TAMPA — After a year filled with clutch shots in big moments, there was little surprise when the Gators turned to Erving Walker with their season on the line.
Behind the junior guard’s game-high 21 points, including 10 over the final four minutes, No. 2-seed Florida advanced to the Sweet 16 with a 73-65 win over seventh-seeded UCLA (23-11) on Saturday in the St. Pete Times Forum. The Gators (28-7) will face third-seeded BYU on Thursday in New Orleans after the Cougars scored an 89-67 win over Gonzaga on Saturday.
“Erv is fearless,” senior forward Chandler Parsons said. “Any time the guy shoots the ball, I think it’s going in. He’s got a knack for hitting big shots.”
With 3:58 remaining and the Gators up by three, the 5-foot-8 Walker drove the lane and hit an acrobatic jumper over 6-foot-10 UCLA center Joshua Smith.
Two minutes later, Walker corralled an inbounds pass near midcourt, gathered himself and drilled a three, stretching UF’s lead to four.
“He lives for moments when the games are tight,” sophomore guard Kenny Boynton said. “He has a big heart and he’s not scared to take the big shot.”
Walker’s work wasn’t done there.
With Florida ahead by four and less than 40 seconds to play, he twice beat the press, drew a foul and hit both free throws.
“He’s not afraid to fail,” senior center Vernon Macklin said. “He wants the ball in his hands at the end of the clock.”
Walker’s performance proved to be especially clutch following an injury to Boynton, who landed on Smith’s foot and twisted his left ankle after a jump shot.
Boynton checked out with about 4:30 left in the game, just before Walker’s run began.
Boynton wasn’t the only Gator trapped on the bench, as Vernon Macklin, Patric Young and Erik Murphy were all limited by foul trouble following intense, physical battles with Smith.
“Everybody is ready to come and step up,” Young said. “On any given night, somebody could have a great game.”
Seven different Gators scored at least seven points, with a total of 15 coming from UF’s bench.
With his frontcourt teammates in foul trouble, senior Alex Tyus stepped up and notched eight points and a game-high 13 rebounds in a season-high 33 minutes, providing the prowess on the glass he predicted UF would need.
“I’ve never met a guy who watches basketball and knows basketball like Alex Tyus,” Macklin said. “He actually said before the game, ‘This is one of those games I have to rebound. I have to rebound and go to the glass relentlessly.’ And that’s what he did.”
Saturday’s game, which featured 11 ties and 10 lead changes, was hotly contested from start to finish, as neither team led by more than five for the first 34 minutes, something the Gators have grown accustomed to in a season full of close calls.
“I’m kind of used to that feeling with, ‘Oh no, we might lose,’” Young said. “I’m getting used to that feeling because I know we’re going to come through in the end.”
INJURY UPDATE: Boynton’s injury has been diagnosed as a mild left ankle sprain, the sophomore guard said.
He briefly returned to action, but the pain severely limited him and coach Billy Donovan decided to keep him on the bench.
“I’m going to try to do therapy all day this week and be back by Thursday,” Boynton said.
