SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Florida and Walter Clayton Jr. someway overcame Houston’s spirit-crushing protection Monday evening to will out a 65-63 victory in an NCAA title-game thriller not determined till Clayton’s personal D stopped the Cougars from taking a game-winning shot on the buzzer.
Clayton completed with 11 factors, all within the second half, however what he’ll be remembered for many was getting Houston’s Emanuel Sharp to stop in the middle of his motion as he tried to go up for the game-winning 3 within the last seconds.
Clayton ran at him, Sharp dropped the ball and, unable to choose it up lest he get referred to as for touring, watched it bounce there whereas the clock ticked to zero.
Will Richard had 18 factors to maintain the Gators (36-4) in it, they usually gained their third total title and first since 2007. The Cougars (35-5) and coach Kelvin Sampson had been denied their first championship.
This was a defensive brawl, and for a lot of the evening, Clayton bought the worst of it.
He was 0 for 4 from the sector with out a level by way of the primary half. He didn’t rating till 14:57 remained within the sport. He completed with one 3-pointer and, earlier than that, a pair of three-point performs that stored the Gators in putting vary.
It was Florida’s protection, not Houston’s, that managed the ultimate minute.
After Alijah Martin made two free throws to place Florida forward 64-63 ― its first lead since 8-6 ― the Gators lured Sharp right into a triple-team within the nook, the place Richard bought him to dribble the ball off his leg and out of bounds.
Florida made one free throw on the subsequent possession and that arrange the finale. The ball went to Sharp, who was transferring to identify up for a 3 when Clayton ran at him. That left him with no selection however to let the ball go.
Sampson, who designed a protection that held Florida beneath 70 factors for under the second time this season, appeared on in shock.
As a substitute of Sampson turning into the oldest coach to win the title at age 69, 39-year-old Todd Golden turns into the youngest since N.C. State’s Jim Valvano in 1983 to win all of it.
We Do not Work For Billionaires. We Work For You.
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.
AP March Insanity bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and protection: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness. Get ballot alerts and updates on the AP Prime 25 all through the season. Join here.
