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ESPN Reporter Laura Rutledge's Blunt Admission About Florida-Texas Tech Game

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Angelo Guinhawa | Last updated Mar 29, 2025 10:33 PM ET

ESPN reporter Laura Rutledge graduated from the University of Florida, so there was no question where her loyalty lies when the Florida Gators played the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the NCAA Tournament on Saturday.

However, even Rutledge couldn't help but be scared during the Elite Eight game, especially when it looked like the top-seeded Gators were on the verge of a colossal upset.

Rutledge admitted as much following Florida's 84-79 win, posting on X that the game gave her a "stomach ache."

"Ok well that game gave me a stomach ache but YAY GO GATORS," Rutledge wrote while tagging Florida's official X account.

Ok well that game gave me a stomach ache but YAY GO GATORS @GatorsMBK
— Laura Rutledge (@LauraRutledge) March 30, 2025

No one can blame Laura Rutledge for feeling that way, though. After all, it certainly looked like Florida was about to collapse after Texas Tech started the second half with an 8-2 run and had a 10-point lead (71-61) with less than six minutes remaining.

After a furious rally that saw the Gators cut the Red Raiders' lead to just 75-72 with 2:27 left to play, Walter Clayton Jr. drained a triple to tie the game. The 22-year-old guard then sank another long-distance bomb following a Texas Tech score to take the 78-77 advantage with 59 seconds remaining on the clock.

From there, the Gators held on to book their ticket to the Final Four.

It was definitely a wild turn of events, but in the end, the Gators proved they can step up and win even when the going gets tough.

Now, the march toward the NCAA championship continues for the Gators, with Rutledge and all of the Florida faithful cheering for them.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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