For 30-plus minutes in Monday’s NCAA title game, Houston’s defense flustered a freewheeling Florida offense into playing its own grinding game.
But Florida would not be denied. The Gators looked cooked when Houston opened up a 42-30 second-half lead. But Florida persevered and rallied for a 65-63 win to secure the program’s third national championship. The victory denied Houston and head coach Kelvin Sampson each their first.
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Houston was in control for much of the game and didn’t allow Florida to take a second-half lead until Alijah Martin hit two free throws with 46.5 remaining after drawing a foul on a drive to the basket. Florida never trailed again.
Houston turned the ball over on its ensuing possession, and Florida answered with a Denzel Aberdeen free throw to extend the lead to 65-63 with 19.7 seconds left. Houston had an opportunity to tie the game or take the lead on the next possession.
Defensive stand secures championship for Florida
But Florida gave Houston a dose of its own defensive medicine with a smothering effort on the final possession of the game. Houston looked to set up sharpshooter Milos Uzan with a look from the right wing on a pass from LJ Cryer. But Uzan met two Florida defenders as he attempted to break free off a screen to create a shot.
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Uzan gave the ball back to Cryer, who immediately passed it to Emanuel Sharp at the top of the key. But Sharp had no place to go. He dropped the ball to the floor after finding Walter Clayton Jr.’s hand in his face after he pulled up for a 3. And the clock ticked off from there as Sharp watched the ball bounce, aware that if he touched it, he’d be called for a traveling violation.
From there, the Florida celebration was on.
The defensive stop provided a fitting end to a game in which defense set the tone from the opening tip.
Houston was in control
Houston seized a 31-28 halftime lead after a first half in which it held Clayton scoreless.
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Clayton, an All-American who entered Monday’s averaging 24.6 points per game in five previous NCAA tournament games, didn’t score his first point until a free throw with 14:57 remaining in the second half.
But it was Clayton’s eventual offense and Florida’s defense down the stretch that ultimately willed the Gators to victory. Clayton finished with 11 points, seven rebounds, five assists and that big hand in Sharp’s face on the final possession of the game. He earned Final Four Most Outstanding Player for his combined effort that included 34 points in Florida’s semifinal win over Auburn.
Florida started its rally on defense
Houston took a 45-34 lead on a Sharp free throw with 14:07 remaining. From there, Florida held Houston to three points over a 6:54 span while cutting its deficit to 48-45. Then Clayton did what Clayton does.
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He scored his first field goal of the game on an and-one layup in traffic. He hit the free throw to tie the game at 48-48.
Two possessions later, Clayton did it again. With Houston up, 51-48, Clayton again drove to the basket. He again scored through contact and drew a foul.
And he again hit his free throw to tie the game.
Then, with less than four minutes remaining, Houston held another three-point lead at 60-57. This time Clayton did his damage from beyond the arc. Clayton took a pass off a screen and pulled up for his only made 3 in seven attempts.
It was a big one that continued to keep pressure on a Houston team that had still yet to trail in the second half.
From there, Florida kept up the defensive pressure, ultimately allowing Martin to secure the lead at the free throw line in the game’s final minute.
Florida won playing Houston’s game
When it was over, Florida limited Houston to 34.8% shooting from the field and 24% (6 of 25) shooting from 3-point distance. Cryer tallied 19 points and six rebounds to lead the Cougars. But he needed a 6-of-18 shooting effort to get there. No other Cougar scored in double figures.
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Florida entered Monday’s game boasting the NCAA’s third-highest scoring offense with 85.3 points per game. It scored 77 points or more in each of its five previous NCAA tournament victories.
But it was a grind on Monday against the nation’s best defense. The Gators shot just 39.6% from the field and 25% (6 of 24) from 3 and committed 13 turnovers. As Clayton struggled early, Will Richard picked up the scoring slack and finished with a team-high 18 points and eight rebounds.
After scoring one point in the Final Four against Auburn, center Alex Condon finished with 12 points and seven rebounds against Houston. None of it was pretty. And little of it looked like Florida basketball.
But it ultimately didn’t matter for the Gators. The Cougars forced them to play their game. And in the end, Florida played it better.
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