In a tournament with very few upsets and Cinderella runs, the Florida Gators emerged as the 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Champions, edging out the Houston Cougars 65–63 in a nail-biting finale at San Antonio’s Alamodome on April 7. The victory marked Florida’s third national title and their first since the back-to-back championships in 2006 and 2007.
Florida’s path to the championship was anything but easy. After a midseason slump, the Gators caught fire, winning nine of their last ten regular-season games, including historic road victories over No. 1 Auburn and No. 7 Alabama. They carried that momentum into the SEC Tournament, defeating Missouri, Alabama, and Tennessee to claim their first conference title since 2014. Entering the NCAA Tournament as the No. 1 seed in the West Region, Florida dispatched Norfolk State, two-time defending champions UConn, Maryland, and Texas Tech to reach the Final Four. There, they overcame SEC rival Auburn 79–73 to advance to the championship game. The championship game against Houston was a testament to Florida’s resilience. Trailing for nearly the entire game, the Gators tied the score at 60 with a clutch three-pointer from Walter Clayton Jr. with just over three minutes remaining. Alijah Martin’s free throws and a final point from Aberdeen sealed the victory, with Florida leading for only 1:04 of the game’s forty minutes. Clayton Jr.’s stellar performance earned him the Final Four Most Outstanding Player award, making him the first player since Larry Bird in 1979 to score over 30 points in both the Elite Eight and Final Four.
Houston’s journey to the final was equally impressive. As the Big 12 champions and top seed in the Midwest Region, the Cougars defeated SIU Edwardsville, Gonzaga, Purdue, Tennessee, and Duke to reach the championship game. Notably, guard Milos Uzan’s last-second layup secured a Sweet 16 victory over Purdue. Despite their valiant efforts, Houston fell just short of capturing their first national title.
The 2025 tournament also highlighted remarkable stories from other programs. Michigan, under first-year head coach Dusty May, transformed from a last-place finish the previous season to Big Ten champions and a Sweet Sixteen appearance. Meanwhile, Nebraska claimed the inaugural College Basketball Crown, a new postseason tournament for teams not selected for the NCAA Tournament, defeating UCF 77–66 in the final.
As the season concludes, attention turns to the 2025–26 campaign. Early fan polls and betting odds favor Purdue, Duke, and Houston as top contenders for next year’s championship. With the return of key players and the emergence of new talent, the stage is set for another thrilling season of college basketball.