Todd Golden and the Florida Gators are national champions after beating the Houston Cougars 65-63 in the championship game of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

It took a lot for the Gators to pull off the victory. They trailed at halftime as the Cougars applied incredible defense throughout the first 20 minutes. Houston was even up by 11 at one point in the second half.

Despite this, Florida never gave up as they willed their back into the game. They made big shots down the stretch while getting important stops on defense, proving to be the deciding factor in them earning their third national title in program history.

Golden reflected on the win after the game. What he said was a summary of what the Gators have showcased throughout the course of the 2024-25 season.

“Like we've done all year, we made plays when we needed them most,” Golden said.

It's a huge achievement for Todd Golden and the Florida Gators, especially the former. He won his first national title after three seasons with the program, showing his growth as one of the best young coaches in college basketball.

Three players scored in double-digits for the Gators. Will Richard led the way with numbers of 18 points and eight rebounds. He shot 5-of-10 from the field, including 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. Alex Condon came next with 12 points and seven rebounds while Walter Clayton Jr. provided 11 points, seven assists and five rebounds.

Returning to the mountaintop for the first time since 2007, Florida ends the season with a 36-4 overall record, having gone 14-4 in SEC Play. They averaged 85.3 points on 47.3% shooting from the field, including 35.8% from beyond the arc. As a result, they took down opponents by a margin of 15.5 points per game.

The Gators will now look to retool in the offseason, preparing for key departures and newcomers. They will prepare to defend their title going into the 2025-26 campaign.