Florida Gators Capture Third Championship in Nail-Biting Finish Against Houston

Florida triumphed over Houston with a dramatic 65-63 victory, halting the Cougars’ final attempt in the closing moments and dashing their dreams of a maiden title. This win marks the Gators’ third championship triumph, their first since consecutive victories in 2006 and 2007.

Houston, with an impressive 35-5 record, was in control early in the second half, pulling ahead 42-30 after leading 31-28 at halftime. However, true to their tournament form, Todd Golden’s Gators persisted, rallying with a decisive 12-3 surge that tightened the score to 45-42.

As the clock wound down, the gap between the teams never stretched beyond three points in the final 8:31 of play. Florida claimed its first advantage since nearly 15 minutes into the first half with only 46 seconds left on the clock. Remarkably, the Gators led for just 64 seconds, while Houston was ahead for 30 minutes and 44 seconds.

In a game characterized by relentless ties, the score was knotted 12 times, yet the championship only witnessed three lead shifts.

The first half saw merely four fouls, but the pace shifted with Houston committing 16 in the second half, while Florida accounted for nine. Crucially, 15 of Florida’s 37 second-half points came from free throws, including their final five points.

Houston’s ball security faltered in the final moments, with five turnovers occurring in the last two minutes, which proved decisive as Florida capitalized on the errors. The Gators, having struggled with nine turnovers in the first half, showed discipline in the second with only four mistakes.

Walter Clayton Jr. shone brightly, earning the Most Outstanding Player accolade following his 34-point performance against Auburn in the Final Four, along with contributing 11 points and seven assists in this matchup. Will Richard was instrumental, energizing the Gators with 14 first-half points and concluding the game as the team’s top scorer with 18 points.