Sixty -six marness games of March later, the male national championship game is set after a Saturday night full of national semifinal actions in the Final Four in San Antonio.
The Florida Gators and Houston Cougars launched each return from the second half against the Auburn Tigers and Duke Blue Devils, respectively, to hit their tickets to what is emerging as a historical title game.
This is Houston's third trip to the final stage of the NCAA tournament and first since he lost his two previous appearances in 1983 and 1984. The previous six final finals of the Couchars are the most without a title of a program in the history of the NCAA tournament. And Kelvin Sampson is the second most winning active coach without a championship.
Meanwhile, Florida returns for the first time since she won consecutive championships in 2006 and 2007. It is the fourth trip of the gators of all time, since she has lost her first appearance in 2000.
However, the story between these programs is limited: only twice, twice in the 1970s.
Our university basketball analysts take a look at the confrontation of Monday, with keys to each team and predictions.
Jump to: Preview of the early title game | How Florida won, Houston | Relive the Final Four
What to know about Florida
Factor No. 1 that helped gators reach the game of the title: Walter Clayton Jr.
It's always Walter Clayton Jr., right? The senior guard became the first player from Larry Bird in 1979 to produce consecutive 30 -point games in the Elite Eight and National Semifinals, according to ESPN Research. He finished with 34 points and five triples, with Auburn unable to defend him. Florida seemed stagnant offensively with him in the bank in the first half, but came to life when he went after the break. Auburn had no answer for his impressive shooting ability. Bruce Pearl changed his big wings to Clayton, but did not matter. Totes disputed, leaving the 3 -point line: Clayton found a road. It was a remarkable performance.
Your key to winning the title game: Walter Clayton Jr. (again).
Much will be reduced to whether Clayton can keep it under the number 1 defense of Houston. On Saturday, Florida's offensive went through stretching against Auburn when the Tigers kept the Gators on the half court and open looks were a premium due to physicality and size. Houston will be more physical and the Coupars will seek to keep Florida out of the transition. Gators can defend themselves in the glass and have some second chance opportunities, but it will be Clayton. They have needed it to go to a Kemba Walker race, and Clayton has taken them so far. They need a more historical performance of the All-America Guard. – Jeff Borzello
What to know about Houston
Factor No. 1 that helped the Couchars reach the title game: Houston's physicality wore a young Duke team.
Kelvin Sampson directs an exercise in practice where he throws a ball on the court and a couple of players must fight to grab it. That physical approach has turned Cougars into the best US defensive team. Throughout Saturday night, it was clear that Duke had the advantage of size with a fleet of 6 -foot and 5 or more players, but in the last minutes, the close focus and Sampson staff for defense with the Cougars took the Blue Devils.
With 8:17 to play in the game, Duke had an advantage of 59-45. Then Duke collapsed and scored only eight points for the rest of the game, while Houston recovered. J'wan Roberts and LJ Cryer hit great free throws on the section and Joseph Tugler also had a key late immersion.
In general, Houston refused to break against a Blue Devils team that had been favored to win the national title for months. Defensive team number 1 in the United States played as defensive team number 1 in the United States on Saturday night.
0:49
Duke Falls A Houston in a chaotic ending
Houston knocks Duke after a chaotic ending that involves a Cooper Flagg sweater and missing, with Tyrese Proctor, being short in a last second launch.
Your key to winning the title game: Houston will have to stop Walter Clayton Jr.
Clayton approaches a legendary race after becoming the second player in history after Larry Bird scored 30 or more points in the same Eight Eight and Final Four of the NCAA tournament. While Florida is not a single -man show, Houston could be found in the same difficult place that led Uconn, Maryland, Texas Tech and Auburn to be fired from the tournament. Clayton is so good. But, Houston also beat a Duke team that seemed unbeatable, a team led by Cooper Flagg, winner of multiple awards of the national player of the year. The Coupars will not be intimidated. They are the best defensive team in the United States. If someone can stop Clayton, he can. – Myron Medcalf
Florida vs. predictions Houston
Jeff Borzello: Houston, 67-65
Myron Medcalf: Houston, 70-67
FOUR ANALYSIS FOUR
End: Houston defeated Duke 70-67
How Houston won: Saturday's Final confrontation between Duke and Houston seemed another stop at the Blue Devils march to a national championship, just another coronation for the imminent title of Cooper Flagg and Duke. After Tyrese Proctor's free kick put Duke for 14 points with 8:17 remaining in the second half, the inevitable seemed closer than ever. But Houston remained faithful to his culture (defense, hardness and offensive rebounds) to turn the game and stun Duke.
The Cougars had a 9-0 race in the last 35 seconds, taking the lead in two free throws by J'wan Roberts with remaining 19 seconds and then freezing the game with two free throws of LJ Cryer with 3.7 seconds for the end. Flagg fell short in a change sweater in the following possession and triple the despair of proctor in the bell was long. Cryer led the way with 26 points and six triples, while Flagg had 27 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists in what was probably his last university game. – Jeff Borzello
End: Florida defeated Auburn 79-73
How Florida won: Every time things begin to crumble, Florida turns to her star: it is at that time when the best version of Walter Clayton Jr., a first AP All-American team appears. It happened again on Saturday, when Clayton was in charge of doing it (again) to ruin Auburn's dreams and send the Tigers home when he scored 34 points. A late 3 -point play, a cube and a free kick after a foul, sealed the victory for a determined Florida squad. Below nine points at the beginning of the second half, the Gators resorted to their hero, who extended his exhibition of post -time for breaks when he took Florida to leave another hole to help the program advance to the national title game on Monday night for the first time since 2007, when the program won national return titles back to support. – Myron Medcalf
