florida crowned champions
The Florida Gators have officially completed their title run for the 2025 NCAA basketball national championship. They faced off against the Houston Cougars in San Antonio. Florida defeated Auburn in the final four, while Houston upset Duke in a wild comeback win to advance to the championship.
It was apparent early on that this game would be a defensive battle. Both teams struggled to shoot early on. Notably, Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. was kept off the board for the entire first half. Clayton was coming off of a 34 point performance in the final four against Auburn.
The low scoring first half ended at 28-31 in Houston’s favor. Will Richard held the struggling Gators in this game with 15 first half points.
The second half started with Houston pulling away. They took a commanding 12 point lead four minutes into the half with a 42-30 lead. Houston held Florida at arms length until the Gators tied it up at 48 a piece with 7:54 left to play.
The rest of the game was filled with lead changes as both teams began hitting shots. The game stayed within three points until the conclusion. The first Florida lead came with 46 seconds left in the game when they took a 64-63 lead.
Houston's Emanuel Sharp turned the ball over, which forced the Cougard’s to put Florida guard Denzel Aberdeen on the free throw line with the chance to make it a three point game. Aberdeen missed the first free throw, but made the second to make it 65-63 with 19 seconds to go.
The Cougars dribbled the clock down to get the final shot. The ball got to Emanual Sharp with a chance at redemption. He rose up for the shot, but Walter Clayton JR. fought off of a screen to contest the shot. Sharp put the ball on the floor instead of shooting, which forced a scramble for the ball. Florida’s Alex Condon came out of the pile with the ball as time expired.
This marks Florida’s third national championship for their basketball program, and their first since 2007. They have now become the only school to win three national championships in basketball, and football.
Third year head coach Todd Golden has become the youngest head coach to win a national championship at age since 1983 when Jim Valvano won at 37 years old.
Walter Clayton JR. was named most outstanding player of the final four, in large part due to his performance against Auburn. He put up 11 points, five rebounds, and seven assists in the championship game after being held scoreless in the first half.
Mason Garcia
DiSportsPhotoAgency
Associate Writer
