Florida and Houston advance to Monday’s title game
Florida and Houston advance to Monday’s title game
Houston’s J’Wan Roberts (13) celebrates after Houston beat Duke in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Walter Clayton Jr., de Florida, a la derecha, dispara mientras Chaney Johnson (31), de Auburn, defiende durante la segunda mitad de las semifinales nacionales en el Final Four del torneo de baloncesto universitario de la NCAA, el sábado 5 de abril de 2025, en San Antonio. (AP Foto/Eric Gay)
Houston’s J’Wan Roberts (13) celebrates after Houston beat Duke in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Houston’s J’Wan Roberts (13) celebrates after Houston beat Duke in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Walter Clayton Jr., de Florida, a la derecha, dispara mientras Chaney Johnson (31), de Auburn, defiende durante la segunda mitad de las semifinales nacionales en el Final Four del torneo de baloncesto universitario de la NCAA, el sábado 5 de abril de 2025, en San Antonio. (AP Foto/Eric Gay)
Walter Clayton Jr., de Florida, a la derecha, dispara mientras Chaney Johnson (31), de Auburn, defiende durante la segunda mitad de las semifinales nacionales en el Final Four del torneo de baloncesto universitario de la NCAA, el sábado 5 de abril de 2025, en San Antonio. (AP Foto/Eric Gay)
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Walter Clayton Jr. scored 34 points and Florida beat Southeastern Conference rival Auburn 79-73 in the Final Four on Saturday night, sending the Gators to the national championship game for the first time since their titles in 2006 and 2007.
The All-America guard for the Gators (35-4) had a driving layup with 2:24 left, on the possession right after Australian big man Alex Condon drew a charge against Johni Broome, the other All-America player in this national semifinal — and who was dealing with an injured right elbow.
After a record 14 SEC teams made this NCAA Tournament, seven got to the Sweet 16 before the league made up half the Elite Eight and then this Final Four filled with No. 1 seeds.
The Gators will have the chance Monday night to win the SEC’s first title since Kentucky in 2012, the only one since they won in back-to-back seasons. Florida takes an 11-game winning streak into the title championship game in the Alamodome against either Duke or Houston.
Auburn (32-6), in its second Final Four with coach Bruce Pearl, was the top overall seed.
Clayton became the first player with consecutive 30-point games in the Elite Eight and semifinals since Larry Bird for Indiana State in 1979, according to ESPN Stats. Clayton got over 30 with his three-point play with 1:33 left, scoring on a layup while being fouled and adding the free throw.
HOUSTON 70, DUKE 67
Houston’s suffocating defense wiped away a 14-point deficit over the final eight minutes and erased Cooper Flagg and Duke’s title hopes in a stunner over the Blue Devils at the Final Four.
Duke made a grand total of one field goal over the last 10 1/2 minutes of this game. The second-to-last attempt was a step-back jumper in the lane by Flagg that J’Wan Roberts disrupted. The last was a desperation heave by Tyrese Proctor that caught nothing at the buzzer.
It was Roberts’ two free throws with 19.6 seconds left that gave the Cougars their first lead since 6-5. LJ Cryer, who led Houston with 26 points, made two more to push the lead to three. It was Houston’ biggest lead of the night.