Florida Gators Win National Championship

SAN ANTONIO-- For the third time in program history, the Florida Gators are national champions.

Led by 18 points from senior Will Richard, who hit four 3-pointers in the first half, combined with 11 second-half points from Walter Clayton Jr., the Gators erased a 12-point deficit in the second half, the third-largest in championship history, to down Houston, 65-63.

"Our guys have been really good all year staying the course," said head coach Todd Golden, who, at 39 years old became the youngest coach since Jim Valvano in 1983 (37) to win a national championship. "In this tournament, especially after the first round, every team you play is going to be really, really, really good. You have to have the mental toughness to be able to withstand a little adversity.

And it came down to the final minute.

Trailing by one with 46 seconds left, Alijah Martin hit a pair of free throws to take the lead, Florida's first since early in the first half, before Richard forced a turnover on Houston's ensuing possession. Denzel Aberdeen added a single free throw on the next possession, putting Florida up 65-63.

With just seconds left and no timeouts, Houston turned to Emanuel Sharp, who attempted a shot fake and dropped the ball before Florida's Alex Condon jumped on the live ball and clinched the Gators' first championship since 2007.

"I think it was a great defensive play by Walter," Condon said. "I was questioning whether I should go out and leave my man. He did a good job of making him. It was going to be a travel if he picked it up. Just diving on it, hearing the buzzer go was a crazy feeling. Didn't feel real, for sure."

"FLORIDA IS BACK ON TOP OF THE COLLEGE BASKETBALL WORLD!" pic.twitter.com/IeLecOAcSb
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) April 8, 2025

The 12-point comeback replicated the Gators' entire tournament run, which saw them erase second-half deficits against UConn in the Round of 32 (six points), Texas Tech in the Elite Eight (10 points) and Auburn in the Final Four (nine points).

"It's just a testament to who we are as a team," said Richard, who also had a clutch stop on defense late in the game. "I feel like we're going to fight till the end and do whatever it takes to give ourselves a chance to win."

While the score favored Florida, Houston was in control for most of Monday's game, especially after holding Clayton Jr. to zero points in the first half. He wouldn't score his first points until the 14:57 mark in the second half, his first field goal until the 7:54 mark and his first and only 3-pointer until the 3:14 mark.

Meanwhile, Houston star guard LJ Cryer came up big with 19 points and four 3-pointers, and the Cougars forced 13 turnovers, nine of which came in the first half as the Cougars held a 31-28 lead at the half.

Holding momentum for most of the game, Houston took a 42-30 lead with 16:24 remaining off a jumper from J'Wan Roberts and held a double-digit lead for the next three minutes. Leading 45-34 with 13:24 left, the Gators would go on an 8-0 run before Cryer hit another 3-point to put Houston back up by two possessions.

Four free throws from Aberdeen, Rueben Chinyelu and Clayton Jr. and a layup from Clayton Jr. tied the game, 48-48, with 7:54 left.

The lead would change 10 times with Florida only taking the lead once off Martin's free throws. Clayton Jr., holding a school record 61-straight games with a 3-point make, saved his last make for the most opportune time with a make to tie the game, 60-60, with a little over three minutes left.

He would eventually be named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player and finished with 11 points and seven assists.

"I understand that if it ain't my night, somebody going to pick me up," he said. "We understand we all just picking each other up throughout the year, man. We been doing that all the year."

Entering Walter Clayton Jr. time... pic.twitter.com/ttogcZ7jTZ
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) April 8, 2025

The teams traded points with Houston's Cryer hitting a tip-in to take the lead before Richard tied the game with a pair of free throws. The Cougars' final point came off a free throw from forward Joseph Tugler with 2:05 left before he missed the second one.

Martin and Aberdeen gave Florida its second and final lead of the game before Condon's defensive effort clinched the title.

"When Condo got on the floor, I figured it was either going to be a jump ball or we were going to come away with it," Golden said. "Next thing I knew, game was over. Just an incredible moment and something I won't forget."

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