Todd Golden says Walter Clayton’s ability to rise to occasion is ‘what makes Walt special’

The bigger the moment the more locked in Florida point guard Walter Clayton seems to get. The NCAA Tournament has been his proving ground of late.

Without him, Florida might not still be dancing. Instead, the Gators are set to take on top-seeded Auburn in the Final Four, the program’s first trip to the Final Four since 2014.

Things seemed bleak for Florida against Texas Tech in the Elite Eight. The team trailed 75-66 with fewer than three minutes to play.

Then Walter Clayton flipped on the switch. He found Thomas Haugh on a picture-perfect pass, and the Florida big man drained a 3-pointer. It was 75-69 Red Raiders at that point.

Moments later, the two did it again, with Clayton assisting Haugh for another 3-pointer. Suddenly it was 75-72 and the game felt within reach again.

Fast forward another possession and Clayton would tie it up with a triple of his own, 75-75. The Red Raiders once again jumped out in front with a layup. Then the real heroics started.

Walter Clayton got the ball all the way inside the lane. On a dime, he cut back out to the top of the 3-point line. He whipped around and fired. BANG. Florida was up 78-77 with less than a minute to play.

“You always want a veteran that’s experienced, that’s a great player, to be able to lead your team in those moments,” coach Todd Golden told CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein. “And Walter’s done that for us all year. So when he pulled that first three and knocked it down to tie the game, and then we go down two and he dribbles it back out and stops and pops off a quick kind of 180 turnaround, those are big-time shots that only a big-time player like him can take and make.”

Indeed. Few were as hot as Walter Clayton in March.

He was also instrumental in the team’s come-from-behind win against UConn in the Round of 32, draining two key 3-pointers down the stretch. Crunch time just seems to activate him.

“In those moments, and it’s what makes Walt special, he’s able to just kind of contain his emotions and never get too high, never get too low,” Golden said. “As he’s proven over these past couple weeks, no moment is too big for him.”

If Florida’s going to reach its first national championship game since 2007, it’ll likely need Walter Clayton to rise to the occasion again. Auburn is an elite team and will pull out all the stops.

But if the last few weeks are any indication, Clayton will be right there ready to meet the challenge. He’s just been that guy… and that good.

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