For 20 minutes, it seemed like Florida basketball was headed for another frustrating night. With star guard Walter Clayton sidelined by an ankle injury sustained against Tennessee, the Gators trailed Vanderbilt at halftime.
The second half remained a tense back-and-forth affair—until an unlikely hero emerged to shift the momentum.
Florida Basketball: Next Man Up
One of the season's early subplots centered on the eligibility of sophomore guard Urban Klavzar. After the NCAA reviewed his prior participation in European leagues, and he wasn't cleared in time to open the season. Expected to bolster Florida's three-point shooting—a glaring weakness last season—Klavzar saw limited action early, logging only six total minutes in SEC play before Tuesday.
But with the Gators locked in a stalemate against Vanderbilt and neither team having led by more than five, Klavzar seized his moment. Up by three with 8:47 remaining, he drained a clutch three-pointer to ignite the crowd. Moments later, he sprinted open in transition and buried another triple, stretching Florida's lead to nine.
Afterward, head coach Todd Golden praised Klavzar's readiness:
"I told him if you don't shoot when you're open, you're going to come out of the game. I thought he passed up one in the first half in front of the bench, he drove the baseline, took a tough floater. I was like, dude, you got to shoot that 3. You were open, you're one of the best shooters I've seen, let it fly."
The win kept Florida's SEC title hopes alive, but the path grows steeper this weekend. The Gators face No. 1 Auburn on the road Saturday in a pivotal top-10 showdown. If Clayton is out, Florida's depth—and perhaps more surprise contributions—will need to shine to topple the Tigers.
Klavzar's breakout performance not only salvaged a rocky night but served as a reminder of the roster's untapped potential. As Golden put it, "Those were huge, huge shots for us. And I'm very proud of him."