Florida defeated Houston 65-63 to take home the school’s third NCAA men’s basketball championship, coming back from down double digits and taking the lead in the final minute of the game.
Florida and Walter Clayton Jr. somehow overcame Houston’s spirit-crushing defense Monday night in an NCAA title-game thriller not decided until Clayton’s own defense stopped the Cougars from taking a game-winning shot at the buzzer.
Clayton finished with 11 points, all in the second half, but what he’ll be remembered for most was getting Houston’s Emanuel Sharp to stop in the middle of his motion as he tried to go up for the game-winning 3 in the final seconds.
Clayton ran at him, Sharp dropped the ball and, unable to pick it up lest he get called for traveling, watched it bounce there while the clock ticked to zero.
Will Richard had 18 points to keep the Gators in it, winning their third overall title and first since the back-to-back championships of 2006 and 2007. The Cougars and coach Kelvin Sampson were denied their first championship.
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