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USA Today
25-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Michigan basketball schedules blockbuster Duke game in D.C. for February 2026
Though Michigan football tends to draw the most attention, Dusty May and Michigan basketball are certainly working to wrest much of the offseason hullaballoo away. Whether it's the addition of Yaxel Lendeborg, despite him appearing to be NBA draft-bound, or getting top-tier talent via high school recruiting, May has completely overhauled expectations in Ann Arbor in short order. And now, there will be another marquee matchup to go along with the rest of it. The Wolverines were already set to face an ACC team, Wake Forest, with a game held at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit this season. But Michigan basketball announced on Tuesday morning that it has finalized a late-season nonconference game against Duke to be held in Washington D.C. on February 21. The two storied programs are best known for meeting in the NCAA Tournament Championship Game back in the Fab Five era, but they last met 13 years ago in Durham. Full release: In conjunction with the Gazelle Group, the University of Michigan men's basketball team announced today (Tuesday, June 24) its inclusion in the Duel in The District against Duke on Saturday (Feb. 21) at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. Scheduled near the tail end of the Big Ten regular season, the Wolverines meet the Blue Devils for the first time in 13 years. The last meeting was during the 2013 ACC/Big Ten Challenge at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham. After falling behind by 10 at the half (32-22), U-M matched Duke in the second half (47-47) but was unable to overcome that first-half deficit, falling 79-69 (Dec. 4). Overall, U-M holds an 8-22 record against Duke. The Duel in The District marks the seventh neutral-site game between Michigan and Duke. Three of the previous six have been during the NCAA Tournament, including the 1992 national championship, the 1964 Final Four and the 2011 second round, when U-M fell 73-71 as a late game-tying Darius Morris lay-up rattled off the rim. The last neutral game was in the 2011 Maui Invitational (Nov. 22) -- an 82-75 Duke win. Michigan makes its way back to the nation's capital for the first time since participating in the Coaches vs. Racism match-up against Prairie View A&M (W, 77-49; Nov. 13, 2021). The Wolverines return to Capital One Arena for the first time since winning four games in four days to claim the 2017 Big Ten Tournament. That year, U-M went on its championship run after being involved in a team plane crash while leaving for the conference tournament. The Maize and Blue are guided by Dusty May, who in his first season led the Wolverines to a 27-10 record, won the Big Ten Tournament and advanced to the Sweet 16 for a sixth straight NCAA Tournament. Duke is led by head coach Jon Scheyer, who closed his third season with the Blue Devils posting a 35-4 record, winning the ACC (19-1) regular season and tournament titles before falling to Houston, 70-67, in the Final Four. All ticketing information, television details and tip time will be announced later. However, for early access to tickets before the public sale, sign up for email updates here. Whoever wins the game will certainly have a big advantage when it comes to NCAA Tournament seeding.
USA Today
12-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Walter Clayton Jr, Alex Condon first-round picks in CBS Sports latest mock NBA draft
Walter Clayton Jr, Alex Condon first-round picks in CBS Sports latest mock NBA draft The Florida Gators were the best team in the nation when the final horn sounded in the NCAA Tournament Championship Game, so it should come as no surprise that the program has at least one player projected as a first-round pick in the 2025 NBA draft. In fact, the Orange and Blue have two potential top-30 picks from its 2024-25 title-winning roster. The obvious choice is point guard Walter Clayton Jr., who put on a performance throughout the second half of the season unseen in Gainesville in many a moon. There were times that it looked like Florida would finally flounder, only to have the Lake Wales, Florida, native hoist the team on his shoulders and carry them to victory. The other is foward/center Alex Condon, who anchored one of the top frontcourts in the nation during his sophomore campaign with the Gators. The combination of his elite athleticism and 6-foot-11-inch, 230-pound frame was too much for the opposition this year. With the draft about a month-and-a-half away, CBS Sports writer Cameron Salerno offered up his latest mock of the NBA's premier summer event. PG Walter Clayton Jr. Projected Pick : No. 21 : No. 21 Projected Team: Utah Jazz (via Minnesota Timberwolves) "Clayton's legendary March Madness run jumped him into the first round for good," Salerno begins. "Clayton was one of the best shotmakers in college basketball and is fearless. Pairing Flagg with a veteran guard from the college ranks would be viewed as a home run draft for Utah. While Clayton is projected to go at No. 21 here, it wouldn't surprise me if he worked his way into the lottery on draft night." C Alex Condon Projected Pick : No. 28 : No. 28 Projected Team: Boston Celtics "Speaking of stay-or-go decisions, Condon is another player with one to make. The Florida star played a key role on Todd Golden's national title team and could improve his stock even further by running it back," Salerno states. 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.
USA Today
07-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
March Madness: Florida vs. Houston odds, picks and predictions
The No. 1 seed Florida Gators (35-4) and the No. 1 seed Houston Cougars (35-4) meet Monday in the NCAA Tournament Championship Game. Tip-off from the Alamodome in San Antonio is scheduled for 8:50 p.m. ET (CBS). Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's lines around the Florida vs. Houston odds, and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions. After winning the West Region, Florida took care of the Auburn Tigers in Saturday's semifinal 79-73, covering as a 2-point favorite as the Under (158) cashed. It was the second victory and cover of the season against the SEC rival Tigers. The Gators shot 47.2% (25 of 53) from the field, while hitting 38.1% (8 of 21) from behind the 3-point line. It wasn't all great for Florida, as it hit just 70.0% (21 of 30) from the free-throw line, and it turned the ball over 16 times. Luckily for Florida, Auburn was just 69.6% (16 of 23) from the charity stripe, and an abysmal 28.0% (7 of 25) from downtown. Florida outrebounded Auburn at a 39-30 margin, too. Gators G Walter Clayton Jr. led the way with 34 points, including 5 triples, while going 7-of-7 from the free-throw line. G Alijah Martin, who missed the first game at Auburn due to a hip pointer, went for 17 points in his second Final 4 game. He appeared in the Final 4 with the FAU Owls in 2023. Houston, champions of the Midwest Region, stunned Duke 70-67 Saturday. The Cougars were down 14 points to the Blue Devils with 8 minutes to go, but Houston chipped away at that lead, using timely offense and suffocating defense to get into position for its first national title game appearance since 1983. The Cougars are 3-1-1 against the spread (ATS) in 5 NCAA Tournament games, and 5-1-1 ATS in the past 7 outings. The Under is 5-1-1 in the 7-game span, too. Houston faced 3 SEC teams this season, losing to the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn in neutral floor games in the regular season, before ousting the Tennessee Volunteers 69-50 in the Elite 8, punching its ticket to San Antonio. In the win over Duke, G L.J. Cryer led the way with 26 points on 8-of-14 shooting, including 6 of 9 from behind the 3-point line. The Cougars were a very impressive 45.5% (10 of 22) from downtown as a team, and UH turned it over just 9 times. Houston was plus-11 on rebounds, too. Houston is No. 2 and Florida is No. 3 in the USA TODAY Sports Men's Basketball Coaches Poll. Stream select live college basketball games and full replays: Get ESPN+ Florida vs. Houston odds Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:18 a.m. ET. Moneyline (ML) : Florida -110 (bet $110 to win $100) | Houston –110 (bet $110 to $100) : Florida -110 (bet $110 to win $100) | Houston –110 (bet $110 to $100) Against the spread : Florida -1.5 (+100) | Houston +1.5 (-120) : Florida -1.5 (+100) | Houston +1.5 (-120) Over/Under (O/U): 141.5 (O: -105 | U: -115) Florida vs. Houston picks and predictions Prediction Florida 71, Houston 66 Florida (-110) is cheap on the moneyline, but it makes little sense to back the Gators straight up unless you feel it will win, but only by a single point. AVOID, and look to the spread instead. FLORIDA -1.5 (+100) is the play if you like the Gators to get the victory Monday. The Gators have managed just a 2-3 ATS mark in 5 NCAA Tournament games, which might make this look like a bit of a risk. However, as a favorite of 5.5 or fewer points this season, Florida is perfect — 7-0 ATS. The Cougars are playing in the state of Texas, so perhaps the defensive-minded Houston side will have a little bit of a bump there. However, the Cougars just aren't nearly as deep as the Gators, who should be able to solve the defense of UH to hoist their third national championship on the hardwood. UNDER 141.5 (-115) is worth a look, but be careful. The Over cashed in 11 straight games for Florida from Feb. 25 to March 29, including the final 4 regular-season games, all 3 SEC Tournament battles and the first 4 NCAA Tournament outings before the Under cashed against Auburn in Saturday's semifinal. The Under is 5-1-1 in the past 7 games for Houston, as the nation's top defensive team (58.5 PPG) has allowed 68 or fewer points in 17 of the past 18 games. In fact, UH allowed just 67 points to Duke on Saturday, the second-lowest offensive production for the high-flying Blue Devils. Play our free daily Pick'em Challenge and win! Play now! For more sports betting picks and tips, check out and BetFTW. Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and like us on Facebook. College sports coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group: Alabama / Auburn / Clemson / Colorado / Duke / Florida / Florida State / Georgia / Iowa / Kentucky / LSU / Michigan / Michigan State / Nebraska / North Carolina / Notre Dame / Ohio State / Oklahoma / Oregon / Penn State / Tennessee / Texas / Texas A&M / UCLA / USC / Washington / Wisconsin / College Sports Wire / High School / Recruiting
USA Today
06-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
March Madness: Betting odds for Florida-Houston in 2025 NCAA Tournament Championship Game
March Madness: Betting odds for Florida-Houston in 2025 NCAA Tournament Championship Game The Florida Gators have nearly reached the promised land in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, with just one opponent standing between them and the program's third-ever national championship. That team is the Houston Cougars, who will face the Orange and Blue inside the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, on Monday night. If you are looking for the early betting odds for this game you are in luck, as BetMGM released its numbers on Sunday morning ahead of the apex of March Madness. Todd Golden's team has won 11-straight games, picking up an SEC Championship crown along the way while winning all five of their Big Dance affairs so far. Kelvin Sampson's team has been even better, bringing in an 18-game winning streak into the finals, which also included a Big 12 title as well. The two schools have only met twice before — in Gainesville back in 1970 and in Houston in 1973 — and the Cougars won both times. Florida vs Houston in NCAA Finals game odds: Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of 10:15 a.m. ET on Sunday, April 6 Spread: 1.5 (Florida) Money Line: -118 / -102 Over-Under: 141.5 Florida vs Houston in NCAA Finals prediction, pick: The Gators continue to look like a team of destiny, but make no mistake, the Cougars have some serious mojo going on as well. Both teams have to claw back from deficits in the Final Four against the Auburn Tigers and Duke Blue Devils — either of which could have easily been slated for Monday night's battle. Suffice it to say, the Florida-Houston ticket is about as evenly matched as it gets. However, the two schools operate very differently as Houston prefers to play a slow, methodical game relying on the nation's strongest defense, while Florida prefers a fast pace, breaking out in transition after their frontcourt wrecking crew grabs the rebound — something the Gators are among the best in the country at doing. So, who will win? The Orange and Blue. But it will be a bruiser of a game that has us on the edge of our seats the entire way. Prediction: Florida 75, Houston 72 Florida vs Houston in NCAA Finals channel, start time, streaming: Time: 8:50 p.m. ET Channel: CBS Stream: Fubo (free trial), Paramount+ The NCAA Tournament Championship matchup between Florida and Houston will be played on Monday, April 7, inside the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports, and streaming options for the game include Paramount+, CBS's subscription streaming service, and FUBO, which offers a free trial to new subscribers. Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire. 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.
