Todd Golden Celebrates Florida’s Thrilling NCAA Championship Win Over Houston
Florida won. Todd Golden led his team to a 65–63 win over Houston. The Gators overcame a 12‐point gap in the second half. The crowd roared with each play.
After the win, Golden spoke on court with CBS’s Tracy Wolfson. He said, “We did what we did all year. We stayed the course. We have the best backcourt in America. I think we have the best frontcourt in America. And like we’ve done all year, we made plays when we needed them most.” His words showed strong belief.
Golden’s joy grew. He shouted, “We guarded our butts off down the stretch! Made every 50-50 winning play. The Gators are natty baby! We got the natty baby! Let’s goooo!” This win makes him the youngest head coach to win a men’s title since Jim Valvano in 1983. The championship game crowned a season of tough fights and bright moments. Florida played as one team. Big man Alex Condon scored 12 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and stole four times in 28 minutes. Will Richard shone too. He scored 14 points in the first half and ended with 18 points, eight rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
Walter Clayton, Jr.—the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player—faced strong defense by Houston. Yet he added 11 points, five rebounds, and seven assists. He may not have been perfect, but he made key plays.
Houston faced a hard loss. They showed grit all season. Their top scorer, LJ Cryer, put up 19 points, six rebounds, two assists, and one block. J’Wan Roberts chipped in with eight points and eight rebounds.
Florida wraps up a season with a 35–4 record, an SEC Tournament Championship, and now a national title. They lost only to Kentucky (106–100), Missouri (83–82), Tennessee (64–44), and Georgia (88–83).
With this win, Todd Golden and the Gators mark their place in college basketball history. Their name will shine for years to come.
