Houston’s suffocating defense wiped away a 14-point deficit over the final eight minutes and erased Cooper Flagg and Duke’s title hopes Saturday in a 70-67 stunner over the Blue Devils at the Final Four.

Florida rallied to top Auburn and Houston stormed back for a win over Duke as March Madness reached the men’s Final Four in San Antonio.

Florida basketball just won the 2025 NCAA title, but it's never too early to look at 2026. Here are Final Four picks, including a national champion.

Florida roared back from a 12-point deficit to stun Houston and claim the program's first national championship since 2007 on Monday night, 65-63. The Gators trailed 42-30 early in the second half before finding the same late surge that carried them past Auburn in the Final Four on Saturday.

Three weeks ago, 24 staffers submitted their predictions for The Athletic’s consensus men’s NCAA Tournament bracket. Eleven voters picked Duke to win the national championship, followed by six for Florida and five for Houston.

Walter Clayton Jr. #1 of the Florida Gators shoots a layup against Terrance Arceneaux #23 of the Houston Cougars during the second half in the National Championship of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at the Alamodome on April 07,

Florida's comeback victory over Houston in Monday night's NCAA title game was the most-watched men's championship game in six years with 18.1 million viewers.

It was fitting that Florida arrived nearly two hours late to its on-campus celebration Tuesday. After all, it was exactly how the Gators played while winning the NCAA Tournament. Coaches and players returned to Gainesville roughly 16 hours after rallying to beat Houston 65-63 in San Antonio to secure the program’s third national title.

In one of the wildest NCAA championship games in recent memory, the Florida Gators pulled off a stunning 63-61 victory over the Houston Cougars, despite trailin