The Florida Gators defeated the Houston Cougars in a nail-biter for the ages to claim the 2025 NCAA title. Florida had to mount another comeback in the second half, like they have done numerous times throughout the tournament, but their resilience paid off in the end. Despite Florida star guard, Walter Clayton Jr. struggling to break down Houston’s stingy defense, the Gators were able to find other areas to exploit. However, Clayton Jr. answered the bell when it was needed the most. He hit a key three-point shot to tie the game at 60 with 3:14 remaining. This shot also lit a fire underneath the Gators and they never looked back as they remained aggressive defensively and made the Cougars take uncomfortable and contested shots down the stretch.
There were plenty of moments throughout the game where Florida seemed dead in the water. Especially to start the second half when they were called for multiple fouls along with a technical foul when their assistant coaches reacted to what they thought was an incorrect call. Still, the Gators remained vigilant and never faltered. In the end, they showed why they were favored to win the tournament and why they had came back from multiple deficits throughout the tournament.
Florida Gators Win Men’s 2025 NCAA Championship
Notable Performers in the Championship Game
There were a few key performers for Florida in the championship against Houston. One player is Will Richard. Richard was one of the more reliable players in the second half and helped spark the Gators run. He finished with 18 points (14 of which came in the second half), eight rebounds, one block, and also shot 50.0 percent from the floor. Another integral player to Florida’s historic night was Alex Condon. Condon had a tough test dealing with Houston’s lengthy frontcourt consisting of Joseph Tugler and J’Wan Roberts. Despite a physical battle, Condon persevered and still made some key plays. He finished with a respectable stat-line of 12 points, four steals, and seven total rebounds. Condon was also 5-9 from the field.
A ton of credit also has to go to head coach, Todd Golden. Golden has been solid throughout the tournament and the championship game was no exception. Patience finally paid off for he and the Florida Gators. His analytics-like philosophy was instrumental in the end for Florida. His coaching future is extremely bright after the success Golden found this year. The Florida Gators were the best college basketball team this season and they proved it in their exciting championship game against the Houston Cougars.
