Walter Clayton Jr. scores 21 points, Florida holds off LSU 82-80

1:49

Florida hold on for home win over LSU

Florida hold on for home win over LSU


GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- — Walter Clayton Jr. scored 21 points and Florida held off LSU for an 82-80 victory on Tuesday night.

Tyrese Samuel split a pair of free throws and Clayton added a layup to give Florida an 81-78 lead with 20 seconds left. The Gators' Alex Condon made the first of two free throws to cap the scoring with nine seconds to play. Jordan Wright missed a jumper to end it.

Florida had its largest lead, 60-40 with 15:31 to play. LSU pulled within single digits with 8:48 remaining. Jalen Cook and Tyrell Ward later each hit a 3-pointer to bookend a 16-5 run to tie it 78-all with 1:33 left.

Tyrese Samuel scored 15 points and Zyon Pullin added 14 for Florida (17-7, 7-4 SEC), which has won six of seven. The Gators shot 67% (20 of 30) in the first half but cooled to 34% (13 of 38) in the second.

Wright and Will Baker scored 16 points apiece to lead LSU (12-12, 4-7). Cook and Ward each made three from long range and finished with 12 points apiece. The Tigers shot 62.5% (15 of 24) and 6 of 9 from distance in the second half.

Florida took the lead for good about four minutes in and led 48-34 at the break. Clayton scored 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting. Baker made a pair of 3s and scored 13 first-half points for LSU.

Florida plays at Georgia on Saturday. LSU, which has lost three straight and six of its last seven, plays at No. 11 South Carolina on Saturday.

——- Get poll alerts and updates on AP Top 25 basketball throughout the season. Sign up here ------ AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball