was named Southern Arizona Coach of the Year after leading the Bobcats to a regional title and state runner-up finish in 2014. Go further back, and the trail continues at Tucson High, where Reed stacked four state tournament appearances, three regional championships, and a 129–63 record across six seasons. He's been building programs from the grassroots up for decades, mentoring McDonald's All-American nominees and directing offseason player development for top high school and college athletes in the Tucson area. And while most know him for his basketball mind, Reed is also a former USA Today Small College All-American defensive back at Langston University, an HBCU in Oklahoma, where he earned his degree in psychology before adding a master's in education from the University of Phoenix. This is a high-level chess move for Alabama A&M women's basketball. Reed isn't just a sideline veteran-he's a culture shifter. He's walked the halls of Power 4 programs, coached in packed March Madness arenas, and still has the recruiting chops to bring top-tier talent into the fold. For an HBCU program looking to make noise in the SWAC and beyond, Paul Reed might be the X-factor. The post Former Pac-12 Assistant Joins HBCU Hoops Contender appeared first on HBCU Gameday. Copyright HBCU Gameday 2012-2025
