Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr. was held scoreless for an entire half, watched his team trail by double digits in the second half and still ended up as the hero of the 2025 NCAA tournament.

In a gritty national championship clash between Florida and Houston, two defensive powerhouses in the men's college basketball scene, it was Clayton who rose when it mattered most.

The All-American and First Team All-SEC standout, who had averaged 24.6 points per game across the Gators' first five tournament wins, delivered a clutch second-half performance to help Florida rally past Houston, 65-63, and secure its third national title.

For his efforts — 11 points, five rebounds and seven assists against Houston plus a 34-point outburst in the semifinal win over Auburn — Clayton was named the Most Outstanding Player.

And after the net was cut and the confetti fell, Clayton kept it simple.

“It’s still surreal right now, I can’t even lie,” he told Andy Katz of Turner Sports moments after the final buzzer.

But his message quickly turned to the team. “We just stayed together," Clayton added. "I’ve been preaching it all year — we have a group of guys that love each other. We are together on and off the court. We have a great brotherhood.”

Florida’s offense struggled early, scoring just 28 points in the first half while Houston’s defense turned the game into a slugfest.

However, Clayton said it best: “It ain’t just about me. We got a team of guys that could cook. We got a motto — ‘We all could go.’ That’s what happened tonight.”

A brotherhood, a rally and a natty. Walter Clayton Jr. made sure this one won’t be forgotten.