Florida Stuns Houston Late, Grinds Out 65-63 NCAA Final Win

The University of Florida Gators won their third ever NCAA men's basketball championship with a thrilling 65-63 win over the Houston Cougars on Monday night from San Antonio.

The Houston Cougars lost the NCAA Championship game in the same fashion that they won their semifinal game against the Duke Blue Devils.

Against Duke, the Cougars trailed the majority of the game before taking a late lead and holding on. Against Florida, the Cougars relinquished their lead late and Florida held on for a 65-63 victory.

The game was close early on, with Will Richards' corner triple tying things up at 21 with 6:02 remaining in the opening half. The Cougars responded with an 8-0 burst in the span of 48 seconds - a three from LJ Cryer, an alley-oop from Emanuel Sharp to Mylik Wilson, and a corner triple off the glass from Wilson.

Richards' triple over a contesting Cryer with 52.4 seconds remaining in the half got the Gators within three at 31-28, which was the score after 20 minutes of play. With Houston's propensity to muck the game up and make things difficult on their opponent offensively, both teams shot 38% in the opening half (Florida shot 40% for the entire game, Houston 35%). The Gators had a 22-19 rebounding edge after 20 minutes, and ended the game with a 40-39 advantage in that area. Florida did have nine first half turnovers to the Cougars' two. Gator star Walter Clayton Jr. was 0-for-4 with 0 points in the first half. Halftime's score was also the lowest scoring first half in a title game since 2011, when Butler led UConn 22-19 after the first half.

With 17:21 to go in the second half, the Cougars opened up a 40-30 advantage off a sequence where big man Joseph Tugler hit a free-throw after being fouled by Richard, the foul resulting in a technical called on the Gator bench, and Cryer hitting a corner three.

Moments later, J'Wan Roberts used his muscle inside and scored a baby hook, giving the Cougars a 42-30 lead. A nice entry pass from Clayton Jr. to Alex Condon resulted in a dunk, the lead now 10 for the Cougars. The sophomore Condon played a solid game for the Gators, with 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 steals.

On the next Cougar possession, Clayton Jr. knocked the ball away from Milos Uzan, and was fouled and knocked down his two free-throws as Florida trimmed the deficit to 42-34. Roberts promptly responed with a turnaround off the glass, the lead now back to 10.

The Cougars took an 11-point lead with a free-throw by Sharp.

Alijah Martin's only three-point make out of six tries on the evening came at a crucial time, with 12:31 remaining as he crossed over and pulled back from the top. 45-39.

Sophomore Thomas Haugh's only block of the game, of a Cryer three, was followed up by an and-1 layup at the other end, the free-throw getting the Gators within three. The score was part of an 8-0 run over a span of 1:43.

Cryer's corner three with 11:27 remaining made the score 48-42, which the score remained with 10 minutes to go as Florida went through a span of four missed field-goals.

Houston, however, had trouble capitalizing and potentially expanding the lead, getting into their sets and offensive motions too late in the clock and settling for difficult shots in isolation situations. Florida's Denzel Aberdeen made two free-throws with 9:07 on the clock to make the count 48-44.

At the other end, a tough fade-away attempt from Wilson resulted in a miss and Rueben Chinyelu being fouled. Chinyelu made one free-throw. A three-point deficit with 8:31 to go.

Roberts missed a layup inside, and Clayton Jr. at the other end drove left on Cougar guard Terrance Arceneaux, finishing off the glass with a foul. Clayton Jr.'s free-throw tied up the game with 7:54 remaining, and remarkably the Gators, who led just 17 total seconds of the game to this point, had tied the game up. Houston's biggest lead of 12 had vanished.

Uzan missed a floater in the lane, but Roberts was fouled by Chinyelu, who picked up a technical foul. Cryer shot the technical free-throws, making both, while Roberts made a free-throw. 51-48 Cougars with 7:13 remaining.

Clayton Jr. at the other end worked a give-and-go with Haugh. Fouled, the made free-throw tied the score at 51. After a scoreless opening half, Clayton Jr. now had 8 points.

With 14 seconds on the shot clock, Cryer had the ball at the top against Condon, drove, and turned and faded away, grazing the rim. Another tough shot from the Houston offense where they got into things late in their set.

A circus missed layup attempt by Martin was answered by an inside layup from Wilson. 53-51. 6:24 remaining. A right corner drive from Aberdeen tied things up again, 6:07 to go.

Sharp responded with a tough triple over an extended Condon, one of just six 3-point makes from Houston on the night out of 25 attempts. Sharp finished with 8 points on 3-for-11, the trifecta his only make from beyond out of seven attempts.

Interior passing from Haugh to Condon resulted in a layup and a 56-55 Houston edge with 5:32 remaining.

Houston to this point had missed nine of their last 11 field-goals until Sharp worked a give-and-go with Ja'Vier Francis. 58-55.

Richard was bumped by Cryer with 4:46 to go, Cryer's third foul occurring with just four seconds on the shot clock. There was not a lot of contact on the play, but it was not a smart defensive play nonetheless so late in the clock. It was the type of subtle mistake that kept Florida in the game throughout, whether a bad foul or a bad possession when the Cougars could have gotten a better look. 58-57 Cougars. 4:46 remaining.

On the next possession, Roberts missed a driving layup off the glass, but Francis (8 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks, 4-for-5 in 21 minutes) was there to clean up the miss with a follow-up dunk. 60-57. 4:21 remaining.

Condon then missed inside on an up-and-under, countered by good fundamental defense from Francis.

Roberts found Cryer in the corner on the next possession, but the guard prior to beginning his drive stepped on the out of bounds line. Turnover with 3:24 to go.

Stagger action on the right side got Clayton Jr. an open look from downtown, which he connected on. 60-60. 3:13 remaining. The make marked the final points of the game for Clayton Jr., 11 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds on 3-for-10 (1-for-7 from deep). His lone triple produced his 62nd consecutive game with a made 3-pointer, a Gator record.

Cryer drove on Condon on the next possession and lofted a floater that missed, but he alertly tipped the ball in for his 19th and final point. The senior's final shooting stats were 6-for-18, 4-for-11 from deep, and 3-for-4 from the line. 62-60. 2:36 remaining.

Condon drove on the other end and kicked to Martin, his three missing. Richard crashed from the corner and got the rebound, his layup attempt contested by Francis with a foul. Free-throws good. 62-62. 2:18 to go.

An off-the-ball foul from Condon on Tugler sent the sophomore big man to the line, where he made one-of-two. 63-62. 2:05 remaining.

Only three points were scored the rest of the way, and they would belong to the Gators.

Richard rebounded the missed free-throw from Tugler, and Clayton Jr. let fire from the left wing. Too strong. Rebound by Roberts. Juzan at the other end had his downtown attempt from the top of the arc with seven seconds on the shot clock blocked by Richard, the ball falling out of bounds with 4.3 seconds on the shot clock.

Juzan found Cryer on the left side, who drove right and shot an off-balance, one-handed jump shot from the corner that nearly went in. Tugler pulled in a strong rebound, and Condon tied him up. The ball deflected out of bounds off of Tugler. 1:21 remaining.

On the ensuing Gator possession, Clayton Jr. drove right and spun, Condon missed inside. Tugler could not squeeze the ball and Condon had it deflected out of his hands by Cryer on a great defensive play. Juzan brought the ball over half court with 1:02 remaining. Cryer received a pass on the left wing and drove on Haugh. A layup attempt from under the basket was blocked by Haugh.

Condon got the ball to Clayton Jr. who raced across half-court and found Martin on the left wing who drove on Tugler and drew the foul. 46.5 seconds remaining. Tugler's fifth foul.

Free-throws good. Improbably, 64-63 Gators. Their first lead since 8-6.

On Houston's next possession, Juzan passed to Sharp. Sharp gave to Roberts at the top. Roberts passed to Cryer on the left side. Back to Juzan and back to Sharp from beyond the 3-point line with 15 on the shot clock. Sharp drives right, met by Condon. Richard deflected the ball off of Sharp's leg. 26.5 seconds remaining.

Gator ball.

Against Houston's tight press, Clayton Jr. got the ball to Condon who was doubled and passed the ball back to Clayton Jr. who was underneath the basket. Clayton Jr. took one dribble and delivered an errant pass for Aberdeen just beyond half-court. Just after Juzan fouled Aberdeen, Aberdeen's foot touched the out of bounds line. Very close play. 19.7 seconds remaining.

First attempt missed. Second good. 65-63 Gators.

Curiously, as they had for most of the game and as their offense tended to do, the Cougars got into their motion late. Cryer dished to Juzan on the right side, who stopped his dribble and gave the ball back to Cryer with 7.5 seconds left on the right wing a few feet beyond the line, Richard blanketing Cryer.

Sharp got the ball at the top with 5.2 remaining and elevated. Sharp elevated to release. Clayton Jr. leaped to contest. Sharp, coming down with the ball, let it go to prevent a travel call. Four seconds to go. Sharp was now unable to touch the ball, which took three hold-your-breath bounces. Condon and Francis dove for it, Condon got his hands on the ball and the final seconds ticked off.

Game over.

Improbably, the Gators had won. Kevin Sampson looked on at the court stunned. Heartbreak for the Cougars. Jubilation for Todd Golden and the Gators.

The game was what you would want from a title game, competitive and down to the final seconds. Ironically, the game turned out for the Cougars just how their semifinal win over Duke turned out for them. Not giving up and seeing the game through, only this time, it was the Gators who pieced together the comeback.

The loss is irrefutably devastating for Sampson, who at 69 years of age has done a remarkable job with the Houston program. The last five years have been soul-crushing for the high-ranking Cougars, a Final Four loss in 2021, an Elite Eight defeat in 2022, not-so-Sweet Sixteen losses in 2023 and 2024, and this heart-ripping defeat on Monday night.

The best defense in the country showed up, limiting Florida's star Clayton Jr., who was coming off 30 points in the Elite Eight and 34 in the Final Four. The way the Cougars get into you defensively and make you work is all of admirable, impressive, and refreshing. Too many times though, their offense was in tough situations, getting to their motions late in the clock. A lack of outside shooting also hurt, though their interior play with Roberts, Tugler, and Francis was impressive.

Florida's 6'10 Condon, Chinyelu, and the 6'9 Haugh, all sophomores, gave quality minutes. Richard's 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 steals (5-for-10, 4-for-7, 4-for-4) were crucial and neccessary given the struggles of Clayton Jr. and Alijah Martin, the latter who was just 2-for-10. Both teams had bad long distance connections, the Gators making the same six that the Cougars did while attempting one less, at 24 vs. 25.

Cryer was the only Cougar in double figures with his 19, Uzan (2-for-9, 0-for-4 from deep) struggling along with Sharp. Roberts was just 3-for-13 but did well on the glass (8 rebounds) with 8 points and 3 blocks. Tugler finished with 5 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals. Francis gave great minutes off the bench.

Both programs will see revamped guard rotations in 2025-26, as Cryer and Wilson (along with big men Roberts and Francis) will depart from the Cougars. Tugler, who will be a junior next season, will see an increased role. For the Gators, Richard, Clayton Jr. and Martin will depart. Both programs, well-run and well-coached, will be solid again next season.

At just 39 years of age, Golden gets the Gators their third national championship and first since the second of their back-to-back in 2007..

In their first National Championship game since 1984, the Cougars are shattered once again. They could not conquer Jim Valvano's North Carolina State in 1983, nor could they conquer Patrick Ewing and his Georgetown Hoyas in 1984.

You feel for Sampson. But the former NBA assistant and longtime, successful NCAA head coach runs a quality program as his 299-84 record proves. The Cougars will be back.

Peak athletic joy for one group of kids while another group experiences peak devastation. Still, a great game and great conclusion to the 2024-25 NCAA men's season.