The Florida Gators will face the Houston Cougars on Monday, April 7, at 8:49 p.m. EDT to decide the men's college basketball national championship.
For much of Saturday night, Todd Golden's squad expected to face the No. 1-ranked Duke Blue Devils in the title game, and it seemed like the matchup was locked in with Cooper Flagg and Co. up by 14 with eight minutes to play. But Houston would not be denied. Led by L.J. Cryer, the Cougars mounted a 9-0 run over the final 35 seconds and iced the game with a pair of three throws. Madness, indeed.
Of course, just hours earlier, Walter Clayton Jr. led the Gators to a similar comeback over Auburn, albeit not as dramatic in the final moments. Down by eight at the half and unable to contain Johni Broome, Florida's season looked like it was heading toward a disappointing finish. Clayton ended the night with 34 points and everyone in the building (and on the internet) was left repeating the same phrase: He's the real deal.
Now Clayton and Cryer, two guards who refuse to let their teams down, get to go at with a chance at history on the line. Florida hasn't made the NCAA Tournament championship game since winning back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007. The only other appearance in Gators history came in 2000, when the Michigan State Spartans won, 89-76. For Houston, it's the first time back since back-to-back runner-up finishes in 1983 and 1984. Both teams want it and seem unstoppable at this moment, but only one will come out on top.
It's the 11th time in NCAA Tournament history that two No. 1 seeds have faced off in the championship, although that was a given considering all of the Final Four teams were top seeds in their regions. Both teams a have top-10 ranked defenses and offenses, according to KenPom. Houston is the top defensive team, and Florida is No. 2 in offensive efficiency. The Cougars can match Clayton Jr.'s output from the 3-point line, and the Gators bigs regularly outlast their opponents while dominating the boards.
College basketball fans are in for a treat Monday night.
Florida's path to the national championship
| Round of 64 | vs. No. 16 Norfolk State | W 95-69 |
| Round of 32 | vs. No. 8 UConn | W 77-75 |
| Sweet 16 | vs. No. 4 Maryland | W 87-71 |
| Elite Eight | vs. No. 3 Texas Tech | W 84-79 |
| Final Four | vs. No. 1 Auburn | W 79-73 |
| National Championship | vs. No. 1 Houston | TBD |
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida Gators basketball to face Houston Cougars in NCAA title game
