National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Florida 70, East Carolina 65
When: 7:00 PM ET, Thursday, December 14, 2023
Where: RP Funding Center, Lakeland, Florida
Officials: # Don Daily, # Olandis Poole, # Ron Groover
Attendance: 3073

Walter Clayton Jr. scored a game-high 22 points Thursday night and Tyrese Samuel added a key dunk down the stretch as Florida survived East Carolina's upset bid 70-65 at the Florida Tip-Off Classic in Lakeland, Fla.

Samuel rebounded Clayton's missed 3-pointer and dunked with 20.5 seconds left for a 69-65 lead. After the Pirates' Cam Hayes missed a 3-pointer, Alex Condon rebounded, drew a foul and made one of two free throws with 11 seconds remaining to cap the scoring.

Samuel and Zyon Pullin added 11 points for the Gators (7-3), while Will Richard contributed 10. Condon grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds as Florida dominated the glass to the tune of 51-32, hauling in 21 offensive boards that led to 16 points.

RJ Felton and Ezra Ausar each scored 14 points to pace East Carolina (6-5), while Brandon Johnson chipped in a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double. Bobby Pettiford added 11 points, five assists and five steals before being carried off the floor late in the game with an ankle injury.

The Gators nearly cost themselves the game with poor foul shooting. They were only 15-of-28 at the line, including 12-of-22 in the second half.

The main storyline in the first half was the play of Clayton, who was playing minutes away from the high school (Bartow) where he won two state titles.

Beginning with a layup at the 18:21 mark, Clayton ripped off 10 straight points in a 2:09 span. That included a 3-pointer and an old-fashioned three-point play off a drive to the goal that helped Florida establish a 14-8 lead at the first TV timeout.

Clayton heated up again later in the half after East Carolina drew within 25-21 with 6:35 left on Jaden Walker's long 3-pointer. Clayton followed with back-to-back 3-pointers off Pullin feeds for a 31-21 Gators lead -- their biggest of the night.

Clayton finished a 20-point half with a layup with 4:50 remaining and Florida took a 37-30 cushion to the break.

--Field Level Media

Top Game Performances
 
East Carolina   Florida
Ezra Ausar 14 Scoring Walter Clayton Jr 22
Bobby Pettiford Jr. 5 Assists Zyon Pullin 7
Brandon Johnson 10 Rebounds Alex Condon 10
Ezra Ausar 4 Free Throws Made Alex Condon 6
Bobby Pettiford Jr. 5 Steals Walter Clayton Jr 2
RJ Felton 2 Blocks Will Richard 3
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
East Carolina 65 39.7 7-22 8-12 11 29 3 12 12
Florida 70 41.0 5-20 15-28 13 49 7 7 18