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FLORIDA, HOUSTON TO MEET IN NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday’s Final Four matchups did not disappoint, with both games going down to the wire.
Ultimately, Florida and Houston were left standing, claiming victories over Auburn and Duke, respectively.
The Gators punched their ticket thanks to the hot hand of senior guard Walter Clayton Jr., who scored 20 of his 34 points in the second half to lift Florida to a 79-73 victory over their conference foe. Clayton connected on 5 of 8 attempts from beyond the arc in the win, and became the first player since Larry Bird to register consecutive 30+-point scoring performances this deep into the NCAA Tournament.
WALTER CLAYTON JR WAS UNSTOPPABLE VS AUBURN
— House of Highlights (@HoHighlights) April 6, 2025
- 34 PTS
- 11/18 FG
- 5/8 3PT
- Advances to National Championship pic.twitter.com/8s3URp85RB
Houston rallied from a 14-point deficit with 8:17 remaining in the contest to stun Duke. The Cougars even trailed by six with 33 seconds to play, but a pair of go-ahead free throws senior forward J’Wan Roberts with 18 seconds remaining lifted Houston up for good. Senior guard L.J. Cryer led the Cougars with 26 points, hitting 6 of 9 three-point attempts in the win.
HOUSTON WITH A COMEBACK FOR THE AGES
— ESPN (@espn) April 6, 2025
The Coogs complete the fifth-largest comeback in Final Four history pic.twitter.com/I69kpgfPG2
COOPER FLAGG BECOMES FOURTH FRESHMAN TO WIN WOODEN AWARD
While the heartbreak of Duke’s stunning loss hangs over Blue Devils freshman forward Cooper Flagg, the Maine native did earn individual honors on Saturday.
Flagg became the fourth freshman to win the Wooden Award, joining Zion Williamson (2019), Anthony Davis (2012) and Kevin Durant (2007) as first-year players to be recognized as the best in college basketball.
Flagg posted averages of 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.4 steals per game en route to the award.
Flagg held off Auburn’s Johnni Broome in the voting process, whose 1,801 points fell just shy of Flagg’s 1,979.
Cooper Flagg is your 2025 Wooden Award Winner
— Blue Devils (@BlueDevils) April 5, 2025
The best player in all of college basketball! pic.twitter.com/imvCqtgTHv
Flagg is widely projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft in June.
SACRAMENTO STATE EYES JUMP TO FBS LEVEL
There may be a new independent at the FBS level of college football.
According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Sacramento State will apply to the NCAA to make the jump from the FCS to the FBS and become a football independent. The Hornets must receive a waiver from the NCAA to ascend to the FBS since they do not have a formal invitation from a conference.
Thamel noted that Sacramento State seeks to join a conference once it joins the FBS.
The Hornets will play in the Big Sky Conference in 2025, which will likely be their last season as part of the conference. Sacramento State went just 3-9 last season, but looks to rebound after the hiring of new head coach Brennan Marion — who previously served as UNLV’s offensive coordinator.
ICYMI
The Ohio State football team opened its doors to the university’s student body on Saturday, giving them an up-close view of the defending champions. Eleven Warriors was on hand for the practice and evaluated the brewing quarterback competition ahead of the upcoming spring game.
FORMER SANTA CLARA CENTER CHRISTOPH TILLY TRANSFERRING TO OHIO STATE
Ohio State captured the much-needed commitment of Santa Clara transfer center Christoph Tilly, who averaged 12.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game for the Broncos last season.
Five-star wide receiver Chris Henry Jr. announced that he’s all in with Ohio State and will shut down his recruitment, affirming his commitment to be a Buckeye.
WHAT’S NEXT
- Six Days: Ohio State’s Spring Game
- 146 Days: Season-opener vs. Texas
- 209 Days: Jim Knowles returns to Columbus
- 237 Days: The Game
