INSIDER
The Florida Gators men’s basketball team arrived back in Gainesville on Tuesday to a hero’s welcome, carrying with them the NCAA National Championship trophy and ending an 18-year title drought.
Florida is a unanimous No. 1 in the final Associated Press men’s college basketball poll of the 2024-25 season after winning the national championship.
A thrill-a-minute NCAA title for the Florida Gators in San Antonio has reminded us all of what’s so good about the games these college athletes play.
Whoever said there were no great underdog stories left in March Madness, or that the title would go to whoever spends the most money — or amasses the best collection of big names from the transfer portal — clearly never checked out Houston.
Alijah Martin never really liked talking too much about his first Final Four experience because of the heartbreaking ending with Florida Atlantic two years ago.
Florida’s Alex Condon has already been through the physical battle with Auburn’s Johni Broome and came out the other side battered but victorious.
Walter Clayton Jr. scored 34 points and Florida beat Southeastern Conference rival Auburn 79-73 in the Final Four on Saturday night, sending the Gators to the national championship game for the first time since their titles in 2006 and 2007.
Auburn and Florida are the last two standing of a record 14 Southeastern Conference teams that made the NCAA Tournament.
Auburn forward Johni Broome returned to practice for the Tigers at the Final Four and said he has no pain in his right elbow and “no limitations” ahead of the Tigers’ matchup with Florida.
Texas Tech star outside shooter Chance McMillian returned for the Red Raiders’ Elite Eight game against Florida after missing the previous four games with an oblique injury.
Walter Clayton Jr. scored 22 points as fourth-ranked Florida won its fifth Southeastern Conference Tournament title and first since 2014 Sunday, beating the No. 8 Tennessee Volunteers 86-77.
Georgia guard Blue Cain sank a go-ahead 3-pointer with 47 seconds remaining after No. 3 Florida took its first lead by scoring 13 unanswered points, and the Bulldogs beat the Gators 88-83.
Sixth-ranked Florida made program history with its victory over No. 1 Auburn on Saturday.
Walter Clayton Jr. scored 19 points and Alex Condon added 17 as No. 6 Florida rallied from an early deficit and beat No. 1 Auburn 90-81 Saturday, ending the Tigers’ 14-game winning streak.
Alijah Martin scored 18 points, Denzel Aberdeen added 16 and No. 8 Florida thumped top-ranked Tennessee 73-43 to knock off the last unbeaten in Division I basketball.
