Athletic has in -depth coverage Men’s finals 2025.
Men’s NCAA tournament started with 68 teams and many March Mad Dreams.
Three weeks and 66 games later we are ready for Monday’s national championship game, where the fun came to the conclusion when Florida and Houston meet in San Antonio.
It was an interesting and unusual tournament, especially short on Cinderella and definitely difficult to dominate a big conference. All four seeds No. 1 have reached Final Four and now we will have the title game with two of them and a nice selection of future NBA stars.
It’s Sec vs. Big 12. It is a battle between a young, upcoming coach and a well -traveled veteran that could have its best team ever. And it is a match of teams charged with depth and stellar force.
In terms of betting courses, Florida is an early favorite 1.5 -point, popular, on Betmgm.
Florida-Houston broadcasts on Monday at 20:50 et on CBS.
If you are a newcomer in madness, there is an overview of the last two teams.
Florida (35-4)
Gators will try to secure their third national championship, the first since Billy Donovan led Florida at the Back-to-Back Championship in 2006 and 2007.
Florida came here by completing the Auburn 79-73 in a close, hard-fighting final four match, which included 15 lead changes and 10 ties. Star guard Walter Clayton Jr. He dropped 34 points from a career to lead Gators, and became only a 15th player in a modern era (1984-85) to achieve four games in the male finals. He is the only player in Florida on this list.
Florida was watched by Auburn, the highest total seed in the tournament, by 8 points in the half -time, before it increased its game in the second half, as was the case against Texas Tech in Eight Eight and vs. Uconn in the second round.
Clayton scored 20 out of his 34 points in the second half of the three-point game with 93 seconds remaining, which gave Florida a decisive six-point pillow.
This is the first performance of Coach Todda Golden in the Championship game and comes only in its third season, which leads the program.
Gators are on the 11-game winning lane, win the Sec Conference tournament, and then carry this dynamics with a big dance. Florida is undefeated outside the SEC game and lost only with conference rivals Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky and Missouri.
Florida has a deep list after entering the Final Four with five players on average at least 9.8 points per game. But Clayton was Gators’ go-to a guy late in this tournament. Before his huge finals four games 6-Naha-3 Senior earned 30 points-8 of them in the last 107 seconds-winning over Texas Tech in Eight. It is no shock that he attracted a comparison with the star NBA Steph Curry.
Florida Guard Walter Clayton Jr. He is the first player from Larry Bird with 30-point games in elite eight and national semifinals.
H/t @PnStatssinfo, @Jeffborzello pic.twitter.com/toq3Climqn
– Athletic (@Theathletic) April 6, 2025
Houston (35-4)
Houston appears in the National Championship for the third time, although Cougars is still looking for his first title. Houston’s two more performances came in 1983 and 1984, when he lost to NC State and Georgetown. Hakem Olajuwon played on both teams and Clyde Drexler played alongside Olajuwon on the 1983 team.
Houston came here by pulling the Dukes with a dramatic late return in Final Four. Blue Devils led 64-55 with the remaining 3:04, but Cougars held the Dukes for three body-all on the free throw-rays when they assembled a furious rally and left with a victory of 70-67. LJ Cryer, Baylor transfer, led Houston with 26 points for shooting 6-for-9 out of 3-point range. The Duke, who missed eight of his last nine shots, was led by Star Freshman Cooper Flagg. He suggested all shooters with 27 points, but was held for 8 for 19 shooting from the field.
They lead by coach Kelvin Sampson, the Big 12 Conference champions are known for their defense and lead the nation by allowing only 58.3 points per game. However, this version of Cougars can also fill it in, thanks to a versatile list that has four players who have an average dual score in scoring.
Before he faced Duke, Houston had it hard in the Midwest region, Tennessee (69-50) no.
Houston lost only once from the beginning of December, a loss of overtime for Texas Tech 1 February. Sampson has been three times three times, but this is his first visit to the championship game.
(Photo: Jamie Squire / Getty Images)
