Alijah Martin had a standout performance in the Florida Gators' 79-73 victory over the Auburn Tigers in the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament on Saturday night.
In 35 minutes of action, he put up 17 points, three rebounds and a steal. He shot 6-of-10 from the field, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc.
How Martin caught the attention of fans watching the Final Four were his pair of emphatic dunks during the second half of the game. The first one saw him jump from the free-throw line during a fastbreak and the second had him pull off an insane posterizer against two Auburn defenders.
Martin reflected on the win after the game. Knowing the impact he had for the Gators was enough for him to provide a strong message about his squad.
“We’re special man… we’re ready,” Martin said.
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It was a long time coming for Alijah Martin, providing a solid performance to help the Florida Gators advance to the national championship.
This wasn't his first time being in the Final Four either. He played in the 2023 edition for the Florida Atlantic Owls in their historic tournament run. He had 26 points and seven rebounds as he nearly willed the team to their first appearance in the title game before a Lamont Butler game-winner ended their season.
Not this time around. Martin will now have the opportunity to win the national championship. Not only would this be the Gators' chance to win their first title since 2007, it also gives Martin a huge opening to become the first player who played at FAU to win the biggest title in college basketball.
The Gators will prepare for their last game of the regular season. They face the Duke Blue Devils or Houston Cougars on April 7 at 8:50 p.m. ET.
