Houston vs. Florida for NCAA Title
by Sharon Thorsland
College basketball’s national champion will be crowned tonight, with Florida taking on Houston in San Antonio – just like I predicted in my previous article! The Gators rallied to beat Auburn in a fabulous Final Four game, while Houston pulled off an incredible win over #1 Duke after the Blue Devils blew a 14-point second half lead. Tonight’s game tips off at 8:50 right here on WBT.
This game pits Houston’s top ranked defense against Florida’s high octane offense. The Cougars (35-4) showed off that elite defense in the win over Duke, holding the Blue Devils to just one field goal in the final 10 minutes of the game. When the game looked lost and they were trailing by 14, the Cougars buckled down and attacked the Blue Devils with a suffocating defensive effort. This is a veteran squad, they’re physical, and they put a lot of pressure on the ball, forcing turnovers on 20.9% of their opponents’ possessions. The Cougars are also one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the country, averaging nearly 40% from behind the arc. And they find ways to win close games. Besides the comeback over Duke, the Cougars are 8-1 in games decided by six points or fewer. The pressure of a national title game won’t be too much for them.
While the Cougars beat you with a tenacious defense, the Gators put up big numbers on offense. They’re averaging over 85 points per game, led by senior guard Walter Clayton Jr., who puts up 18.5 points a contest and scored a career high 34 against Auburn on Saturday. Fellow senior guards Alijah Martin and Will Richard combine for nearly 28 points a game, and center Alex Condon is a force inside. But Condon is dealing with an ankle injury that hampered him in the win over Auburn, as he scored just one point and grabbed four rebounds in that game. If he’s still dinged up tonight that could spell trouble for the Gators.
The Gators are looking for their third national championship and first since winning back to back titles in 2006 and 2007. The Cougars have never won a title, but that changes tonight. I say this vetearn Houston team gets it done and walks away with the trophy. Go Cougars