Millions of viewers will tune in tonight to watch a matchup few expected.
Florida and Houston are facing off in the men’s basketball National Championship at 8:50 p.m. in San Antonio, Texas. Both teams pulled upsets in their Final Four games Saturday night. Houston erased Duke’s nine-point lead in the last two minutes to win 70-67, while Florida outlasted Auburn 79-73.
Both teams are closing out dominant seasons, with neither losing any game by over six points — with the exception of Florida’s 20-point loss to Tennessee in February.
Although Florida scored 11 more points per game, on average, than Houston, the Gators also gave up more by about the same margin. As a result, the two will go into the finals with nearly identical season point margins of 15.4 for Houston and 15.5 for Florida.
The two will also take the court with identical season win percentages of .897.
Houston has a slight edge in free throws, 3-pointers, field goals, steals and blocks. Meanwhile, Florida takes the lead in rebounds, assists, turnovers and field goals.
Walter Clayton Jr., a senior Florida guard, takes the lead across both teams for average points scored per game at 18.5. That puts him ahead of the next top-scorer, senior Houston guard L.J. Cryer, by nearly three points.
The Alligator’s searchable player table provides points scored per game for players on both teams, along with field goal, 3-pointer and free throw percentages.
Florida will look to add to its two existing national championships, with the most recent earned in 2007. Houston, meanwhile, is seeking program history. The team has competed for the title twice but never won.
Contact Zoey Thomas at zthomas@alligator.org. Follow her on X @zoeythomas39
Zoey Thomas is a media production junior and The Alligator's Spring 2025 data editor. She previously reported for the metro, university and enterprise desks. In her free time, you can find her reading, crocheting or arguing for the superiority of sweet potatoes over regular potatoes.
