Florida basketball head coach Todd Golden made some National Championship history that has not been seen in this decade after his team’s 65-63 win over Houston. The Gators did it. This team, which was preseason-ranked No. 21 and questioned and doubted this entire season, has now won the third national title in program history. The Gators did not make it easy for the blood pressure of their fans but showed remarkable resilience throughout the entire year and NCAA Tournament. Monday night was no different in a game that looked to be in the Cougars’ control for most of it.
But while certain players were struggling, others stepped up to keep the game close in crunch time. Then, the Gators did what they did best: they snatched victory seemingly from the jaws of defeat. And Todd Golden, in just his third year, is in the record books as one of the youngest head coaches (39) to win a national title. ESPN broke down the historic implications of this accomplishment
WHAT A MOMENT FOR TODD GOLDEN
Youngest head coach to win a national championship since Jim Valvano (37) in 1983
pic.twitter.com/9VSht3cenv
— ESPN (@espn) April 8, 2025
Florida basketball’s versatility and grit rose above the rest when it was all said and done
It has been an extraordinary rebuild by Todd Golden in Gainsville. Florida basketball is back to being a basketball powerhouse in just three seasons. After a sub-.500 season his first year, Golden brought the Gators to its highest NCAA Tournament seed since 2018 last season. The 2023-2024 squad was an exciting group filled with overachievers. Except there was one issue: this team significantly struggled on defense. That all changed the following season with a roster that retained many players from the 2023-2024 roster.
Florida went from the 216th best defense, efficiency-wise, last season to the 26th best defense in the country. In addition, this year’s team was built on an identity of pace, depth, and physicality on the glass that overwhelmed opponents. There were several performances throughout the season against Elite Eight and Final Four teams where the Gators simply took their opponent’s lunch. However, there were other times, like a 70-69 road win against South Carolina, where this team showed its true colors. This group never quit and continuously fought back from seemingly insurmountable deficits.
There were off-court issues throughout the year, the headliner being the Title IX investigation of Golden midseason. This team stuck together and grew into the season like it grew into games. And that grit from the regular season carried over into the tournament, where Florida, on numerous occasions, looked dead in the water. But whether it was Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin, Will Richard, Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh, Rueben Chinyelu, Denzel Aberdeen, or Micah Handgloten, players stepped up to answer the bell.
This team won every type of game imaginable, and what better way to end the season than on a loose ball? Golden, his staff, and the entire roster will forever be known as champions in Gainseville.
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