No. 1 Florida captured the men’s college basketball championship last night, defeating No. 1 Houston 65-63. The victory marks the Florida Gators’ first championship since securing back-to-back national titles in 2006 and 2007. Coach Todd Golden, 39, becomes the youngest coach in 42 years to win a national title since North Carolina State’s Jim Valvano at age 37 in 1983.
The Gators were led by guard Will Richard with 18 points, followed by freshman forward Alex Condon, who scored 12 points, and guard Walter Clayton Jr., who scored 11 points and was named Most Outstanding Player. The Houston Cougars dominated the Gators in the first half; the Gators eventually mounted a comeback, overcoming a 12-point deficit in the second half to take the lead in the final minute of the game. See highlights from the game here.
Separately, a California judge held a hearing yesterday on the final approval of a $2.8B settlement between the NCAA and major collegiate conferences that could reshape college sports, including allowing schools to share up to $20.5M per year among their athletes beginning July 1.