Saturday's Elite Eight takeaways: Duke slows down Sears
theScore runs down the top storylines and developments from Saturday's Elite Eight games and what it all could mean moving forward.
Walter Clayton, the closer
Maybe Todd Golden was onto something with the Steph Curry comparisons for Walter Clayton Jr.
"From a college version, I think it's applicable to say he's similar to Steph," the Florida coach told Lindsay Schnell of The Athletic earlier in the tournament. "His off-balance shooting, his ability to get his shot off at different times, and just his confidence to let it fly from deep. I think those things are very similar to Steph."
Clayton quickly shot down those comparisons during the same press conference, but he'll have a tough time doing that after Saturday's outrageous performance versus Texas Tech in the Elite Eight. The All-American guard scored 13 of the Gators' last 20 points in the final 5:30 of the contest to power an epic comeback win.
Clayton did his damage in various ways, but back-to-back triples in the final two minutes gave Florida a lead it wouldn't relinquish. It was similar to what the senior guard pulled off in the Round of 32 with eight points in the last three minutes versus UConn to oust the two-time defending champions.
It's important to note that it wasn't just Clayton who helped pull off the unthinkable comeback, as Thomas Haugh deserves almost as much shine. The standout reserve had 20 points, 11 rebounds, and two clutch threes - both assisted by Clayton - down the stretch.
However, it's clear everything runs through Clayton when the game is on the line for Florida. That scenario has to terrify the other Final Four participants next weekend.
Duke shuts down Sears
Duke and Alabama's showdown was the first Elite Eight matchup since 1989 in which both teams averaged at least 90 points per game in the NCAA Tournament. Each school cracked the century mark in the previous round, but there was bound to be some regression.
Nobody was hit harder than Crimson Tide star Mark Sears. Two nights after the sharpshooting guard erupted for 34 points against BYU, the Blue Devils held Sears to six points on 2-of-12 shooting, including a 1-of-5 clip from deep. It was his third-lowest scoring output of the season. Sears' first field goal of the contest came with 2:17 remaining in the first half.
Jon Scheyer's squad had an outstanding defensive performance, especially after being torched by other high-scoring guards this season, including Caleb Love in the Sweet 16. Duke wasn't going under screens and allowing Sears to launch threes like BYU did. The Blue Devils' guards maximized their size advantage, played with physicality, and funneled Sears into the paint where the towering Khaman Maluach awaited.
Sears couldn't capitalize on switches either, as Maluach or Cooper Flagg had the mobility and length to contain him. The Blue Devils gave Sears fits all evening, culminating in an offensive foul to cap a five-turnover showing.
Kneuppel has his shining moment
Flagg and Maluach aren't the only projected NBA lottery picks on Duke's roster. Kon Knueppel will be off the board early, too, with his Elite Eight performance versus Alabama cementing his status as one of the top prospects in this year's draft class.
Knueppel has brought his best basketball to the Big Dance. The 6-foot-7 wing posted his second straight 20-point outing, tallying a game-high 21 points, five boards, five assists, and three steals to lead the Blue Devils to their first Final Four under Scheyer. Knueppel and Flagg are the first pair of freshman teammates to each have a 20-point, 5-rebound, 5-assist game in the NCAA Tournament, according to college basketball statistician Jared Berson.
Knueppel starred on both ends of the floor. The All-ACC second-team selection set the tone early, knocking down a pair of catch-and-shoot threes. He drove to the basket with force and often finished over his smaller defenders. Kneuppel's ability to get into the lane created opportunities to find cutters or get to the charity stripe. The Wisconsin native was also clinical in the two-man game with Maluach, throwing countless lobs out of the pick-and-roll for his 7-foot-2 center.
Kneuppel's contributions went beyond the obvious categories in the box score. He hustled to save loose balls from going out of bounds, forced a tie-up on a Sears drive, frequently contested shots, and was always in the thick of the battle on the glass. Those intangibles will serve him well when he moves onto the next level later this year.
Script flipped on Texas Tech
One day, you're pulling off one of the biggest Sweet 16 comebacks in history. Less than 48 hours later, you're getting your hearts ripped out after blowing a nine-point lead in the final four minutes of an Elite Eight game. It's safe to say it's been a roller coaster of emotions for Texas Tech in the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
The Red Raiders advanced to the Elite Eight in incredible fashion with a 16-3 run down the stretch in Thursday's game against Arkansas. On Saturday, the script flipped entirely. Florida did the hunting, ending the contest on an 18-4 run to complete the shocking comeback win.
The lead was nine with three minutes to play. A Florida offensive rebound led to a triple. Two missed Texas Tech free throws during one-and-one opportunities handed the ball back to the Gators. They took full advantage with two more 3-pointers. That lead? Long gone.
Darrion Williams, the Sweet 16 hero, briefly restored Texas Tech's lead, but Clayton's last three of the night put Florida up for good.
Texas Tech played brilliantly for 35 of 40 minutes Saturday, taking a double-digit lead on a Florida team that has won 16 of its last 17 games. However, all it took was a missed assignment leading to an offensive rebound and two missed free throws to completely change the outcome of this all-time classic.