The Florida Gators Are National Champions (Chompions)

Things were looking very bleak. Nothing was going their way. They needed some key breaks down the stretch. Somehow, some way, the Florida Gators are the 2025 National Champions as they stormed back to defeat the Houston Cougars 65-63. In one of the most physical games we’ve seen all season, both teams were tenacious defensively and never gave up any easy shots. This Florida team showed how resilient they were during the times of adversity that hit them.

Florida didn't get off to the ideal start they wanted to in either half. They didn’t shoot the ball well while also committing 9 uncharacteristic turnovers that led to Houston holding a 31-28 lead at halftime. Houston guard L.J. Cryer had a big first half and really got going with some big shots early in the game. Houston’s defense was swarming and never let Florida point guard Walter Clayton Jr. get into any kind of rhythm. Will Richard was able to keep the Gators in the game with some timely threes and finished with a team high 18 points.

The Gators defense turned up the heat on Houston in the second half and held them to 31% shooting. They were able to get put pressure on the Cougars guards and forced 7 turnovers which helped them get back into the game. Clayton hit his first basket with about 8:00 left in the game. Not only was he able to get to the basket, but he hit a big time 3 to tie the game at 60. One of the unsung heroes of the game was Denzel Aberdeen. His ability to run the offense while Clayton was on the bench plus the job he did on defense had a huge impact on the outcome of the game.

3rd year head coach Todd Golden challenged his team at halftime to play with more physicality, and they did just that. They pounded the glass and were able to create some 2nd chance opportunities. One of the biggest plays of the game was when Thomas Haugh was able to convert a 3 point play to cut the lead to 3 after blocking a shot on the defensive end. Clayton didn’t shoot the ball well, so he became a facilitator and was able to get his teammates involved. During the biggest moments of the game, he was able to pick his spots to score and showed why he was a 1st team All American and the best point guard in the country.

The Gators took a 65-63 late in the game and needed to get one more stop on the defensive end. L.J. Cryer brought the ball up the court and the ball ended up in Emanuel Sharp’s hands. He wasn’t able to get a shot off because Walter Clayton Jr. closed out on him as Sharp attempted to take a shot. He couldn’t touch the ball because he would’ve been called for a travel and Alex Condon recovered the ball to secure the win. That type of effort summed up the entire season for this team. What an amazing season and what a win for the Florida Gators, your 2025 National Champions.

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