Florida and Walter Clayton Jr. someway overcame Houston’s spirit-crushing protection Monday night time to will out a 65-63 victory in an NCAA title-game thriller not determined till Clayton’s personal D stopped the Cougars from taking a game-winning shot on the buzzer.
Clayton completed with 11 factors, all within the second half, however what he’ll be remembered for many was getting Houston’s Emanuel Sharp to cease in the midst of his movement as he tried to go up for the game-winning 3 within the remaining seconds.
Clayton ran at him, Sharp dropped the ball and, unable to select it up lest he get referred to as for touring, watched it bounce there whereas the clock ticked to zero.
Will Richard had 18 factors to maintain the Gators (36-4) in it, they usually gained their third total title and first since 2007. The Cougars (35-5) and coach Kelvin Sampson have been denied their first championship.
This was a defensive brawl, and for a lot of the night time, Clayton bought the worst of it.
He was 0 for 4 from the sphere with out a level via the primary half. He didn’t rating till 14:57 remained within the sport. He completed with one 3-pointer and, earlier than that, a pair of three-point performs that stored the Gators in placing vary.
It was Florida’s protection, not Houston’s, that managed the ultimate minute.
After Alijah Martin made two free throws to place Florida forward 64-63 — its first lead since 8-6 — the Gators lured Sharp right into a triple-team within the nook, the place Richard bought him to dribble the ball off his leg and out of bounds.
Florida made one free throw on the subsequent possession and that arrange the finale. The ball went to Sharp, who was shifting to identify up for a 3 when Clayton ran at him. That left him with no selection however to let the ball go.
Sampson, who designed a protection that held Florida underneath 70 factors for less than the second time this season, regarded on in shock.
As an alternative of Sampson turning into the oldest coach to win the title at age 69, 39-year-old Todd Golden turns into the youngest since N.C. State’s Jim Valvano in 1983 to win all of it.
