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.
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.
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.