The 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament concluded with the Florida Gators winning their third national title.They beat the Houston Cougars 65–63 in an exciting national championship game. The game was played on April 7, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
One of the most surprising things about this game was that it was between two #1 seeded teams. In fact, the Final Four was only compiled of the #1 seeds. During the game, Florida kept most of their fans on edge. After falling to a 12 point second-half deficit, they came back with the help of their star point guard, Walter Clayton Jr. Clayton Jr. scored all 13 of his points in the second half, including a three-pointer that tied the game at 48. Combined with late game free-throws from both Alijah Martin and Denzel Aberdeen, and the win was sealed for Florida.
Florida’s path to the big game did not come without challenges. Having one of the toughest routes in the west side of the bracket, it seemed slim for the Gators. Entering as the #1 seed, they had an easy first round matchup with Norfolk State. However, the competition only got harder with teams such as UConn and Auburn standing in their way. After prevailing against these tough teams and eventually the National Championship, head coach Todd Golden lifted Florida’s first National title since 2007 and ended the 13 year title drought for the SEC.
Houston didn’t have anywhere near an easy path to the National Championship either. Led by head coach Kelvin Sampson, the Cougars had a stellar season. They were both Big 12 regular season and tournament champions going into March Madness. During the National Tournament, they had key wins against teams such as Purdue, Tennessee and Duke. Despite leading for most of the Championship game, the Cougars fell just short in the final moments.
Two Notable Performances during the tournament came from players Cooper Flagg and Denzel Aberdeen. Flagg was the Wooden award winner and led Duke into the Final Four. Throughout the tournament he averaged 19.5 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. Aberdeen however, did not seem as impressive as Flagg. Aberdeen averaged 6 points on 50% shooting from the field. Where Aberdeen shined was during the National Championship game. While Clayton Jr. was in a slump Aberdeen became the catalyst for Florida’s win.
While this year’s March Madness brought the excitement of many upsets and Cinderella stories, and it showcased the depth and talent across college basketball. As teams regroup and prepare for the next season, fans eagerly anticipate what surprises the 2026 March Madness will bring.
