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.
