THE FLORIDA Gators have advanced through to the Final Four of the NCAA National Tournament after defeating the Texas Tech Red Raiders by five points in the Elite Eight over the weekend.

The Gators are widely expected to go deep into the National Tournament after a strong season, but got a fair scare from the Red Raiders, who pushed Florida deep into the second half. Texas Tech even led by as many as nine points late in the piece, before the Gators’ star guard rescued his side with a late flurry of triples to ensure his side advanced to the next stage of the tournament and avoided the upset.

With that in mind, Rookie Me Central will be casting an eye over how the key players performed in the match, as some of the NCAAM’s best and brightest continue to display their craft on a nightly basis.

Florida Gators (84) def. Texas Tech Red Raiders (79)

FLORIDA GATORS:

#1 Walter Clayton Jr.
Guard | 06/03/2003 | 191cm

The hero of the match, Clayton Jr. saved the day with a late offensive surge to drag the Gators off the canvas and over the line in a memorable outing. The guard was well-held for much of the contest when shooting the ball, with much of his offence coming from the charity stripe, where he shot 13/14 in a composed display. However, he nailed back to back three-pointers late in the second half to breathe some life into Florida’s championship hopes, showing why he is one of the best big-game players in the NCAA. He finished with 30 points, the most of any player on the court, but it was the timeliness of his makes that proved the most vital.

#10 Thomas Haugh
Forward | 01/01/2005 | 206cm

A standout performance off the bench, Haugh was integral to the Gators getting over the line and was a physical force against the Red Raiders. He played 30 minutes for the match, and was used to close out the match alongside the starting lineup. Haugh’s work on the offensive end was a massive positive for Florida, and his presence around the perimeter was sublime too. The forward nailed four triples on six attempts, and added a different dimension to the team’s offence, especially during the patches in which Clayton was struggling from the field. Haugh finished with a double-double of 20 points and 11 rebounds in a performance that was instrumental to the Gators advancing.

#21 Alex Condon
Forward | 25/07/2004 | 211cm

The Aussie was again quiet on the stat sheet but also important in terms of team structure and played his role to perfection. Despite coming into the clash under an injury cloud from a tweaked ankle, he was deemed fit to play and the Gators were better for it. Although his numbers do not jump off the page, his grit and determination were purely on display in the second half, where he pulled down two massive offensive rebounds as the Gators mounted their matchwinning comeback. Condon finished with seven points and seven rebounds in a performance that was full of heart.

TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS:

#5 Darrion Williams
Forward | 23/04/2003 | 198cm

Williams was tremendous on the wings, proving the Red Raiders’ most reliable source of scoring throughout the course of the match. His reliability on the offensive end and ability to score both off the catch and off the dribble was a big reason why Texas Tech built a near-matchwinning lead in the second half. Although not his best shooting performance, he remained aggressive with his attack on the basket and generated plenty of scores in the paint, showing no fear of the opposition bigs. He poured in 23 points on 9/18 shooting from the field in a performance that was probably deserving of a win.

#15 JT Toppin
Forward | 14/06/2005 | 206cm

The Red Raiders star was in the thick of it once again, posting a big double-double and having his say throughout the first 25 minutes of play. He was a preferred option for Texas Tech on the offensive end, with his teammates looking to get the ball into his hands in halfcourt sets. Toppin has also showed the ability to stretch the floor with two made triples on three attempts and was instrumental in getting the Red Raiders into a winning position. He delivered 20 points and 11 rebounds to cap off an impressive season after transferring from Mexico State.