Championship or bust? Florida basketball has already won something bigger

Yes, the 2025 NCAA Tournament Championship is on the line. And yes, Florida basketball has every intention of beating the Houston Cougars and cutting down the nets. But here's the truth: This team doesn't need a national title to validate what it's already done.

The Gators have overachieved, outlasted blue bloods and brought Florida basketball back to national relevance.

In a March Madness run that no one saw coming back in the beginning of the season, the Gators have knocked off UConn, Texas Tech and Auburn to earn their first trip to the NCAA championship game since 2007. Now, they're one win away from their third national title in school history.

And they've done it with a star — Walter Clayton Jr. — who's putting together one of the best NCAA Tournament performances in recent memory.

Walter Clayton Jr. is making NCAA history

Clayton scored 34 points in Florida's Final Four win over Auburn, just days after dropping 30 in the Elite Eight. He's the first player since Larry Bird with Indiana State University in 1979 to post back-to-back 30-point games this late in the tournament. Let that sink in.

He's not just Florida's MVP – he's been the best player in this year's March Madness.

WALTER CLAYTON JR WAS UNSTOPPABLE VS AUBURN 😤

- 34 PTS
- 11/18 FG
- 5/8 3PT
- Advances to National Championship pic.twitter.com/8s3URp85RB

— House of Highlights (@HoHighlights) April 6, 2025

Throw in contributions during the win against Auburn in the Final Four from Alijah Martin, Thomas Haugh's game-sealing and-one, and Alex Condon's and Rueben Chinyelu's clutch defense against Johni Broome, and this Gators team looks like an absolute powerhouse.

Florida Gators basketball is officially back

This is exactly what head coach Todd Golden envisioned when he took the Florida job three years ago. But let's be real: No one expected a Final Four this fast, let alone a shot at the national championship.

"It's pretty incredible, man... In three years, been fortunate to build a great staff that is aligned, that works really hard for each other. And then we've just accumulated a great group of guys."

— @GatorsMBK head coach Todd Golden after Final Four win over Auburn pic.twitter.com/3NXb6VO11k

— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) April 6, 2025

Florida wasn't even picked to win the SEC. But now they're on an 11-game win streak, have eliminated top-tier teams and are a slight betting ...