Gators weather the storm to win a wild national championship
04/08/2025
By Chris Marler
It came down to the final game of the tournament, but we finally got the madness we were waiting for all along.
In one of the most incredible, albeit awkward and clunky, finishes we’ve seen in recent years, the Florida Gators won the national championship over Houston Monday night in San Antonio.
YOUR 2025 NATIONAL CHAMPIONS. pic.twitter.com/cFxOQ4NnJt
— Florida Gators Men’s Basketball (@GatorsMBK) April 8, 2025
Alligators can live for over a hundred years and are known to be extremely difficult to kill. This Gator basketball team was no different. They trailed for 38 minutes and 56 seconds of regulation against the Cougars. However, when the clock hit double zeroes it was Florida who won their third national title in the last twenty years.
The Gators were led by an incredible first half from Will Richard and a furious late surge from the tournament MVP, Walter Clayton Jr. At one point in the second half, Florida found themselves down 14 points to the best defensive team in the country. Their star point guard Clayton had zero points, and they had very few signs of life.
That’s how the Gators wanted it.
It was the third time in the last four games they found themselves trailing by nine points or more. They trailed by nine to UConn, were down by more than ten to Texas Tech, and trailed Auburn by nine in the Final Four. And, just like the previous three games, it didn’t matter.
You have to weather a lot in Florida. Storms, hurricanes, bath salt enthusiasts at the local Wawa. In the end, this team weathered every storm thrown in front of them – early season allegations against their head coach, the most grueling scheduling gauntlet in conference history, and four come from behind wins in six NCAA tournament games.
Call them lucky. Call them battle-tested. But whatever you call them, make sure you also call them champions.