The Houston Cougars and the Florida Gators play for the NCAA men’s national championship on Monday, April 7, in San Antonio. Here is a preview.
The Houston Cougars and the Florida Gators will conclude the men’s college basketball season with the national championship game in San Antonio on Monday, April 7.
Tip-off is set for 7:50 p.m. central on CBS. The Houston Cougars (35-4) were the No. 1 seed in their region and are seeking their first national championship in men’s basketball.
The Florida Gators (35-3) were the No. 1 seed in their region and are seeking their national championship in program history. The Gators’ last title was in 2007.
Monday’s game will wrap up the 2024-25 college basketball season. If Houston wins, it will be the Big 12’s third national title since 2021. If Florida wins, it will be the SEC’s first national title since Kentucky in 2012.
Houston is coming off a 70-67 win over Duke on Saturday in the Final Four. Florida is coming off a 79-73 win over Auburn on Saturday in the Final Four.
Here is a preview of the game.
How to Watch Houston vs. Florida
Date: Monday, April 7, 2025
Time: 7:50 p.m. CT
TV Channel: CBS
Site: Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas
Houston vs. Florida Betting Odds, Lines
Opening Line: Florida -1.5
Current Line: Florida -1.5
Over/Under: 141.5
Houston vs. Florida Predictions
The Cougars executed the fifth-biggest comeback in Final Four history when they beat Duke. It just seemed unprecedented the way they did it.
When you have Major League Baseball’s foremost statistician posting about college basketball, you’re onto something.
Houston did it with its defense and gritty play down the stretch. The Cougars’ identity never changed. I thought it might have to against the Blue Devils. But it didn’t. They just needed it to be money time and down six points with basically a minute to play.
Guard L.J. Cryer was a special shooter in that game, scoring 26 points and making six 3-pointers. Emanuel Sharp scored nine points in a row at one point and finished with 16 points. J’Wan Roberts had a double-double (11 points, 12 rebounds).
If you’ve watched Houston all year, then you know this is how they win games — any way they can. But the Cougars must still shoot well from the 3-point line and keep the opponent under 70 points. They did both against Duke.
Houston hasn’t lost a game since Feb. 1. Florida hasn’t lost a game since Feb. 25, but it was just the Gators’ second loss since Feb. 1. Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. has been doing generational stuff in this tournament.
Clayton has averaged 24.6 points per game. Win or lose, those who vote on the most outstanding player might have to give it to him because no one has been more “on it” than the former Iona guard.
The Gators are incredibly well-balanced. Guard Alijah Martin, guard Will Richard, and forward Alex Condon also average double figures in scoring. Forward Thomas Haugh averages 9.9 points. Florida can spread you out, and they can slop around in the mud with you, too. Condon, Haugh, and center Rueben Chinyelu control the glass.
Turnovers are where Florida must be careful. The Gators committed 16 and still won, in part because they forced Auburn into 14 turnovers. Houston does a great job of protecting the basketball. That feels like a key number to watch on Monday.
Houston will need to hold the Gators around that 70-point mark. Why? Three of Florida’s four losses have come in games in which it has scored 80 or more points. The lone exception was against Tennessee, when the Vols held the Gators to 44 points.
I think Houston knows which film to watch on Sunday. Cougars by a point in what stands to be a championship game classic.
Houston 71, Florida 70
ESPN Matchup Predictor: Houston (65.5%).
You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard.
