2025 NCAA Championship: Florida vs. Houston | CBS Postgame

What a finish! Whoa! What a championship game! What a weekend in San Antonio! And what a comeback, yet again, for the Florida Gators! Incredible! They're going to be chomping off like all night long! Inside March Madness presented by Buick. Continuing here from the Alamo Dome. Wearing as dramatic a finish as possible. Florida Gators knock off the Houston Cougars. That game the other night, both games the other night were great. This thing, you celebrate for the Gators, you appreciate what they were there for and what they've done. But if your heart doesn't go out to the Houston Cougars, who had a 12 point lead in this game. And then watched it slowly vanish. And the Gators take the title. Tell you what Ernie, both of these teams showed tremendous championship grit, perseverance and toughness. I didn't know if Florida could win a game where they had to play more like Houston plays than they play. But they showed in that second half, they were up to the challenge. Won the free throw battle, only had four turnovers in the second half and held Houston to 31% shooting. And the last play epitomized the kind of grit you've got to have to eke out a championship against a worthy, worthy opponent. Hey, Calvin Sampson and the Houston Cougars, they impose their will on you. Physically, mentally, defensively, there's only one way you can beat them. You've got to be one more play tougher. And that was the last play of the game. They blitzed Huzan, they blitzed Cryer, and they stepped up on their last shooter, Emmanuel Sharp, and wouldn't let him get a shot off. And ended the game diving on a loose ball. Look at this here, a blitz on the first ball handler. A blitz on the second ball handler as the big man starts to come. Sharp comes, they rotate out, take away his three. Now it's a loose ball, and Alex Condon dives on the loose ball to end the game. That's the only way that you can beat Houston. Great defensive play by Clayton Jr. at the end. However, shout out to both teams who, they deserve to be here. They were the best two teams in this tournament. They deserve to be here. I'm a little surprised that Houston honestly didn't go earlier in the shot clock to extend the game. They were going for the win, brother. Going for the win is not the odds. It might be right for some people. If you're scared, get a dog. If you're scared, you wouldn't be here. You went for it, they went for it. We did not come here to tie. They went for the win. I feel I'm a better team even with five more minutes. That's how I would have felt. Possibly, it's a surprise, but it was still great defense. Florida wins the game because they were the better team, able to come back with a 12-point win. I'm going to give Kevin his flowers. I told Jay Clark, he's going to go for the win. He did. He's going to go for the win. I respect that. They played as well as they could play and were still down. They played as well as they could play. They did a lot of what they usually do. Yes. To be tied or down two with the ball, I'm like, yo, man. We played great. We're still down two. Five more minutes. The advantage is going to switch to them. I give Kevin his flowers, man. I always say, hey, if you're scared, get a dog. 65-63. That's your final score. A two-point win for the Gators in a game that was as dramatic as you could possibly want for a chance to cut down the Nets. The Capital One rewarding performance is another second-half performance that told the story for the Gators. It's amazing. I think they led for less than a total minute in the game, Ernie. Yes. And the fact that they stayed with it down 12, we've seen it happen a couple of other times with this team. Again, I just think it speaks to the resilience, the toughness, the will. And both teams displayed it. And Florida did it to Jay's point. One play more. They led for 1-0-3. Yeah. If you look at the dynamic of the game, they were able to offensive rebound. They were able to defend the perimeter. They were able to defend the three-point shot. But the funny thing is, the last two plays were the opposite of what they had done. They gave a three to Clayton, and Clayton placed D on the three. So, it was an absolute... They looked like Houston on the other end for the last two possessions. By the way, Warner is proud to provide special-edition podium ladders for the net-cutting celebration. Warner, the official ladder of NCAA March Madness. And as you heard Jay tell us earlier this week, you win the national championship, you cut down the net, you get those ladders. That ladder comes to you for the season. Now, that's a flex. That's a flex, Jay. We're telling this, you got the ladder. It's a flex. I've known Jay for 40 years, he's never been on a damn ladder. Well, if he ever wants to be, he's got plenty. When we come back, the moment you've been waiting for, one shining moment, is next. Ha!