Red Raiders' March Madness Final Four Bid Falls Short 84-79 to Florida

The Florida Gators rallied from a 75-66 deficit with three minutes left to beat the Texas Tech Red Raiders 84-79 in the Elite Eight Round of the NCAA Tournament at Chase Center in San Francisco, California, on Saturday night.

The Gators will now advance to the Final Four for the sixth time in program history. 

Senior guard Walter Clatyon Jr. saved the top-seeded Gators with two late 3-pointers.

“It goes to show how together we all are,” Clayton said. “Many times 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. And thankfully, we got it done today.”

Florida completed a comeback similar to what the Red Raiders poured on Arkansas in the Sweet 16.

Clayton was being defended in the paint with 59 seconds left when he dribbled outside and hit a fadeaway 3-pointer to give Florida a 78-77 lead that they would not relinquish. The Gators will face the South Region champion next Saturday. That will be either Auburn or Michigan State.

The Red Raiders fell short of their second-ever Final Four trip after being on the wrong end of a late rally. Tech rallied from 13 points down in the final five minutes against the Razorbacks.

Chance Williams scored 23 to lead Texas Tech and JT Toppin poured in 20. 

"I'm thankful," Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland said. "I'm just thankful that this group of guys, I think, did get a taste and did get to see what it means to really love your teammates the way that I think God tells us to give everything we have. And I mean it. Like, how do you give everything you have? How do you lay down your life? How do you sacrifice for other people? How do you love other people in a real way? I think that's what builds from year to year.

"I believe that's the heart of the guys that we have and that's what will be the most important part of these rosters is that heart. We'll be able to do it with the guys that we'll have returning because of it."

The Red Raiders will return to Lubbock with their heads held high after an impressive season and tournament run.

"I think we accomplished a lot," Williams said. "We were picked to finish seventh in conference. If anybody told you they thought we would be in the Elite Eight they would be lying to you, besides our team and our inner circle. At the end of the day, it hurts right now. We look back at it, feel like we could have went farther but I think overall we had a good season."

"Nobody picked us to be here," Toppin added. "Just to look back at it now, I'm proud and I just love my teammates. I'm sad about the outcome."

McCasland knows his kids gave it their all and couldn't be more proud.

"He's a hard cover," McCasland said. "He's just so difficult. He can hurt you in so many different ways. He's dynamic at shooting. But he's crafty in his change of pace. They do such a good job of moving the ball."

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