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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.
