Latest news with #Men'sMarchMadness
USA Today
08-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Men's March Madness: Todd Golden recounts Florida's NCAA Tournament Finals win vs Houston
Men's March Madness: Todd Golden recounts Florida's NCAA Tournament Finals win vs Houston The Florida Gators are the 2025 NCAA Division I men's college basketball tournament champions after taking down the fellow top-seeded Houston Cougars in San Antonio on Monday night, 65-63. Once again, Todd Golden's team required a late-game rally to prevail. In fact, it was the fourth of six total tournament matchups that required a comeback to seize victory from the jaws of defeat, a list that also includes the UConn Huskies, Texas Tech Red Raiders and Auburn Tigers. All that matters in these games — or any game, really — is who is on top when the final horn sounds. And despite only 1:04 of the entire 40 minutes of play, the Gators still found a way to win that crown. After the game, Golden talked about his first national championship at any level, as well as what it took to get there. READ MORE: Florida athletes celebrate Gators basketball winning NCAA Tournament Todd Golden's opening statement "It's a heck of an accomplishment. I'm super proud of everybody in my program, top to bottom. My staff, been together for three years, worked incredibly hard to help get our players to this point. Our players, they've been the difference all the way along. Been incredibly consistent all year. Have worked with a great work ethic. "Obviously, we have an incredibly talented group, one of the most talented groups individually in America. I do think what separates us and has separated us all season long is our team talent, how our guys have played together and for each other all year. Because of that, we can call each other national champions for the rest of our lives." On responding to double-deficit "Our guys have been really good all year staying the course. 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. We played an incredible UConn team that was used to winning in the second round. Had to get through that one. Obviously Texas Tech, great program. Had to find a way to come back and beat them. Obviously Auburn. The best team in America most of the year in the semifinal. "There's going to be times of adversity trying to fight back in those games. Those are all great teams. Obviously Houston is a class act, amazing program, Hall of Fame head coach, super, super tough student-athletes. Our guys knew that it wasn't going to be easy. Didn't panic when it got tough. "As Will talked about, they did a great job of never getting too high, never getting too low. When we went down 12 in the second half, we stayed the course. We didn't point fingers, didn't start to try to make hero plays, gambling defensively. We got rewarded because of that toughness that we displayed." On Florida's mental toughness "We've gotten a lot of credit for our offense because we've been so explosive all year, been one of if not the top two offenses in America all year. We've been a top-10 defense all year also. We've been able to stand up against really good offensive teams and find a way to get stops. I thought Houston got the better of us in the first half. "It was really just a disparity in the turnover count. We had nine, I think they had two in the first half. As I look here, we had four in the second, they had seven. Our defense won us the game tonight. We got nine straight stops in the middle of the second half. "We held them scoreless the last 2:20. Walter, great closeout, and Condo, great hustle play to win the game. That's what made this team special all year, that we can win different ways, and we showed that again tonight." On youngest coach since Billy Donovan to win "I mean, I'm super proud, obviously. But I'm just a piece of this puzzle. I've been able to put together an incredible staff and recruit great student-athletes over these last three years. We've stayed the course all year and worked really hard. My best answer is I'm just really proud. I'm proud to be the head coach of Florida. I'm proud of the way our players performed. I'm proud of the way our staff prepared our guys to become national champions." On Houston's four turnovers in final 80 seconds "Down the stretch, we just made some big-time winning plays defensively. It's all kind of cloudy and a blur, but the one that sticks out is when I believe it was Sharp drove right off the right lane line, and Will was guarding somebody in the corner, ripped and stripped right off his leg with a minute 10 or a minute to go. That was a huge play for us. "Then the last play was just absolutely an amazing play. Walter recovered, closed out, as he said, flew by his right side to not allow himself to foul. Sharp made a heady -- he understood he couldn't touch the ball or else it would have been a turnover. Then Condo did what he does a lot, which is get physical, dive on the floor, make a winning play, getting on that loose ball. "I think there was 18 seconds or so on that last possession. We guarded 'em hard. I saw the ball loose. I was just hoping that we beat them to the ball. 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. Next thing I knew, game was over. Just an incredible moment and something I won't forget." On clash of differing styles "I was definitely concerned. They were dictating the tempo. We want to get out in transition. We were not able to, especially in the first half. I don't think we have any fast-break points. When we're at our best, we're getting stops, clean rebounds, getting out and running in transition, finding baskets. That was concerning. But at halftime just looking at the numbers, the only thing that really stood out that was a big issue was our turnovers. I thought we had such uncharacteristic turnovers. "I thought some of those, majority of those nine turnovers were not forced. They were just either poor decisions or being sped up offensively. We just needed to kind of calm down. Obviously Houston is the best defensive team in America by the numbers. We knew it wasn't going to be easy to score on them. We weren't able to get up and down much in the second half. We were able to knock down our free throws and we just took much better care of the basketball." Thought process being down 12 "The biggest thing from my perspective is I just didn't feel like we had much control of the game. I thought Houston was controlling tempo, I thought they were controlling with their physicality. There was an interesting technical call on our bench that I thought was an issue we had to battle through. It was our defense. It was stops. It was finding a way to be able to get some run-outs. As we talked about, we didn't get a lot of transition, but we were able to break and get a couple. "Walt saw the ball go through the net with some free throws and the and-one layup. I thought that loosened him up a little bit. After that we were starting to get some good stuff, hit some shots, get downhill and get to the foul line. We were able to flip the game and the momentum a little bit. Obviously incredibly challenging to do against an opponent like Houston. But we're pretty dang good also and we found a way to do it." Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Men's March Madness: Gator Nation reacts to Florida's 2025 NCAA Championship win v Houston
The wait is over. After 18 years, Florida basketball is back on top and March Madness has finally come to an end. Following a heart-stopping 65-63 victory over the Houston Cougars in the 2025 NCAA Tournament Finals, the Florida Gators have won their third national championship in program history. Advertisement It was gritty. It was low-scoring, but the Gators held off Houston in a game that lived up to every bit of the hype. From being down by three points at halftime to a clutch second-half surge, Todd Golden's squad showed resilience like they had all season long. Will Richard led the Gators with 18 points with four massive threes that kept Florida in striking distance. While Walter Clayton Jr. didn't have one of his usual shooting nights, he contributed with a team-high seven assists as well as a game-sealing defensive effort in the final seconds of the game. Gator Nation exploded online–and the reaction was exactly what you'd expect from a fan base starving for another taste of glory. Here are some of the top posts from X, formerly known as Twitter, after the game. Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions. This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Men's March Madness: Gator Nation react to NCAA Finals win vs Houston
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Florida basketball fans light up social media ahead of National Championship vs. Houston
The Florida Gators are just moments away from their biggest moment in years: a shot at the men's college basketball national championship against the Houston Cougars. And while the players are locked in, Gator Nation is loud and proud across social media–with former Florida legends, coaches and staff all chiming in ahead of the massive showdown. Advertisement Former Florida basketball stars Bradley Beal and Corey Brewer posted on social media ahead of the big game as well as Florida football general manager Jacob LaFrance. Even former Gators basketball head coach Billy Donovan joined in with a message wishing the best of luck to the Orange and Blue tonight. Take a look at what Florida basketball fans are saying prior to the 2025 NCAA Tournament Championship on X, also known as Twitter. Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions. This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Men's March Madness: Florida-Houston pregame social media reactions
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Where can I watch national championship game? TV channel, stream for Men's March Madness
USA TODAY and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article. Pricing and availability subject to change. Where can I watch national championship game? TV channel, stream for Men's March Madness The Florida Gators and the Houston Cougars will compete for the NCAA men's basketball tournament national championship after both teams won Final Four games on Saturday night. Walter Clayton Jr. had a game-high 34 points after shooting 11 -of-18 from the field in the victory over the Auburn Tigers. Alijah Martin also had 17 points and three rebounds for the Gators. Advertisement The Gators can add a third national title to the program's history after winning championships in 2006 and 2007. LJ Cryer led Houston with 26 points and five rebounds, while J'Wan Roberts produced a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds. The Cougars are still in search of their first national title, reaching the title game in 1983 and 1984 before finishing as runner-ups. Florida and Houston have not played each other since 1973. The Cougars lead the all-time series 2-0. Here's where you can watch the championship game. How to live stream NCAA men's basketball championship game? Cord-cutters will have other ways to stream the big game in 2025 without cable. Below are the main options: Advertisement What time does the NCAA men's basketball championship start? Start time: 8:50 p.m. ET (5:50 PT) Where is NCAA men's basketball championship being played? Venue: Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas. Full NCAA men's basketball championship how to watch info Matchup : Houston Cougars vs. Florida Gators Venue : Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas Start time : 8:50 p.m. ET (5:50 PT) TV channel : CBS Live stream: Fubo | Paramount+ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Where to watch the men's national championship basketball game?
NBC Sports
05-04-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
What March Madness games are on today? Men's college basketball tournament schedule for Final Four and more
For just the second time in the history of the men's NCAA Tournament, all four No. 1 seeds have made it to the Final Four. Auburn, Duke, Houston and Florida have been historically dominant all season long, so it isn't any surprise that they were all capable of making it this far. In fact, the four teams all rank in the top nine in KenPom's net efficiency metric going back to the 1996-97 season. Still, by pure statistical probability alone, it is unlikely to see all No. 1 seeds make it this far. The result, along with the lack of other upsets or Cinderella runs in the tournament, has sparked conversation about the roles of NIL and the transfer portal in generating more chalky results during a postseason known for shocking and dramatic moments. Coincidentally, the only other tournament, 2008, that saw this feat also had its Final Four take place in San Antonio, where this year's event is being held. Kansas beat Memphis for the title after Mario Chalmers' three sent the championship game to overtime. Here is all the info you need to watch the men's Final Four: What Men's March Madness games are on today? All times listed are Eastern Time. (1) Florida vs. (1) Auburn – 6:09 p.m., on CBS (1) Houston vs. (1) Duke – 8:49 p.m., on CBS Remaining Men's March Madness 2025 schedule Championship Game: April 7 (16) Alabama State 70, (16) Saint Francis 68 (11) North Carolina 95, (11) San Diego State 68 (16) Mount St. Mary's 83, (16) American 72 (11) Xavier 86, (11) Texas 80 Thursday, March 20th (Round of 64) (9) Creighton 89, (8) Louisville 75 (4) Purdue 75, (13) High Point 63 (3) Wisconsin 85, (14) Montana 66 (1) Houston 78, (16) SIU Edwardsville 40 (1) Auburn 83, (16) Alabama State 63 (12) McNeese 69, (5) Clemson 67 (6) BYU 80, (11) VCU 71 (8) Gonzaga 89, (9) Georgia 68 (2) Tennessee 77, (15) Wofford 62 (10) Arkansas 79, (7) Kansas 72 (4) Texas A&M 80, (13) Yale 71 (11) Drake 67, (6) Missouri 57 (7) UCLA 72, (10) Utah State 47 (2) St. John's 83, (15) Omaha 53 (5) Michigan 68, (12) UC San Diego 65 (3) Texas Tech 82, (14) UNC Wilmington 72 Friday, March 21st (Round of 64) (9) Baylor 75, (8) Mississippi State 72 (2) Alabama 90, (15) Robert Morris 81 (3) Iowa State 82, (14) Lipscomb 55 (12) Colorado State 78, (5) Memphis 70 (1) Duke 93, (16) Mount St. Mary's 49 (7) Saint Mary's 59, (10) Vanderbilt 56 (6) Ole Miss 71, (11) North Carolina 64 (4) Maryland 81, (13) Grand Canyon 49 (1) Florida 95, (16) Norfolk State 69 (3) Kentucky 76, (14) Troy 57 (10) New Mexico 75, (7) Marquette 66 (4) Arizona 93, (13) Akron 65 (8) UConn 67, (9) Oklahoma 59 (6) Illinois 86, (11) Xavier 73 (2) Michigan State 87, (15) Bryant 62 (5) Oregon 81, (12) Liberty 52 Saturday, March 22nd (Round of 32) (4) Purdue 76, (12) McNeese 62 (10) Arkansas 75, (2) St. John's 66 (5) Michigan 91, (4) Texas A&M 79 (3) Texas Tech 77, (11) Drake 64 (1) Auburn 82, (9) Creighton 70 (6) BYU 91, (3) Wisconsin (1) Houston 81, (8) Gonzaga76 (2) Tennessee 67, (7) UCLA 58 Sunday, March 23rd (Round of 32) (1) Florida 77, (8) UConn 75 (1) Duke 89, (9) Baylor 66 (3) Kentucky 84, (6) Illinois 75 (2) Alabama 80, (7) Saint Mary's 66 (4) Maryland 72, (12) Colorado State 71 (6) Ole Miss 91, (3) Iowa State 78 (2) Michigan State 71, (10) New Mexico 63 (4) Arizona 87, (5) Oregon 83 Thursday, March 27th (2) Alabama 113, (6) BYU 88 (1) Florida 87, (4) Maryland 71 (1) Duke 100, (4) Arizona 93 (3) Texas Tech 85, (10) Arkansas 83 (OT) Friday, March 28th (2) Michigan State 73, (6) Ole Miss 70 (2) Tennessee 78, (3) Kentucky 65 (1) Auburn 78, (5) Michigan 65 (1) Houston 62, (4) Purdue 60 Saturday, March 29th (1) Florida 84, (3) Texas Tech 79 (1) Duke 85, (2) Alabama 65 Sunday, March 30th (1) Houston 69, (2) Tennessee 50 (1) Auburn 70, (5) Michigan State 64 Nicole Auerbach and Jordan Cornette explain how the shifting landscape of college basketball may explain why there haven't been many upsets or Cinderellas in the men's NCAA Tournament. Seth Greenberg joins Dan Patrick to discuss the role of coaching in the Final Four, why an all-No. 1 seed Final Four is 'a good thing,' Cooper Flagg's versatility, and more.
