Florida wins the NCAA title with a 65-63 victory over Houston

Florida wins the national championship at the 2024 Final Four at the Alamodome.

The confetti rained down on the Florida Gators Monday night after they defeated the Houston Cougars and won their third NCAA men’s basketball championship. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

If the NCAA Division I men’s basketball championship game had been a canvas, then the Florida Gators’ last defensive stop against the Houston Cougars in a 65-63 victory represented a work of art. They stuffed both of the Cougars’ leading scorers on one play to secure their first title in 18 years.

With Florida leading by two and 19 seconds remaining Monday night at the Alamodome, Houston had an opportunity to tie or take the lead. Coming out of a timeout, they inbounded and put the ball in guard L.J. Cryer’s hands about 30 feet from the hoop.

Florida wins the national championship at the 2024 Final Four at the Alamodome.

Florida fans shouted their approval after the Gators won their first title since back to back crowns in 2006 and 2007. – Photo by Joe Alexander

But with a defender in his face, the Cougars’ No 1 offensive threat had nowhere to go and tossed it to teammate Emanuel Sharp, a deadly 41.5 percent shooter from three-point range. Seeing an opening in the middle of the floor, he jumped and started to launch what would have been a long three for the lead, only to see Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr. close out on the play and fly past him.

To avoid having the shot blocked or getting called for traveling, Sharp dropped the ball before his feet hit the floor, hoping that one of his teammates could retrieve it. The gamble proved costly. With the ball bouncing three times and the clock ticking away the last few seconds, Florida forward Alex Condon raced out from his post inside, dove and secured it in his arms.

Then he tossed it to Clayton as the buzzer sounded.

Still face down on the floor, Condon knew that the sound of the blaring horn was a good thing. It meant that the Gators had scrawled their initials on a season-long masterpiece. Afterward, Florida coach Todd Golden hailed his team’s run to the title as “a heck of an accomplishment.”

“Obviously, we have an incredibly talented group, one of the most talented groups individually in America,” Golden said. “I do think what separates us and has separated us all season long is our team talent, how our guys have played together and for each other all year. Because of that, we can call each other national champions for the rest of our lives.”

For the third straight game in the tournament, the Gators rallied from a deficit of nine points or more to win. They did it against Texas Tech in the regional final. They did it against Auburn Saturday in the national semifinal. And once again, against Houston, they were down 42-30 early in the second half, only to find a way to win.

It wasn’t easy. The Cougars, who had won 18 straight, continued to play hard even though they were not at the top of their game.

Leading by three points with 4:17 remaining and looking for their first national title, Houston was outscored 8-3 down the stretch as their championship hopes slipped away. The Gators took the lead with 46.5 seconds remaining when Alijah Martin drove to draw a foul and made two free throws, making it 64-63.

Alex Condon, Florida

Florida forward Alex Condon had 12 points, seven rebounds and four steals. – Photo by Joe Alexander

After a timeout, Sharp had the ball on the dribble, taking it down the right side of the lane. In response, Florida’s Will Richard reached in and deflected it, knocking it off Sharp’s leg.

The play, confirmed on an official review at the monitors, gave Florida possession with 26.5 seconds left. Drawing a foul, Gators guard Denzel Aberdeen went to the line and made one of two free throws, giving the Gators a 65-63 lead as the Cougars called time with 19.7 seconds left.

That is when the Gators’ masterpiece of a defensive stand unfolded. Clayton, held to 11 points after scoring 30 and 34 in his last two games of the tournament, read Houston’s play perfectly and promptly hustled outside to contest Sharp.

“Felt like we were going to get something from Cryer or (Houston forward J’Wan Roberts),” Clayton said. “Sharp kind of creeped down to the baseline. I seen a back screen. I’m yelling ‘screen,’ at Do (Condon). Sharp ended up slipping it … We work on it in practice, closing out, jumping to the side, so you don’t foul the shooter. He pump faked, threw the ball down. Ended up being a good play (for us). Do got on it. We won the game.”

Condon described the surreal moment of latching onto the ball and then realizing that the game was over, and that the Gators had won.

“I think it was a great defensive play by Walter,” Condon said. “I was questioning whether I should go out and leave my man. He did a good job of making him (hesitate and drop the ball). It was going to be a travel (violation) if he picked it up. Just diving on it and hearing the buzzer … was a crazy feeling. Didn’t feel real, for sure.”

Guard Will Richard led the Gators in scoring with 19 points. Condon had 12 points and Walter Clayton Jr. 11. Defensively, the Gators played extremely well, holding the Cougars to 34.8 percent shooting from the field and limiting them to just six of 24 from the three-point line.

Walter Clayton Jr., Florida.

Walter Clayton Jr. contributed 11 points, five rebounds and seven assists. Clayton, a first-team All American, had scored 30 and 34 points in his two previous tournament games. – Photo by Joe Alexander

For Houston, playing its first national title game since 1984 in front of a mostly red-clad throng of its own fans, Cryer scored 19 points. Mylik Wilson had nine and Roberts, Sharp and Ja’Vier Francis contributed eight apiece.

“I told our guys after the game to be disappointed you lost,” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said. “But do not be disappointed in your effort. You know, defending Florida is difficult. They got a really, really good team. Coach Golden runs great schemes over there. But we guarded ’em. We held that team to 65 points.”

The loss stung Sampson, a 69-year-old veteran of 36 years as a college head coach who has won 799 games but still has never won a national title. Asked during his postgame news conference what was on his mind in the big picture, he tried to explain.

“I’m just going through those last two possessions more than anything else,” he said. “Incomprehensible in that situation we couldn’t get a shot. Couldn’t get a shot. We were down two, and obviously we didn’t need a three … We were struggling to score the entire second half. We got good looks.

“Florida was doing a good job running us off the (three-point) line and forcing us to score it (elsewhere). We just didn’t do a good job of finishing some shots … Give Florida credit, too. I’m not going to sit up here and poor mouth, pity mouth us.

“We held that team to 65 points. Clayton and Martin combined go five for 20 (from the field). If you would have told me we would hold those two guys to five for 20 … We had a good plan. We just didn’t score it well enough to win. Scored it well enough to be in a position to win. At the end, you’ve got to get a shot.

“Got to do better than that.”

Records

Florida 36-4
Houston 35-5

First half

Wilson and forward Francis came off the bench and sparked the Cougars to a 31-28 lead at halftime.

Wilson, a 6-foot-3 graduate guard, played 11 minutes and hit three of six shots from the field for seven points. Francis, a 6-8 sky walker, had six points and four rebounds.

J'Wan Roberts, Houston

Sixth-year Houston forward J’Wan Roberts had eight points and eight rebounds, – Photo by

Six minutes into the game, Francis brought the crowd to its feet with a soaring dunk. Later, he added a couple of shots in the paint. His second field goal in the stretch gave Houston a 20-16 lead.

Wilson energized the Cougars with a steal from Denzel Aberdeen and then a breakaway layup. He later punctuated an 8-0 run for the Cougars with a dunk on the fast break, soaring to catch an alley-oop pass from Emanuel Sharp, and then dunking with force.

When Wilson hit a three off the glass out of the corner, the Cougars had a 29-21 lead with 5:02 remaining. At that point, the Cougars failed to capitalize on the momentum, hitting only one field goal for the rest of the half.

Will Richard scored on a jumper and a three-pointer in the last 3:21 to bring the Gators back. Richard finished the half with 14 points, including five of eight from the field and four of six from three.

The top scorers for both teams in Saturday’s semifinals were held in check. Florida’s Walter Clayton was scoreless on zero for four shooting. Guarded closely as soon as he crossed halfcourt, Clayton would try to drive, only to find another Houston defender in his face.

Clayton tried to adjust, passing for five assists. Clayton scored 34 points in Florida’s 79-73 victory over Auburn Saturday afternoon. Houston’s L.J. Cryer, who played 40 minutes and scored 26 in a 70-67 victory over Duke, was also guarded with intensity by Florida defenders.

Cryer had five points on two for six shooting.

Improved three-point shooting has helped propel Houston to the NCAA title game

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

After an exit from last year’s NCAA tournament in the Sweet 16, coaches for the Houston Cougars went back to work in an effort to upgrade the team’s offensive capabilities.

Milos Uzan. Houston beat Duke 70-67 in the second semifinal of the Final Four on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at the Alamodome. - Photo by Joe Alexander

The addition of Milos Uzan (No. 7) has bolstered the depth of Houston’s three-point shooting. – Photo by Joe Alexander

The Cougars did just that, reconfiguring a backcourt that now has the ability to carry the team with its three-point shooting.

Houston has always been known for its rugged defense, which ranks first in the nation this season in points per game and field goal percentage allowed.

Nevertheless, the Cougars’ ability to shoot the three has, in essence, turned the squad into a more well-rounded force of nature, one that has surged all the way to the NCAA championship game.

Houston (35-4) will try to win its first national title when it meets Florida (also 35-4) on Monday at 7:50 p.m. at the Alamodome.

“We collectively have more guys that can make a three,” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said earlier this week. “We’ve gone from being a three-point shooting team to a three-point making team. There’s a difference.”

The Duke Blue Devils found that out the hard way.

Guards L.J. Cryer and Emanuel Sharp combined to hit nine of Houston’s 10 three-point buckets Saturday night in a riveting, 70-67 victory in the NCAA semifinals.

Cryer, in his second year at Houston after starting his career at Baylor, poured in 26 points. On the way to that outburst, Cryer knocked down six of nine from long distance.

Sharp made three of seven from beyond the arc and scored 16, including a momentum-changing three during the Cougars’ 9-0 run in the last minute of the game.

The performance was emblematic of Houston’s success all season. At least one player, and sometimes two or three, will heat up from the perimeter to make life miserable for opposing players and coaches.

Last season, the Cougars were excellent defensively, as usual, but were only a respectable team in hitting the long ball. They made 286 of 821 for 34.8 percent in a 32-5 campaign that ended in the Sweet 16 with a loss to Duke.

This season, the Coogs have connected on 320 of 803 for 39.9 percent. Houston’s three backcourt starters — Cryer, Sharp and first-year point guard Milos Uzan — have all hit better than 40 percent for the season.

Uzan, a transfer from Oklahoma, was brought in to be a distributor as veteran point guard Jamal Shead was leaving for the NBA.

He doesn’t shoot the ball a lot in the Cougars’ system but he can make the three, as evidenced by his 44 percent accuracy for the year.

Cryer leads the team with 119 makes from distance while hitting 42.7 percent. Sharp, meanwhile, shoots the long ball at 41.5 percent clip.

In five NCAA tournament games, the Cougars have been even better. They’re making 40.3 percent in five games, averaging a little more than nine per outing. Opponents, by contrast, are hitting 26 percent and 5.2 per game.

Duke made seven of 17 from outside the arc, but that wasn’t quite enough.

In the end, the Houston’s remarkable 25-8 run on Duke in the last eight minutes of the game also showcased clutch free-throw shooting, which is always important in championship settings.

During that stretch, the Cougars made nine of 10 at the line, including two for two by forward J’Wan Roberts in the last minute of a harrowing finish. Roberts entered the Duke game as a career 58.9 percent free-throw shooter.

Roberts was three for eight from the free-throw line in last year’s Sweet 16 loss to the Blue Devils.

“Even though we only lost four games all year, a couple of those, the free-throw line impacted two of those,” Sampson said. “So we had our kids make 150 free throws seven days a week. I don’t think J’Wan missed a day from June 2nd till we left (Houston for San Antonio) on Wednesday.

“We left on Wednesday, right? So Tuesday night I looked at what he shot from the free-throw line with his 150 makes. He shot 87 (percent). That was his highest percentage … When he started this, he was at 66.”

Records

Florida 35-4
Houston 35-4

Coming up

NCAA championship game, Houston vs. Florida, Monday at 7:50 p.m. at the Alamodome

Notable

The Cougars have made two appearances in NCAA championship games, in both 1983 and 1984, in the Phi Slama Jama years. The 1983 team featured Clyde Drexler and Akeem (now Hakeem) Olajuwon. Olajuwon also played for Houston in the ’84 title game.

In ’83, the Cougars lost to Jim Valvano and the NC State Wolfpack at Albuquerque, N.M., and in ’84, they lost to John Thompson and Georgetown at Seattle, Wash. Both Houston teams were coached by Guy V. Lewis. This is Houston’s seventh Final Four appearance. The Cougars reached the Final Four in 1967, 1968, 1982, 1983, 1984, 2021 and 2025.

Lewis coached the Cougars to the first five Final Fours and Kelvin Sampson the last two.

Sampson, 69, is bidding to become the oldest coach to win an NCAA title. Jim Calhoun won in 2011 with the Connecticut Huskies at age 68. In his 36th year as a coach, Sampson would also reach two other milestone if he can beat the Gators. A win would be the 800th of his career and his 300th in 11 seasons at Houston.

If Houston wins Monday night, the Cougars would be the third team from the state of Texas to win the NCAA men’s title and the first to do it in a game played within the state.

Don Haskins-coached Texas Western (now UT-El Paso) won the 1966 championship with a victory over Kentucky in College Park, Md. In 2021, Scott Drew-coached Baylor beat Sampson and Houston in the semifinals and then downed Gonzaga in the title game at Indianapolis.

Florida has reached the NCAA finals three times and has won two titles. The Gators made the championship game in 2000, 2006 and 2006, all coached by recently-installed Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame coach Billy Donovan.

A Florida team that included forward Matt Bonner lost in 2000 in Indianapolis to Tom Izzo-coached Michigan State. Bonner went on to become a popular player with the Spurs. In 2006, they won the title in Indianapolis over UCLA, and in 2007, they won again in Atlanta over Ohio State.

NCAA Final Four: Clayton-led Florida roars from behind to beat Auburn

Walter Clayton Jr. Florida beat Auburn 79-73 in Saturday's first semifinal in the Final Four at the Alamodome on Saturday, April 5, 2026. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Walter Clayton Jr. (1) continued his NCAA tournament heroics Saturday with 34 points in a 79-73 victory over the Auburn Tigers in the Final Four. It was Clayton’s second straight tournament game of 30 or more. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

All-American guard Walter Clayton Jr. scored 20 of his 34 points in the second half, leading the Florida Gators to a 79-73 victory over the Auburn Tigers in the opening game of the NCAA Final Four on Saturday at the Alamodome.

Flashing moves that could translate to a lucrative career in the NBA, Clayton hit 11 of 18 shots from the field and five of eight from beyond the 3-point arc. In the second half, he knocked down six field goals, including three from distance.

Johni Broome, Auburn

Auburn All-American forward Johni Broome scored 15 points, but was held to only three in the second half. — Photo by Joe Alexander

As a result, the Gators (35-4) won their 11th straight game and moved into the NCAA tournament finals on Monday. Seeking the third championship in school history, they’ll play either the Houston Cougars or the Duke Blue Devils.

The Cougars, champions from the Big 12, will meet the Atlantic Coast Conference titlist Blue Devils later Saturday night.

Rallying to overcome a nine-point, second-half deficit, the Gators sent home the Tigers (32-6) in a battle of Southeastern Conference powers. Chad Baker-Mazara scored 18 points to lead the Tigers.

All-American Johni Broome finished with 15 points, but was held to only three in the second half.

A key sequence for Florida came early in the second half when the Gators constructed an 11-0 run to take a 51-49 lead. Highlights included three-point buckets by Clayton and guard Alijah Martin, followed by a Clayton baseline drive.

Martin, a transfer from Florida Atlantic University, scored 17 points in the victory.

First half

Trailing by one point midway through the first half, the Auburn Tigers turned it on. They outscored the Florida Gators 24-15 in the last 10 minutes to take a 46-38 lead into intermission.

Tigers guards Denver Jones and Miles Kelly ignited the run. First, Jones drove into the paint and scored. Kelly followed with his own drive through traffic and a layup, and then a three.

Freshman Tahaad Pettiford, one of Auburn’s standouts in the tournament, took it inside for a bucket and then knocked down three free throws after he was fouled outside the arc.

When Broome wheeled inside to score at 2:52, the Tigers had opened a 38-29 advantage. The Gators never got closer than six the rest of the say.

Broome, who tweaked a knee and an elbow last Sunday against Michigan State, didn’t practice for a few days earlier this week. But he didn’t seem bothered at all bothered, as the 6-10 forward had 12 points, four rebounds and two blocks in the half.

Also for the Tigers, Kelly and Chad Baker-Mazara scored eight points apiece, and both knocked down a couple of threes. The Auburn backcourt of Denver Jones, Kelly and Baker-Mazara was also solid in subtle ways. They orchestrated an offense that turned it over only one time.

Meanwhile, the Tigers went to work inside, outscoring the Gators 26-14 in the paint.

All-American Walter Clayton Jr. had the hot hand for Florida, scoring inside and outside and finishing the half with 14 points. He hit five of nine afield and two of four from beyond the arc. Guard Alijah Martin also scored 10.

Florida big men weren’t much of a factor. Alex Condon, Rueben Chinyelu, Thomas Haugh and Micah Handlogten combined for eight points.

Records

Florida 35-4
Auburn 32-6

Coming up

Houston vs. Duke, NCAA semifinal, later tonight

Notable

Clayton scored 17 of his 30 points late in the second half last Saturday as the Gators rallied past the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Elite Eight at San Francisco.

Quotable

“I thought Auburn played great in the first half,” Florida coach Todd Golden said. “We did some nice things, but we did not have an answer for their physicality in the paint. I think they were 13 of 18 from two. Our game plan, we weren’t executing it very well and it wasn’t working very well.

“The main message at halftime was, ‘We have to get back to doing what we do,’ in a positive way … I thought we did a great job in the second half defending and rebounding. We ended up plus nine on the glass. We were down one at halftime …

“We started getting out in transition a little bit, seeing the ball go through the basket. We obviously played a really, really good second half. I think it starts with our perimeter. Walt, Will (Richard) and Alijah, three senior leaders, guys who have been through the fire.”

Starters

Starters for Florida: Walter Clayton, Jr., Will Richard, Rueben Chinyelu, Alijah Martin, Alex Condon. For Auburn: Denver Jones, Johni Broome, Chad Baker-Mazara, Miles Kelly, Dylan Cardwell.

Alijah Martin, Florida

High-flying Florida guard Alijah Martin takes it to the basket against Auburn in the Final Four. Martin, a transfer from Florida Atlantic, scored 17 points and hit two three-pointers. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Final Four teams at a glance: Florida, Auburn, Houston, Duke

L.J. Cryer. Houston Cougars at the 2005 NCAA Final Four for a public practice and media session on Friday, April 4, 2025, at the Alamodome in San Antonio. - Photo by Joe Alexander

L.J. Cryer leads the Houston Cougars into the Final Four looking for the program’s first national championship. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The NCAA Final Four starts Saturday at the Alamodome with Florida playing Auburn at 5:09 p.m. and Houston meeting Duke at approximately 7:49 p.m. Here are the teams at a glance:

Florida

Road to San Antonio: The top seed in the West defeated Norfolk State, 95-69; UConn, 77-75; Maryland, 87-71; Texas Tech, 84-79

Record: 34-4

Winning streak: 10

Extended streak: 16-1 in last 17

Coach: Todd Golden, sixth year, 131-69 overall and 74-33 in three years at Florida.

Starters: Alex Condon, Rueben Chinyelu, Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard, Alijah Martin

Seasoned veteran: Clayton, a first-team Associated Press All American and an All SEC pick, has played 137 games in his college career, including 64 at Iona and 73 at Florida

Most productive player: Clayton averages 18.1 points and shoots 38.5 percent from three.

Top newcomer out of the portal: Alijah Martin has averaged 14.5 points.

Top freshman: Freshmen have had a minimal impact on the Gators. Guard Isaiah Brown from Orlando has played in 19 games.

The journey and the goal: The Gators, in their third season under Golden, started to peak in Nashville a few weeks ago when they won the SEC tournament. Now they’re looking to win their first NCAA title since they went back to back in 2006 and 2007.

Auburn Tigers

Road to San Antonio: The top seed in the South defeated Alabama State, 83-63; Creighton, 82-70; Michigan, 78-65; Michigan State, 70-64.

Record: 32-5

Winning streak: Four

Extended streak: 5-3 in last eight

Coach: Bruce Pearl, 694-269 in 30 seasons, including 232-124 in 11 seasons at Auburn.

Starters: Dylan Cardwell, Johni Broome, Chad Baker-Mazara, Miles Kelley, Denver Jones.

Most productive player: Forward/center Johni Broome, a first-team AP All American, averages 18.7 points and 10.9 rebounds. NCAA South Regional MVP after averaging 23.5 points and 15 rebounds in victories over Michigan and Michigan State.

Seasoned veteran: Forward Dylan Cardwell has played in 165 games in five seasons for Auburn.

Top newcomer out of the portal: Guard Denver Jones made the SEC all defense team. He’s scored 51 points in four NCAA games.

Top freshman: Tahaad Pettiford, a 6-1 freshman guard from Jesey City, N.J., averages 11.7 points off the bench. Has scored 69 points in four NCAA games, including 23 against Creighton and 20 against Michigan.

The journey and the goal: Ranked 11th nationally in the preseason, the Tigers won the SEC regular-season crown and entered the NCAA tournament as a No. 1 seed. They’re in their second Final Four after making it in 2019, also under Bruce Pearl. Both the coach and the program have never won the national title, so Pearl will be looking to make history this weekend.

Houston Cougars

Road to San Antonio: The top seed in the Midwest defeated SIU-Edwardsville, 78-40; Gonzaga, 81-76; Purdue, 62-60 and Tennessee 69-50.

Record: 34-4

Streak: Won 17 in a row

Extended streak: 30-1 in last 31

Coach: Kelvin Sampson, 36th year, 798-353; 11th year at Houston, 298-83.

Starters: G Milos Uzan, G L.J. Cryer, G Emanuel Sharp, F J’Wan Roberts, F Joseph Tugler.

Most productive player: L.J. Cryer, a 6-1 guard, made AP third-team All America after leading the Cougars in scoring at 15.4 points per game. He shoots 41.9 percent from three. Cryer played limited minutes as a freshman when the Baylor Bears won the 2020-21 national title.

Seasoned veteran: Forward J’Wan Roberts has played in a school-record 171 games in the last five seasons for the Cougars.

Top newcomer out of the portal: Milos Uzan, a transfer from Oklahoma, has averaged 11.6 points and 4.4 assists. He scored 22 against Purdue in the Sweet 16.

Top freshman: Not much impact from freshmen. Mercy Miller has played only 22 games and has averaged 2.7 points.

The journey and the goal: The Cougars won the Big 12 regular-season and tournament title en route their second Final Four in the last five years (both under Sampson) and their seventh overall. Both Sampson and the Cougars are looking for their first national title.

Duke Blue Devils

Road to San Antonio: The top seed in the East defeated Mount St. Mary’s, 93-49; Baylor, 89-66; Arizona 100-93 and Alabama, 85-65.

Record: 35-3

Streak: Won 15 in a row

Extended streak: 31-1 in last 32

Coach: Jon Scheyer, third year, 89-21, all at Duke.

Starters: G Sion James, G Tyrese Proctor, G/F Kon Knueppel, G/F Cooper Flagg, C Khaman Maluach.

Most productive player: Freshman forward Cooper Flagg averages 18.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists for the season. The 18-year-old Associated Press player of the year is averaging 19.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists in the NCAA tournament.

Top newcomer out of the portal: Guard Sion James, an offseason transfer from Tulane, shoots 52.4 percent from the field and 41.7 percent from three. He averages 8.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists.

Top freshman: Other than Flagg, the Blue Devils’ top freshman is guard/forward Kon Knueppel, who averages 14.4 points. He’s a 47.7 percent shooter, including 40.1 percent from three.

The journey and the goal: The Blue Devils won the ACC regular-season and postseason titles en route to a No. 1 seed in the East. After Flagg sat out two games in the ACC tournament with an ankle injury, he returned and led the Blue Devils to their 18th Final Four appearance. Duke is trying to win its first NCAA championship since 2014-15 and its sixth overall.

Playing in a second Final Four with a different team? Florida’s Martin has enjoyed the ride

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

When Alijah Martin played for the Florida Atlantic University Owls, he always seemed to be at his best when he suited up against the UTSA Roadrunners.

In addition, FAU won all four meetings between the two teams in a three-year period through the 2023-24 season, including three games contested in San Antonio.

“You played here (in San Antonio)?” one of Martin’s teammates on the Florida Gators asked Thursday morning.

Did he ever.

Martin, as an FAU freshman, produced 16 points and 9 rebounds as the Owls won 73-64 at the UTSA Convocation Center in 2022. A year later, he had 11 points and 7 boards as nationally-ranked FAU rolled, 83-64.

In January 2024, a wild, high-scoring affair tipped into overtime, and he scored 26 points in a 112-103 victory for the Owls. He also had five rebounds, five assists and two steals.

In a video shot by The JB Replay (see above), he’s throwing down a pretty salty dunk at the Convocation Center during the 2022-23 season.

“Is that one where I was coming down the middle?” Martin asked when I showed it to him on my phone. “Oh, yeah, I remember that one.”

Of course, that was the year that FAU shocked the world and made it all the way to the NCAA Final Four.

Meaning that, the starting guard for the Florida Gators is a Final Four veteran leading into Saturday afternoon’s national semifinal against Auburn at the Alamodome.

“It’s definitely unbelievable to be here, in this moment,” he said. “Blessed.”

Oddly, the kid from Summit, Miss., who attended a previously non-descript school in Boca Raton, Fla., is the one in the Gators’ locker room with a Final Four history.

It’s in the record books that he scored 26 points for the Owls in a 72-71 semifinal loss to San Diego State two years ago at Houston’s NRG Stadium.

Martin is now the guy in the Gators’ locker room imparting wisdom to his teammates, about what it’s like to be in a Final Four.

“I’ve been telling the guys what’s ahead,” he said, “what they can look for.”

In another twist, Martin is not the only player on a roster this weekend with previous Final Four experience on a different team. Two others are Houston guard LJ Cryer and Duke forward Mason Gillis.

Cryer, as a collegiate freshman, had a limited role in the last two games of Baylor’s 2021 national title season in Indianapolis.

With the tournament contested in a “controlled environment” during the pandemic, Cryer played two minutes in a semifinal victory over Houston. He played one minute in the championship game victory against Houston.

Gillis, for his part, played in the semifinals and finals last season for the Purdue Boilermakers.

This time last year, the Boilermakers reached the NCAA finals in Glendale, Ariz., where they lost to the Connecticut Huskies.

Gillis, who snared four rebounds in 24 minutes in the title match, acknowledged that it’s a special feeling making the trip with his new team as they prepare to face the Houston Cougars in Saturday’s late game.

“It’s a blessing, for sure,” he said. “So we just got to finish the job this year.”

Martin, Cryer and Gillis will join Steve Krafcisin (North Carolina, 1977, and Iowa, 1980) and Bob Bender (Indiana, 1976, and Duke, 1978) as the only oplayers to reach the pinnacle of the Big Dance with different teams.

Florida and Auburn will tip off at 5:09 p.m. on Saturday, followed by Houston and Duke in the nightcap. The championship game is set for Monday night, with tipoff at 7:50 p.m.

This year’s Final Four is unique in a few different ways. It’s the second in history and the first since 2008, when Kansas beat Memphis for the title at the Alamodome, that four No. 1 seeds have congregated to play for the national title.

It’s also the first in some 45 seasons that two players — Martin and Gillis — are in the national semifinals after experiencing the thrill of the moment previously with another team. Martin’s story is even more remarkable.

For his first two seasons, he started out at FAU playing in a small home arena in Boca Raton, Fla., and in modest venues all around Conference USA. Also, in 2023-24, in the American Athletic Conference.

One of those arenas was in San Antonio, where 1,500 or so would turn out to watch.

Now he’s preparing to play in the same city a year later, in a downtown venue that will be filled with about 68,000 people, in his second Final Four in three years. And for his second college team, the Gators, of the mighty Southeastern Conference.

“It’s crazy,” Martin said.

And, so, what is the lesson learned in his hoops journey?

“You got to stick with it,” Martin said. “Basketball can take you places, man, where you never thought you could be.”

2025 NCAA Final Four
At the Alamodome

Friday’s open practices

Florida: 11 – 11:50 a.m.
Auburn: 12 – 12:50 p.m.
Houston: 1 – 1:50 p.m.
Duke: 2 – 2:50 p.m.

Saturday’s semifinals

Florida vs. Auburn, 5:09 p.m.
Duke vs. Houston, 40 minutes after the end of the first game

Monday’s finals

Saturday’s winners tip off at 7:50 p.m. for the NCAA championship

Alijah Martin of Florida Atlantic men's basketball playing against UTSA on Jan. 29, 2022, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Alijah Martin of Florida Atlantic men’s basketball playing against UTSA on Jan. 29, 2022, at the Convocation Center. – File photo by Joe Alexander

Final Four bound: Walter Clayton Jr. sparks Florida’s rally past Texas Tech, 84-79

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Guard Walter Clayton Jr. ignited a comeback in the last six minutes Saturday to rally the top-seeded Florida Gators past the Texas Tech Red Raiders, 84-79, to earn a trip to the NCAA Final Four in San Antonio.

After the No. 3 Red Raiders took a 71-61 lead with 6:18 remaining, Clayton seized control of the game, scoring 13 of his game-high 30 points to carry the Gators to the West regional title and their first Final Four in 11 years.

Texas Tech contributed to its own demise in a couple of crucial sequences with less than three minutes remaining. Leading by six, the Red Raiders missed the front end of one-and-one free-throw situations twice within a span of 35 seconds.

The Gators capitalized both times with three-point baskets on the other end. The first one, by forward Thomas Haugh, brought Florida to within three with 2:27 remaining. The second, by Clayton, tied the game 75-75 at the 1:47 mark.

After Texas Tech’s Darrion Williams scored inside to push the Red Raiders into a two-point lead, Clayton responded with a three as Florida took a 79-78 lead with 59 seconds left and never relinquished it.

Clayton started the game slowly but gradually got himself into it by driving and drawing contact and then knocking down free throws. He hit 13 of 14 at the line for the game. Haugh produced 20 points and 11 rebounds off the bench.

At 6-foot-9, he was hard to guard on the perimeter, knocking down four of six from beyond the arc.

For the Red Raiders, Williams led the way with 23 points, five rebounds and three steals. Forward JT Toppin, the Big 12 Player of the Year, had 20 points and 11 rebounds. But in one of the keys to the game, the Gators made Toppin work, limiting him to nine of 22 shooting.

First half

In the last few minutes of the half, Florida stepped up its defense on one end and pushed the pace on the other, taking a 40-37 lead at intermission.

Averaging 85 points per game for the season, a quicker pace is definitely in the Gators’ favor. In the late run against the Red Raiders, guard Walter Clayton Jr. took advantage of it with three buckets.

Thomas Haugh was good throughout the first 20 minutes with 12 points and six rebounds.

For the Red Raiders, forward Darrion Williams finished the half with 10. JT Toppin, the Big 12 Player of the Year, scored nine. Both of them struggled against the Gators’ length, shooting only four of 10 apiece.

Chance McMillian, the Red Raiders’ third-leading scorer, returned to play after sitting out since March 13. He had seven points off the bench.

Records

Texas Tech 28-9
Florida 34-4

Coming up

Florida vs. Auburn or Michigan State in the national semifinals, April 5, in San Antonio

Road to the Elite Eight

Third-seeded Texas Tech: Opened the tournament with an 82-72 victory over 14 seed UNC Wilmington. Next, downed No. 11 Drake, 77-64, to advance to the second weekend. On Thursday night in San Francisco, rallied to beat the Arkansas Razorbacks 85-83 in overtime.

Top-seeded Florida: Routed 16th-seeded Norfolk State, 95-69. Edged defending national champion and No. 8 Connecticut, 77-75. In San Francisco, powered past No. 4 seed Maryland, 87-71.

In the title hunt: Texas A&M beats Florida, advances to the MCWS finals for the first time

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Led by a dominant pitching staff, the Texas A&M Aggies have surged into the finals of the Men’s College World Series for the first time. They clinched a spot in the title round after they eliminated the Florida Gators, 6-0, on Wednesday night at Charles Schwab Stadium in Omaha, Neb.

With the victory, the third-seeded Aggies will now focus on trying to capture their first national title in baseball. They’ll have a tough test in the top-seeded Tennessee Volunteers. The best-of-three set will commence on Saturday.

Coming into the game against the Gators, the Aggies’ pitching had been the story. They beat the Gators last Saturday, 3-2. They followed up with a 5-1 victory against the Kentucky Wildcats on Monday.

As it turned out, the rematch against the Gators turned into much the same narrative as A&M pitchers, with starter Justin Lamkin leading the way, allowed only four hits. Going back to late Saturday night, the Aggies have now strung zeroes on the scoreboard in 19 of their last 20 innings.

“Great ball game,” A&M coach Jim Schlossnagle told reporters later. “Lamkin was obviously outstanding. The decision was just how long to leave him in there and win the game but still give us a chance over the weekend since we’re down a pitcher.”

Lamkin, a 6-foot-4 lefty from Corpus Christi Calallen, made his second start of the MCWS and made it count with nine strikeouts in five innings. He allowed only three hits and was threatened seriously with runners in scoring position only once.

In the third inning, the Gators loaded the bases with one out. First, Michael Robertson drew a walk. Next, Jac Caglianone beat an infield shift by punching a single through the left side. Cade Kurland then smashed a ball back at Lamkin for an infield single.

At that point, Lamkin struck out Tyler Shelnut. The inning ended when shortstop Ali Camarillo raced into foul territory to catch a pop up off the bat of Colby Shelton.

When Lamkin was replaced to open the sixth, the Aggies went through a bit of uncertainty when Chris Cortez walked two straight. But Josh Stewart entered and used a sweeping curveball to pitch two scoreless frames. Evan Aschenbeck, the stopper of the year in college baseball, finished with the last two innings.

“Stewy made big pitches,” Schlossnagle said. “Got us out of a jam. Cortez will be better next time, I have no doubt.”

Caden Sorrell led the way offensively with a team-high three RBI, one coming on a sacrifice fly and the others on a two-run homer. It was his 11th of the season and his third in the NCAA playoffs. Gavin Grahovac and Kaeden Kent both had two hits and an RBI.

Jace LaViolette, who tweaked a hamstring Monday night against Kentucky, started and played right field but clearly wasn’t 100 percent physically. He went zero for four at the plate and struck out twice.

In the first inning, he was on third base when Sorrell hit his sac fly to center. LaViolette scored on the play but didn’t look smooth as he tried to accelerate. In the field, a fly ball that might have been caught on another night got past him for a double.

Given the circumstances, it’s remarkable that the Aggies are in position to win it all.

They lost star outfielder Braden Montgomery and front-line starting pitcher Shane Sdao for the season with injuries in the Super Regional round. Now, they’re playing with a less-than-100 percent LaViolette, and they’re two wins away from holding up the trophy. One of the big reasons for their success in Omaha is Lamkin, who has pitched eight scoreless innings.

“I think the big part of it is just having self confidence in myself, knowing that I can go out there and compete and play at this level,” Lamkin said. “I think just getting ahead of hitters and having true confidence in all my pitches really helped me out.”

Asked how it feels to become a part of Texas A&M history as the first baseball team to play for a national title, Sorrell talked about how he had always followed the program when he was younger.

“It’s definitely an amazing feeling,” Sorrell said. “I remember coming to these games when I was like 10 years old and always wanting to be a part of this. You know, finally being here and making it this far, it’s been an amazing feeling. But, obviously, the job is not finished yet.”

A&M’s 8-0 ride through the NCAA tournament has not been without a few hiccups. Namely, the injuries and the accompanying decisions on what to do with personnel. Kent, who stepped into the lineup in Game 1 of the Super Regionals when Montgomery went out, has been the most visible of players coming off the bench to perform well.

The son of former major league infielder Jeff Kent has produced five hits in three games in the MCWS, including two against Kentucky and two against Florida. Another player rising to the occasion has been Stewart, who didn’t pitch in either NCAA regional or the super regional round.

For the first time since May 23, he got into a game on Monday against Kentucky and pitched 2 and 1/3 innings, giving up a run (on a solo homer) and three hits. Against Florida, his emergence was a key in steadying the team after Cortez faltered. Stewart said

“It wasn’t too big of a deal with the break (between games),” Stewart said. “Got work in on the off days, and whatnot, and didn’t try to rise to the occasion, or whatever. Just got back to what we do every single day and just (went) one day at a time, really. Didn’t try to make it bigger than it is.”

Records

Florida: 36-30
In the MCWS: 2-2
In the NCAA tournament: 8-3

Texas A&M 52-13
In the MCWS: 3-0
In the NCAA tournament: 8-0

Notable

The Gators entered the game with one loss, having dropped their opener to the Aggies before rebounding to eliminate both North Carolina State, 5-4, and second-seeded Kentucky, 15-4.

The Gators rolled the dice with the use of freshman Liam Peterson as their starter. Peterson was ineffective against A&M in the opener and once again didn’t have it, walking four of the first five batters that he faced. He was charged with two runs and the loss and fell to 3-6 on the season. Lamkin was the winner and improved to 3-2.

Florida star Jac Caglianone finished his night two for four at the plate. But, fortunately for A&M, he didn’t homer. He had hit home runs in four of five NCAA tournament games coming in.

Once a .500 team in April, Florida reaches the MCWS semifinals against Texas A&M

The Florida Gators once looked nothing like a national-title contender. They were once 17-17 on the season and 6-8 in the Southeastern Conference at the end of a season-long, six-game losing streak.

That was in April. By May, at the SEC tournament, the perennial national power had shown some progress with a few victories against highly-ranked opponents but had once again found themselves in trouble. Beaten in the SEC tournament by Vanderbilt, they fell to 28-27 entering a week during which the NCAA tournament selection committee would decide whether the Gators deserved a chance to play again.

Fortunately for the Gators, they survived the cut into the 64-team field, and they were designated as a No. 3 seed out of four teams in the Stillwater Regional. In Stillwater they came alive, winning four out of five games and beating the home-team Oklahoma State Cowboys twice. On their way to the Clemson Super Regional, the Gators stayed hot, winning 10-7 and then 11-10 in 13 innings for a berth in the eight-team Men’s College World Series.

Now they’re in the MCWS semifinals, taking a modest 36-29 record into tonight’s game against the third-seeded and 51-13 Texas A&M Aggies. Once again, the Gators fell down before they rose up and played their best baseball. They lost to the Aggies 3-2 to fall into the losers bracket. Adversity? Florida didn’t flinch, eliminating North Carolina State 5-4 on Monday. On Wednesday, they erupted for seven runs in the first inning and advanced with a 15-4 victory.

As usual, the Gators had plenty of offense. Brody Donay hit two home runs, including a first-inning grand slam. All-American Jac Caglianone hit a solo homer in the sixth inning to give him four homers in his last five games and 35 for the season. Caglianone has 75 for his career to become Florida’s all-time leader. He is also tied for eighth all-time in the NCAA and tied for third in the SEC history books.

Coming up

MCWS semifinals

Wednesday: Florida State vs. Tennessee, in progress
Wednesday: Florida vs. Texas A&M
x-Tennessee and Texas A&M need one win to advance to the finals
x-Florida State and Florida need two wins to advance
x-play in semifinals will be completed Thursday if necessary

Records

Florida State 49-16
In the NCAA tournament: 7-1
In the MCWS: Lost to Tennessee, 12-11; defeated Virginia, 7-3; defeated North Carolina, 9-5.

Tennessee 57-12
In the NCAA tournament: 7-1
In the MCWS: Defeated Florida State, 12-11; defeated North Carolina, 6-1.

Florida 36-29
In the NCAA tournament: 8-2
In the MCWS: Lost to Texas A&M, 3-2; defeated NC State, 5-4; defeated Kentucky, 15-4.

Texas A&M 51-13
In the NCAA tournament: 7-0
In the MCWS: Defeated Florida, 3-2; defeated Kentucky, 5-1.

Pitching, defense shine as A&M wins its MCWS opener, 3-2, over Florida

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The Texas A&M Aggies executed a few clutch, highlight-worthy defensive plays in the last few innings to back a pitching staff that struck out 16 in a riveting 3-2 victory Saturday night over the Florida Gators at the Men’s College World Series.

In a game that started more than four hours late after a weather delay, the third-seeded Aggies scored two runs in the second inning and one in the third and made it stand up for their 50th win of the season. Florida rallied for two runs in the seventh to make it close.

But the Aggies closed the door, thanks to reliever Evan Aschenbeck and defensive gems authored by second baseman Kaeden Kent and rightfielder Jace LaViolette.

In the eighth inning, the Gators had loaded the bases with two outs when Dale Thomas poked a ball that rolled slowly out to the right side. Kent hustled in to pick it up but didn’t have time to throw over-handed or side-armed to first. Instead, he under-handed it, with the ball barely beating Thomas.

Florida asked for a review on the call, but it was upheld, ending the threat and the inning. In the ninth, more drama ensued. With one out, Michael Robertson reached on an infield single. Cade Kurland stepped up and drove a pitch high and deep to right.

LaViolette leaped and caught it as it was coming down, robbing Kurland of extra bases, if not a go-ahead two-run homer. Florida star Jac Caglianone, the next batter, worked a 3-2 count and Aschenbeck walked him to put runners at first and second.

Aschenbeck, regarded as perhaps the best reliever in the nation, immediately put Ashton Wilson on the defensive. He dropped a sharp-breaking curve into the zone for strike two. On a 1-2 count, he threw another ball way wide of the strike zone. Wilson swung and missed to end the game.

The Aggies surged into a 2-0 lead in the second inning against Gators starter Liam Peterson. Caden Sorrell led off with a single and Ali Camarillo drew a walk. Kent followed with a single of his own to load the bases.

At that point, Travis Chestnut chopped a high-bouncer to third for an RBI infield single. The play seemed to rattle Peterson, as he threw a wild pitch that allowed the second run to cross.

In the third inning, Hayden Schott led off with a walk and Sorrell, a freshman from Flower Mound Marcus, sent an RBI double soaring over the center fielder’s head.

The Gators, who scored 21 runs combined in two Super Regional wins last week, failed to score until the seventh inning. Justin Lamkin pitched the first three and Chris Cortez the next three. Both notched six strikeouts.

Cortez was charged with yielding two runs in the seventh before Aschenbeck entered to end the threat. Aschenbeck pitched the remainder of the seventh, the eighth and the ninth, yielding three hits and fanning four.

Records

Florida 34-29
Texas A&M 50-13

Coming up

Sunday: Virginia vs. Florida State, 1 p.m., elimination game. North Carolina vs. Tennessee, 6 p.m., winners bracket.

Monday: North Carolina State vs. Florida, 1 p.m., elimination game. Kentucky vs. Texas A&M, 6 p.m., winners bracket.

Florida downs Texas Tech 6-0 and wins the Gainesville Regional

By Jerry Briggs
For the JB Replay

Ryan Slater pitched five shutout innings, BT Riopelle crushed a couple of two-run homers and the host Florida Gators won the NCAA Gainesville Regional title with a 6-0 victory over the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

Slater allowed three hits and walked two but kept the Red Raiders off balance in key moments and off the scoreboard completely, setting the tone for the Gators, who qualified for the Super Regional round of the playoffs.

Riopelle hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning that boosted the Gators into a 3-0 lead. A few minutes later, he added another two-run shot in a three-run fifth. After Riopelle’s fireworks display, Florida was on top 6-0 and cruising.

NCAA regionals
How the Texas teams have fared

Texas: (41-20) Beat host Miami for the title on Sunday in Coral Gables, Fla.
Texas Tech: (41-23) Lost to host Florida in the title game Monday in Gainesville, Fla.
TCU: (39-22) Scheduled to meet host Arkansas in the finals at Fayetteville on Monday afternoon.
Texas A&M: (38-26) Scheduled to play in California against host Stanford in the title game Monday night.
Dallas Baptist (47-16) Lost to Oral Roberts in the finals Sunday at Stillwater, Okla.
Sam Houston State: (39-25) Eliminated after three games at Baton Rouge, La.