Florida Gators look to finish dominant season with NCAA championship against Houston

The Florida Gators hope to claim their third title in program history as they take on the Houston Cougars in the finals of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

A third title would cap off an impressive season for the Gators, who started the season 13-0 and finished with a 30-4 record, receiving a number 1 seed in the tournament. While the Gators were dominant in the regular season, the team has been tested during its tournament run. They pulled out a win against the two-time reigning champion UConn Huskies after being down with less than two minutes left in the round of 32, beat Texas Tech after being down 75-66 with three minutes left before going on a 18-4 run in the Elite Eight, and held off number 1 overall seed Auburn 79-73 in the Final Four.

“It starts with Walter [Clayton Jr.], Will [Richard], and Alijah [Martin] and the leadership, toughness, mentality, urgency that they bring every day. It just breathes confidence into the other guys on the team, and no matter what the score is, we always feel like we have a chance to win,” said Gators head coach Todd Golden on the team’s resiliency to CBS’s Tracy Wolfson following the win over Auburn.

“Watching this Florida team play, the way they do, is something special. The back-to-back teams in 06-07 were dominant, but this new title contender is resilient, skilled, and gritty,” says Gators fan Matt Patterson.

Meanwhile, the Houston Cougars are seeking their first title in program history and are appearing in the title game for the first time since 1984, when the Cougars lost to Patrick Ewing and the Georgetown Hoyas.

The Gators previously won titles in 2006 and 2007, boasting a roster that included future NBA stars Joakim Noah, Al Horford, Corey Brewer, and Marreese Speights.

Tipoff for the game is at 8:50, and you can watch it on CBS 47.