No. 4 Florida secured a spot in the SEC Tournament semifinals Friday night with a commanding 95-81 victory over No. 21 Missouri. The second-seeded Gators (28-4) never trailed, riding hot shooting and balanced scoring to avenge their only home loss of the season.
Walter Clayton Jr. led Florida with 18 points, while Will Richard and Alijah Martin each added 17. The Gators shot an impressive 62% from the field and 38% from three-point range, keeping Missouri at bay throughout the contest.
Tamar Bates paced seventh-seeded Missouri (22-11) with 16 points, his second straight strong performance in the tournament. Anthony Robinson II and Tony Perkins each added 13 points, but the Tigers struggled without junior star Mark Mitchell, who sat out with a knee injury.
Florida wasted no time imposing its will, jumping out to a 10-0 lead. Missouri fought back but trailed 50-37 at halftime. The Tigers managed to close the gap to four points in the second half, but the Gators quickly responded, sealing the win with efficient shooting and strong defense.
With 9:01 remaining, Martin extended Florida’s lead to 10 with a powerful dunk off a long pass from Richard. The play energized the Gators and helped them pull away for good.
Missouri forced 16 Florida turnovers and turned them into 22 points, keeping the game competitive despite the Gators’ hot shooting. However, Florida’s efficiency proved too much to overcome.
Florida advances to the semifinals, where they will face No. 5 Alabama, a 99-70 winner over Kentucky. The Gators will look to complete a season sweep of the Crimson Tide and secure a spot in the SEC title game. Meanwhile, Missouri now awaits its NCAA Tournament fate on Selection Sunday.
