Florida Beat Houston by Two to Win Its First Title in 18 Years

Walter Clayton Jr. led the Gators to a 65-63 win in the championship, the program's third national title and first since the back-to-back runs in 2006 and 2007.

The backstory: Florida entered the tournament as a 1-seed after winning the SEC. Their title run went through the bracket's toughest matchups, and they needed every bit of it to survive Houston in the final.

Published: April 8, 2025

For 18 years, Florida basketball lived in the shadow of its own history. Billy Donovan's teams won back-to-back championships in 2006 and 2007 with a core that returned almost entirely from one year to the next. It was one of the greatest feats in college basketball history. And then the program spent nearly two decades trying to get back.

Todd Golden, in his third year as head coach, finally got the Gators there.

Florida beat Houston 65-63 in the national championship game at the Alamodome in San Antonio. Walter Clayton Jr. was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. The margin was two points in a game that came down to the final possessions.

Houston, also a 1-seed, had been dominant all tournament. The Cougars' defense was among the best in the country, and LJ Cryer had been on a tear throughout the bracket. But Florida matched them possession for possession. The Gators shot well enough from three, took care of the ball, and got the stops they needed late.

Clayton was the engine. He averaged over 20 points per game through the tournament and had an ability to create his own shot in crunch time that few guards in the country could match. In the title game, he delivered when it mattered most.

The win completed a tournament run that validated Florida's regular season. The Gators had won the SEC in a year when the conference sent a record 14 teams to the tournament. Making it out of the SEC was the hard part. Once they got to the bracket, they rolled.

For the sport, it was a full-circle moment. Florida's last title run featured Joakim Noah, Al Horford, and Corey Brewer. Clayton and this Gators team created their own legacy, separate from the Donovan era.

And for bracket pools, having a 1-vs-1 championship game was fitting for a tournament that rewarded chalk. If you had Florida or Houston in the final, you were in good shape. If you had both, you were in the top tier of your pool no matter what.

In short: Florida won its third national title by beating Houston 65-63 in the championship. Walter Clayton Jr. was named MOP. It was the Gators' first title since 2007 and capped one of the chalkiest tournaments in history.