Sports
Walter Clayton Jr. - English
Will Richard - English
With 19.7 seconds left, Houston still had a shot to tie or win. Down two, ball in hand, the Cougars set up for what could’ve been the biggest possession in program history. But that possession unraveled fast-and painfully. Florida’s defense locked in. Milos Uzan tried to break free. No room. LJ Cryer looked for space. Nothing. ThenEmanuel Sharp pulled up with a hand in his face, dropped the ball, and hesitated. The moment was gone.
The title slipped away right then. Not with a buzzer-beater. Not with a highlight-reel block. But with confusion, pressure, and a ball bouncing away as time ran out.
A controversial move! Florida Gators TikTok dance sparks a debate ahead of the NCAA title game
It was a fitting end to a game that had been a grind from the start.
For most of the night, Houston controlled the tempo. They forced Florida out of its rhythm, slowed the game down, and smothered the Gators’ high-powered offense. At one point in the second half, Houston led 42-30 and looked poised to close it out. But Florida didn’t blink.
The comeback started with stops, not shots
Trailing by 11 with 14 minutes to go, Florida clamped down. The Gators held Houston to just three points over nearly seven minutes. That stretch opened the door-and Walter Clayton Jr. finally walked through it.
Clayton, who was held scoreless in the first half, got going when Florida needed him most. He tied the game with an and-one layup, then again with another tough finish. When Houston tried to pull away again late, Clayton hit a huge three to level things at 60. His line-11 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists-doesn’t tell the whole story. He dictated the final minutes on both ends and earned Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors after his 34-point showing in the semifinal against Auburn.
Meanwhile, Florida’s supporting cast filled in the gaps. Will Richard had a team-high 18 points and eight boards. Alex Condon added 12 and battled inside. The Gators shot just 39.6% from the field-but held Houston to 34.8%.
“We had to beat them playing their game,” Florida head coach Todd Golden said postgame, via CBS. “So that’s what we did.“
Kelvin Sampson and the Cougars will replay that final sequence over and over in their heads. The missed opportunity. The dropped ball. The championship that almost was.
Florida made the big plays when it counted. Houston didn’t. That’s the margin between heartbreak and hanging a banner.
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Ravens draft edge Mike Green: How he fits, draft grade and scouting intel
The Baltimore Ravens have added to a pass rush that finished with the second-most sacks in the league in 2024, selecting Marshall edge rusher Mike Green with the No. 59 overall pick in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft.A one-year starter at Marshall, the 21-year-old transferred from the University of Virginia in 2023. After showing flashes in his junior year, Green ascended to a full-time starter in 2024.AdvertisementGreen finished the season leading the FBS in sacks (17), tackles by a defensive lineman (84) and sack yardage (144 — 42 yards more than No. 2 on the list). He also tacked on 22 1/2 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and two passes defended in 13 games. The massive season helped Green earn first-team All-American honors as well as the Sun Belt Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year award.NFL […]
Rams draft TE Terrance Ferguson: How he fits, pick grade and scouting intel
Head coach Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams very much wanted to use their first pick on a skill player, and did so at No. 46 with their selection of Oregon tight end Terrance Ferguson on Friday.Ferguson, 6-foot-5 and 247 pounds, will join a full room but one with questions and in need of improvement. Veteran Tyler Higbee, a longtime favorite player of McVay’s, is on the last year of his contract and was recovering from multiple knee surgeries most of last season. The team signed Colby Parkinson to a three-year, $22.5 million contract last spring but he had just 30 catches for 294 yards and one touchdown. The Rams also struggled throughout the year in the red zone.AdvertisementThe Rams were high on Ferguson even as one of a few scenarios explored in the first round. First, they looked […]
2025 NFL Rookie odds: Over/Under totals for Ward, Hunter, more
<!--> With Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft officially in the books, sportsbooks have already released odds predicting how a few standout players will perform in their rookie campaigns.Let's look at the Over/Under statistical totals for four of the biggest names selected in the top 10 of this year's draft, as of April 25, courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.CAM WARDTennessee TitansNo. 1 pickRegular-season passing yardsADVERTISEMENT -->Over 2,750: -500 (bet $10 to win $12 total)Over 3,000: -150 (bet $10 to win $16.67 total)Over 3,250: +100 (bet $10 to win $20 total)Over 3,500: +200 (bet $10 to win $30 total)Over 3,750: +350 (bet $10 to win $45 total)Over 4,000: +600 (bet $10 to win $50 total)Regular-season passing touchdownsOver 10: -2000 (bet $10 to win $10.50 total)Over 15: -230 (bet $10 to win $14.35 total)Over 20: +100 (bet $10 to win $20 total)Over 25: +275 (bet $10 to win $37.50 total)Over […]
TCU WR Jack Bech, inspired by his brother’s memory, chases his NFL dreams
Greg Auman NFL Reporter <!--> Editor's Note: This story originally ran during Senior Bowl week in late January 2025.MOBILE, Ala. — A highlight-reel play at the Senior Bowl can put a draft prospect on everyone's radar, lift his draft stock or elevate him to a new level, still months before picks are made in April.For Jack Bech, it also helped him grieve.The 6-foot-2 receiver from TCU caught the game-winning touchdown in the 2025 Senior Bowl, taking a knee in the end zone after he scored.ADVERTISEMENT -->Making plays is what he had done all week. In practice Wednesday, there was a long throw from Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe down the right sideline, perhaps a bit underthrown. Bech came back, turned around and made a leaping catch with two defenders on him.He did it wearing an orange No. 7 jersey, not the […]
Raiders draft WR Jack Bech: How he fits, pick grade and scouting intel
The Las Vegas Raiders have selected wide receiver Jack Bech with the No. 58 pick in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft.Bech was a standout receiver at TCU last season. His brother, Tiger Bech, was one of 14 people killed in a terrorist attack on New Year’s Day in New Orleans. Wearing a No. 7 jersey to honor his late brother, Bech starred in this year’s Senior Bowl, where he caught the winning touchdown and was named the game’s MVP.Advertisement“Everything I’m doing out here is just all for him and in memory of him,” Bech said the week of the Senior Bowl about his older brother, a former Princeton football player.Bech’s draft selection is an especially significant moment, as he previously said Tiger had achieved all of his dreams except for playing in the NFL. Now, Bech is […]
Panthers draft edge Nic Scourton: How he fits, pick grade and scouting intel
The Carolina Panthers moved up six spots — from No. 57 to No. 51 — in a trade with the Denver Broncos to select Texas A&M edge rusher Nic Scourton.In the trade, Carolina also swapped third-round picks (74 to Denver, 85 to Carolina), fourth-round picks (111 to Denver, 122 to Carolina) and seventh-round selections (208 to Carolina, 230 to Denver).AdvertisementScourton played one season at for the Aggies and recorded five sacks in 12 games en route to being a 2024 first-team All-SEC selection. He was productive for a loaded defensive line, leading the Texas A&M in sacks and tackles for loss. Prior to that, he played two seasons at Purdue where he led the Big Ten with 10 sacks in 2023.‘The Beast’ breakdownScourton ranked No. 59 in Dane Brugler’s top 300 big board. Here’s what Brugler had to say about […]
Related
Ravens draft edge Mike Green: How he fits, draft grade and scouting intel
The Baltimore Ravens have added to a pass rush that finished with the second-most sacks in the league in 2024, selecting Marshall edge rusher Mike Green with the No. 59 overall pick in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft.A one-year starter at Marshall, the 21-year-old transferred from the University of Virginia in 2023. After showing flashes in his junior year, Green ascended to a full-time starter in 2024.AdvertisementGreen finished the season leading the FBS in sacks (17), tackles by a defensive lineman (84) and sack yardage (144 — 42 yards more than No. 2 on the list). He also tacked on 22 1/2 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and two passes defended in 13 games. The massive season helped Green earn first-team All-American honors as well as the Sun Belt Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year award.NFL […]
Rams draft TE Terrance Ferguson: How he fits, pick grade and scouting intel
Head coach Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams very much wanted to use their first pick on a skill player, and did so at No. 46 with their selection of Oregon tight end Terrance Ferguson on Friday.Ferguson, 6-foot-5 and 247 pounds, will join a full room but one with questions and in need of improvement. Veteran Tyler Higbee, a longtime favorite player of McVay’s, is on the last year of his contract and was recovering from multiple knee surgeries most of last season. The team signed Colby Parkinson to a three-year, $22.5 million contract last spring but he had just 30 catches for 294 yards and one touchdown. The Rams also struggled throughout the year in the red zone.AdvertisementThe Rams were high on Ferguson even as one of a few scenarios explored in the first round. First, they looked […]
2025 NFL Rookie odds: Over/Under totals for Ward, Hunter, more
<!--> With Round 1 of the 2025 NFL Draft officially in the books, sportsbooks have already released odds predicting how a few standout players will perform in their rookie campaigns.Let's look at the Over/Under statistical totals for four of the biggest names selected in the top 10 of this year's draft, as of April 25, courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.CAM WARDTennessee TitansNo. 1 pickRegular-season passing yardsADVERTISEMENT -->Over 2,750: -500 (bet $10 to win $12 total)Over 3,000: -150 (bet $10 to win $16.67 total)Over 3,250: +100 (bet $10 to win $20 total)Over 3,500: +200 (bet $10 to win $30 total)Over 3,750: +350 (bet $10 to win $45 total)Over 4,000: +600 (bet $10 to win $50 total)Regular-season passing touchdownsOver 10: -2000 (bet $10 to win $10.50 total)Over 15: -230 (bet $10 to win $14.35 total)Over 20: +100 (bet $10 to win $20 total)Over 25: +275 (bet $10 to win $37.50 total)Over […]
TCU WR Jack Bech, inspired by his brother’s memory, chases his NFL dreams
Greg Auman NFL Reporter <!--> Editor's Note: This story originally ran during Senior Bowl week in late January 2025.MOBILE, Ala. — A highlight-reel play at the Senior Bowl can put a draft prospect on everyone's radar, lift his draft stock or elevate him to a new level, still months before picks are made in April.For Jack Bech, it also helped him grieve.The 6-foot-2 receiver from TCU caught the game-winning touchdown in the 2025 Senior Bowl, taking a knee in the end zone after he scored.ADVERTISEMENT -->Making plays is what he had done all week. In practice Wednesday, there was a long throw from Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe down the right sideline, perhaps a bit underthrown. Bech came back, turned around and made a leaping catch with two defenders on him.He did it wearing an orange No. 7 jersey, not the […]
Raiders draft WR Jack Bech: How he fits, pick grade and scouting intel
The Las Vegas Raiders have selected wide receiver Jack Bech with the No. 58 pick in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft.Bech was a standout receiver at TCU last season. His brother, Tiger Bech, was one of 14 people killed in a terrorist attack on New Year’s Day in New Orleans. Wearing a No. 7 jersey to honor his late brother, Bech starred in this year’s Senior Bowl, where he caught the winning touchdown and was named the game’s MVP.Advertisement“Everything I’m doing out here is just all for him and in memory of him,” Bech said the week of the Senior Bowl about his older brother, a former Princeton football player.Bech’s draft selection is an especially significant moment, as he previously said Tiger had achieved all of his dreams except for playing in the NFL. Now, Bech is […]
Panthers draft edge Nic Scourton: How he fits, pick grade and scouting intel
The Carolina Panthers moved up six spots — from No. 57 to No. 51 — in a trade with the Denver Broncos to select Texas A&M edge rusher Nic Scourton.In the trade, Carolina also swapped third-round picks (74 to Denver, 85 to Carolina), fourth-round picks (111 to Denver, 122 to Carolina) and seventh-round selections (208 to Carolina, 230 to Denver).AdvertisementScourton played one season at for the Aggies and recorded five sacks in 12 games en route to being a 2024 first-team All-SEC selection. He was productive for a loaded defensive line, leading the Texas A&M in sacks and tackles for loss. Prior to that, he played two seasons at Purdue where he led the Big Ten with 10 sacks in 2023.‘The Beast’ breakdownScourton ranked No. 59 in Dane Brugler’s top 300 big board. Here’s what Brugler had to say about […]
Be the first to leave a comment