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The Florida Gators defeated the Houston Cougars 65-63 to take home the NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship! So, let's run it back from the very beginning that finished with Florida head coach Todd Golden making NCAA history. The game started out rough for both teams from behind the arc with Houston shooting 0-8 and Florida 0-4.
In the first seven minutes alone, both teams shot a combined 9-27 from the field. It wasn't until Florida's Will Richard got things started for Florida with the first three of the game. Houston hogged the highlight reel in the first half, especially with Mylik Wilson throwing down an alley-oop that was followed up by a bank-shot three-pointer. Even with nine team turnovers, Richard would finish with four three-pointers and 14 of Florida's 28 points to cut the lead to three heading into half-time.
Florida's star Walter Clayton Jr. finished the first half with zero points but still put up five assists. Meanwhile, Wilson (7) and Ja'Vier Francis (6) led the Cougars in scoring despite coming off the bench. Both teams finished the first half shooting 37 percent from the field. Florida out-rebounded Houston 22-19, but the Gators' nine turnovers to the Cougars' two proved to be costly heading into the half. It was the lowest-scoring first half in NCAA Championship history since 2011. The second half couldn't have started any worse for the Gators or any better for the Cougars.
Florida's Alex Condon was called for a foul just 30 seconds into the half, which was followed up by Houston's LJ Cryer draining a three. Florida committed a flurry of fouls in the first five minutes of the second half, including a technical foul on the Florida bench after being frustrated following a second straight defensive foul on Richard. After a Clayton pass out of bounds, the Gators reached 12 turnovers on the night and fell to 42-30, which would be the largest lead of the game. It wasn't until five minutes into the game that Florida cut the lead to eight following a dunk from Condon and two free throws from Clayton, his first points of the game to make it 42-34.
Houston recorded three fouls in nine seconds and Florida followed up with an 8-0 run to cut the lead to 45-42 after an and-one from Thomas Haugh. But Cryer put a dagger into Florida with a corner three that put the Cougars up 48-42. Houston did not score for the following four minutes as Clayton hit his first field goal of the night with an and-one to tie it all up 48-48.
Houston took advantage after Florida's Rueben Chinyelu received a shooting foul and then a technical foul after losing his composure, making it the team's second tech of the game. Roberts for Houston made three of the four total free throws to put Houston up 51-48 Then Florida responded with no problem on the following possession with yet another Clayton and-one to tie it 51-51. After exchanging shots, with both teams not giving an inch, Houston pulled away by three after a monstrous put back dunk by Francis. It was a battle between stars down the stretch.
Clayton drained a three to tie it up then Cryer put back his own miss to go up 62-60. Then madness ensued. Richard followed up with two clutch free throws with 2:20 left to tie it up 62-62. Then Tugler hit one of two free throws to put Houston up 63-62. Alijah Martin was then fouled and proceeded to make two clutch free throws to put Florida up 64-63. Houston's Milos Uzan commits a foul with 19.7 that sent Martin to the free throw line, where he made one of two to put Florida up 65-63. In Houston's final possession, they turn the ball over to hand Florida the ultimate victory.
