Basketball is funny. You can watch 40 minutes of a game, but those last two minutes are usually the only ones that actually matter. In April 2025, that reality hit home for college hoops fans everywhere.
The Florida Gators are your 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball National Champions.
Honestly, if you had them on your bracket in October, you’re either a genius or a die-hard Gainesville resident. They beat Houston 65–63 in a game that felt more like a street fight than a refined athletic competition. It was gritty. It was stressful. And for Todd Golden, the Gators' head coach, it was historic. He became the youngest coach to hoist that trophy since the legendary Jim Valvano back in '83.
The Florida Gators' Path to the Top
The Gators weren't exactly a sure thing when the tournament started. While they were a 1-seed, they had to navigate a bracket that felt like a minefield. Their 65–63 win over Houston at the Alamodome in San Antonio was the culmination of a season where they just refused to go away.
Florida was actually down by 12 points with about 16 minutes left in the second half. Most teams fold there. Houston’s defense is usually a brick wall, but Florida just kept chipping.
Walter Clayton Jr. was the heart of the whole run. He ended up being named the Most Outstanding Player, and for good reason. Even when his shots weren't falling perfectly—he went 3-of-10 in the title game—he was everywhere else. He had seven assists, five boards, and basically controlled the tempo when the Cougars were trying to speed things up.
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Will Richard was the scoring spark when they needed it most, dropping 18 points. But the real "hold your breath" moment? That was Alex Condon. With seconds left, Houston's Emanuel Sharp lost his handle on a potential game-tying or game-winning shot, and Condon threw himself on the ball like it was a gold bar. Game over.
The Women’s Side: A Dynasty Reclaimed
If the men's game was a nail-biter, the women's championship was a statement. The UConn Huskies are back on top of the mountain. They didn't just win; they dismantled South Carolina 82–59.
This was personal.
South Carolina had been the standard for the last few years, but Geno Auriemma reminded everyone why he has 12 titles now. UConn was led by a "Big Three" that just felt unfair at times:
- Azzi Fudd: She was the MOP and looked completely healthy, which is a scary sight for the rest of the country. She dropped 24 points.
- Sarah Strong: The freshman phenom played like a ten-year vet. She had 24 points and 15 rebounds. Those are "grown woman" stats in a title game.
- Paige Bueckers: She didn't have to carry the entire scoring load, which actually made her more dangerous as a playmaker.
South Carolina's 71-game home winning streak had already been snapped by UConn earlier in the season, so the Huskies had the psychological edge going in. By the time the third quarter ended, it was pretty much a wrap.
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What Most People Get Wrong About 2025
You’ll hear people say this was a "boring" tournament because all four 1-seeds made the Final Four on the men's side. That’s a surface-level take. Sure, the chalk held up at the end, but the road there was chaotic.
The SEC actually set a record with 14 bids to the tournament. Think about that. Almost the entire conference got in. It meant that every game Florida played felt like a conference rivalry match.
And let’s talk about UConn's men’s team for a second. They were trying for a three-peat. Everyone thought they were the locks of the century. Then Florida bounced them in the second round. That’s the thing about the NCAA tournament—history doesn't care about your "legacy" if you have one bad shooting night in March.
Notable Stats and Performance Leaders
When we look back at who won the ncaa basketball championship, the individual performances are what stick.
Walter Clayton Jr. led the tournament in total scoring with 134 points. He was the guy everyone had to game plan for, and usually, it didn't work. On the flip side, Houston's L.J. Cryer was a monster throughout the bracket, putting up 19 in the final, but he just didn't have enough help in those final four possessions where the Cougars went scoreless.
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The defensive stats were where the men's final was won. Florida forced four turnovers in the final two minutes. That's not just luck; that's active hands and high-pressure coaching.
Why This Win Matters for Florida
This was Florida's third title. Their first since the 2007 repeat years with Joakim Noah and Al Horford. For a long time, the Gators were stuck in "pretty good" territory. Todd Golden has changed the energy in Gainesville.
He’s doing it with a mix of high-level transfers like Alijah Martin and homegrown talent like Alex Condon. It’s a blueprint that a lot of other schools are going to try to copy next year.
Actionable Insights for Next Season
If you're already looking ahead to the 2026 tournament (which will be here before you know it), here’s what you should keep in mind based on what we saw this year:
- Watch the SEC Depth: The conference is deeper than it’s ever been. Don't just look at the top two teams; look at the 6th or 7th place teams in that conference. They are battle-tested.
- Freshmen Still Matter: Everyone talks about the transfer portal and "old" teams, but Sarah Strong proved that a truly elite freshman can still be the best player on a championship floor.
- Defense in the Last Two Minutes: If you’re betting or picking brackets, look for teams with high "Points off Turnovers" stats. Florida and Houston both excelled here, and it’s why they were the last ones standing.
The 2025 season showed us that while the names on the jerseys change, the formula for a title remains the same: one star guard, one reliable big man, and a coach who doesn't panic when they're down double digits in the second half.
To stay ahead for next year, start tracking the returning minutes for Florida and UConn. Most of the Huskies' core is returning, which is a terrifying thought for the rest of the Big East. For the Gators, replacing Clayton Jr.'s production will be the primary storyline of the off-season. Keep an eye on the transfer portal—that's where the 2026 champion is likely being built right now.