Gators Men’s Basketball Rallies Past Houston To Win Third National Championship

SAN ANTONIO — In a game that will be remembered for its grit and resilience, the Florida Gators stormed back from a 12-point second-half deficit to defeat top-seeded Houston 65-63. It was the program’s third national championship—and first since 2007.

Second-Half Surge Seals It

Trailing 42-30 with 16:24 remaining in the second half, the Gators flipped the script on college basketball’s biggest stage, outscoring Houston 35-21 down the stretch. Florida’s comeback tied for the third-largest ever in a national title game.

Senior guard Walter Clayton Jr., the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, scored all of his 11 points in the second half, while adding seven assists and five rebounds. When asked what kept him going during a 25-minute scoring drought to start the game, Clayton Jr. credited his teammates.

“My motto, we all can go,” Clayton Jr. said. “I understand that if it ain’t my night, somebody going to pick me up. We understand we all just picking each other up throughout the year, man. We been doing that all the year.”

Will Richard led the scoring effort with 18 points, including 14 in the first half and four 3-pointers. Sophomore big man Alex Condon contributed 12 points and helped the Gators control the paint late.

Historic Run for Clayton Jr.

Clayton Jr. etched his name in Florida history with a record-shattering NCAA Tournament. His 22.3 points per game is the highest tournament average by a Gator. His season total of 117 made three-pointers is second all-time in Gator history behind Michael Frazier II’s 118 in 2013-2014.

Clayton Jr. ends his Florida career 24th on the program’s all-time scoring list with 1,346 points, and top 10 in multiple statistical categories, including free throw percentage (second) and career three-point field goals (10th).

Championship Numbers

Record: Florida finishes the season at 36-4, tying the program record for wins (2013-14).

Top-25 wins: The Gators collected a school-record 12 victories over ranked opponents, 10 of which came against teams in the top 12.

Winning streak: Florida closed the season on a 12-game winning streak and won 18 of its final 19 games.

Dominant trio: Clayton (713 points), Alijah Martin (546) and Richard (531) formed the highest-scoring trio in a single season in program history.

Golden Moment for a Young Coach

At just 39 years old, Todd Golden becomes the youngest head coach to win a national title since Jim Valvano in 1983. His six NCAA Tournament wins already rank second in school history, trailing only Billy Donovan’s 35.

Florida’s path to the title was among the most difficult ever for a No. 1 seed, with opponents’ combined seeds totaling 33—matching the 1993 North Carolina team for the highest total since the tournament expanded in 1985.

“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,” Golden said. “Because of that, we can call each other national champions for the rest of our lives.”

Gators Add to Championship Legacy

This marks Florida’s 49th national team title and the 28th since the 2008-09 academic year—second-most nationally in that span. Men’s basketball joins the 2006 and 2007 squads in the program’s elite club of champions. Florida remains the only program in the nation to win at least one national title in each fully contested season since 2008-09, further cementing its standing as one of the premier athletic programs in the country.

Single-Season & Career Record Sets

Team Records:

Points Scored: 3,391

Field Goals Made: 1,182

Top-25 Wins: 12

Points Per Game: 84.8 (second in program history)

Scoring Margin: +15.2 (third)

Individual Honors:

Clayton Jr.:

2nd in single-season 3-pointers (117)

6th in scoring average (17.9)

2nd in free throw percentage (.876)

Condon: 3rd in offensive rebounds (103)

Richard: 4th in single-season steals (66), 33rd in all-time scoring (1,275)