With a 65-63 loss to Florida, Kelvin Sampson and the Houston Cougars lost the 2025 NCAA Tournament National Championship, ending the group’s incredible run.
The loss was capped off with a rough last play of the game, where guard Emanuel Sharp and the Cougars were unable to get a shot off as time expired. Houston was looking to win its first ever NCAA Tournament Championship, and the win would have given Kelvin Sampson career win No. 800.
With 1:21 seconds left, the Cougars led the Gators by one-point at 63-62. Houston was able to get a stop with a great contest by Jojo Tugler. Unfortunately, one play later, Tugler would foul out and send Florida to the free-throw line with a chance to take the lead.
Elijah Martin, a 75% free throw shooter, hit both, giving Florida their first lead since 8-6. With a 64-63 lead, Emanuel Sharp turned the basketball over, with one possession left for the Gators. Florida would end up getting fouled and going 1-2 from the free-throw line, which gave Houston a chance to tie or take the lead with 19 seconds remaining.
With one chance remaining, the Cougars looked to Emanuel Sharp to take the final shot. Unfortunately, Walter Clayton Jr. made an incredible play, blowing up Houston’s three-point shot. Sharp would pass up the shot and spike the ball into the ground and could not touch it or else the group would turn it over.
The Cougars ended up blowing a 12-point lead with 16 minutes remaining, having led 42-30 at the 16:24 mark of the second half.
Houston shot just 6-25 from three-point range in the game. The Cougars were the best three-point shooting team in the country entering the match up. LJ Cryer led Houston with 19 points on just 6-18 shooting. It was overall a rough night for Houston, who shot under 35% from the field.
The Florida Gators won their first National Championship since 2007 and third in program history.
