Florida Gators are back on top of college basketball. They secured their third NCAA Men’s Basketball National Championship with a thrilling 65-63 win over the University of Houston on Monday night at the Alamodome.
A crowd of 66,602 fans watched the action unfold. Florida pulled off a dramatic comeback after trailing for most of the game. Houston came out strong, creating the lowest-scoring first half in a title game since 2011. Their signature tough defense, guided by Coach Kelvin Sampson, set the early tone.
Despite the slow start, the Gators stayed composed. They trailed by as much as 12 points but ignited their offense with under seven minutes to play. Walter Clayton Jr., who had zero points in the first half, finally broke through. He scored his first basket with eight minutes left in the second half.
The Gators kept pushing and grabbed the lead with 46 seconds remaining. It was their first lead since being up 8-6 early in the game. Florida’s scrappy defense then forced a turnover. That was followed by a key free throw and one final stop to seal the win. Florida Gators held the lead for just over a minute, but it was enough.
Will Richard led the team with 18 points, and Alex Condon added 12. Clayton, who carried Florida in earlier rounds, finished with 11. He had scored 30 points in the Elite Eight and 34 in the Final Four. His efforts earned him the Most Outstanding Player award.
“Our motto is, ‘We all can go!’” Clayton said after the win. “It’s not just about me. We’ve got a team full of guys who can step up. My teammates held it down until I got going.”
This title is Florida’s first since back-to-back wins in 2006 and 2007. Former coach Billy Donovan, who led those teams, was in attendance. He was honored as a 2025 Naismith Hall of Fame inductee.
Current coach Todd Golden, just 39, made history. He became the youngest to win an NCAA title since Jim Valvano in 1983.
“We stayed the course,” Golden said. “This team fought back all tournament. They compete, they support each other, and they find ways to win. These guys are winners.”
Florida entered the tournament as a No. 1 seed. They were one of a record 14 Southeastern Conference teams to make the field.
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