Walter Clayton Jr. has carried the Florida Gators to their first Final Four since 2014, and now they have a shot at the national championship.

On Saturday night, Clayton and No. 1 seed Florida defeated the SEC foe and No. 1 seed Auburn Tigers 79-73 in the national semifinals.

Auburn took a 46-38 lead into halftime, but thanks to Clayton’s 20 second-half points, Florida was able to storm back quickly and secure the win. Clayton, a senior guard from Lake Wales, Fla., finished the night with 34 points on 11-of-18 shooting, four rebounds and two assists.

Although he was a consensus All-American, Clayton received some disappointing news ahead of the big game.

Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr.

Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

On Sunday, Cooper Flagg, who saw his Duke Blue Devils fall to Houston in the Final Four, was awarded the Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year award, going to the best college basketball player in the country. 

Averaging 18.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists this season, Clayton was named a finalist for the prestigious award, but instead, it went to the likely No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft. Auburn’s Johni Broome and Purdue’s Braden Smith were also named finalists.

“The Most Outstanding Player in College Basketball,” Naismith Awards wrote on X. “Congratulations to Cooper Flagg of Duke on being named our 2025 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Men’s College Player of the Year.”

Although Flagg won the Naismith Trophy, Clayton is looking for something bigger as Florida chases its first national championship since going back-to-back in 2006 and 2007.

Florida will take on No. 1 seed Houston Cougars in the title game on Monday at 8:50 p.m. ET on CBS.