The 2025 NCAA Tournament, gave us a Final Four for the ages. And now, against all odds, Florida and Houston, two teams that weren’t even projected to make it this far a few months ago, are the last two standing. One win away from a national title.
Florida’s 79-73 win over Auburn was a statement victory. Led by senior guard Walter Clayton Jr., who dropped a ridiculous 34 points, Florida showed poise, execution, and grit in the game’s most critical moments. Clayton was unconscious from deep (5-of-8) and fearless driving to the rim, especially when he converted a late and-one that pushed the Gators ahead for good.
Alijah Martin, Florida’s unsung hero, added 17 points and delivered the game’s biggest momentum shift with a ferocious one-handed dunk that flipped the lead with just over five minutes to go. The Gators trailed by nine early in the second half but flipped the script with an 11-0 run, showing the kind of resilience championship teams are made of.
What’s remarkable is that Florida never let the game slip away, despite Auburn’s size, athleticism, and the early fireworks from Johni Broome. Once Florida locked in, Auburn’s offense sputtered, managing just 28% from beyond the arc and coughing up 14 turnovers. This was no fluke. The Gators are playing connected basketball, tough defense, timely shooting, and total buy-in from their rotation. Coach Todd Golden deserves a ton of credit for molding this squad into a fearless, battle-tested unit.
In the late game between Houston and heavy favorite Duke, Houston pulled off the most stunning turnaround of the tournament. He Cougars were down 14 points with eight minutes left. Playing against Cooper Flagg, the AP Player of the Year. Inside the Alamodome, in a building heavy with Duke blue. Didn’t matter.
Houston’s suffocating defense, anchored by Joseph Tugler and J’Wan Roberts, put on a clinic, holding Duke to one field goal over the final 10½ minutes. The Cougars closed the game on a 15-3 run, including a 9-0 burst in the last 33 seconds. They took away Duke’s rhythm, their spacing, their breath.
L.J. Cryer, who already has a championship ring from Baylor in 2021, played like he wanted another one, scoring 26 points and steadying the offense down the stretch. But the story of this game was Houston’s defense. The “Comeback Kids”—as they’re now being called—don’t win pretty. They win gritty. And they made Flagg look human. Sure, the future No. 1 pick scored 27, but Houston made every bucket a battle and erased his late-game magic.
So now we have it: Florida vs. Houston. The most unlikely final in years. And yet, it feels absolutely earned.
It’s going to be a clash of styles. Florida wants pace. They want space. They can fill it up in a hurry with Clayton Jr. and Martin on the wings and are capable of 80+ on any night. Their confidence is sky-high.
Houston? They want a rock fight. They thrive on chaos. They want the game in the 60s. They don’t just play defense, they smother you.
The key matchup will be Florida’s backcourt vs. Houston’s defensive scheme. Can Clayton Jr. create enough offense without being swallowed up by Houston’s pressure? Can Florida stay composed if the shots aren’t falling early?
On the flip side, can Houston generate enough offense to keep pace if this turns into a track meet? Cryer has been sensational, but he’ll need help from Sharp, Roberts, and Tugler to match Florida’s scoring firepower.
But forget the seed lines and preseason rankings. These are two teams that have proven, on the biggest stage that they belong.
One of these two will win the title Monday night. And whoever it is, they’ll have earned every bit of it.
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