Florida took home its first national championship in 18 years after a neck-and-neck game between the Houston Cougars on Monday night. The Alamodome supported a boxing ring, much by Houston’s invention, and with a national championship hanging in the balance, top-seeded Florida and Houston traded haymakers.
It was senior guard Walter Clayton Jr.'s 11 second-half points, though, that sponsored the final blow, as Florida outlasted the Coogs 65-63 in San Antonio. It’s Florida’s third national championship, but first since 2007, marking the conclusion of a rapid reascension to national relevance in Todd Golden’s first three years at the program.
Follow along for live updates.
City safety preparations
Hours before Gator fans head to the streets, the University of Florida Police Department is preparing for the crowds, Chief Bart Knowles said.
Extra patrols will be in areas where “fans tend to congregate,” especially at the Stephen C. O’Connell center, he said.
Students can gather in the O’Dome for a watch party. The event is free to all fans and will continue to allow spectators in until the arena reaches capacity, but will not allow entry after halftime. Gates one and three will open at 7 p.m., nearly two hours ahead of tipoff.
UPD will be collaborating with the Gainesville Police Department, fire rescue and city and county emergency management to establish a “unified command,” Knowles said.
GPD also increased patrols in “popular” areas such as Midtown and downtown, where students are likely to gather.
Knowles said he hopes there won’t be property damage or unsafe behavior, especially if the Gators win tonight.
“Quite frankly, I believe our Gator fans are more responsible than that,” he said. “However, if we do encounter that type of activity… those individuals will be held accountable.”
In a safety memo to students, Knowles encouraged students to stay with a buddy, share their location with a trusted friend and charge their phone. UF also greased telephone and lamp posts in hopes of discouraging ambitious climbers.
Knowles added all officers will be routinely checking for underage drinking, like it does “consistently throughout the year,” he said.
The watch party in Bo Diddley Plaza has been canceled due to high winds and rain, but the city encouraged residents to stop by one of Gainesville’s local bars and restaurants, where the game will be streamed.
The City of Gainesville sent out a safety memo Monday detailing road closures throughout the city.
Similar to UF football games, West University Avenue will be closed to traffic from Gale Lemerand Drive and Northwest 13th Street starting at 9 p.m. until police deem the road safe to reopen.
Parking on University Avenue and downtown is also restricted for the safety of patrons, vehicles and personnel, according to the memo.
Electric Energy – The Swamp, 11:10 pm
Beer, firecrackers and chants of “it’s great to be a Florida Gator” were flung in the air as the Gators won the national championship, quickly prompting spectators to jump out of their chairs and over the fence onto Second Avenue.
Wearing a sequined blue cowboy hat, Rosario Fuego, a 21-year-old UF dietetic senior, said she came to The Swamp to watch the game because the environment was unmatched.
When asked how she felt about the Gators winning, she said it was “amazing,” before running off into the street with the rest of the crowd.
Hoping to quickly get to bed after watching the historic win, Sam Mendez, a 26-year-old UF law student, said she plans to stop by and make sure no one sets Midtown on fire.
“I was not into basketball until one week ago,” she said. “The energy in Gainesville is so electric that I had to [watch the game].”
Planning to spend the rest of his night partying, George Brady, an Irish exchange student at UF, said the win was the highlight of the six months he’s spent in the United States.
“I just witnessed the best win on Earth,” he screamed. “Straight off the boat from Ireland, go Gators.”
– Morgan Vanderlaan
Championship-Winning Moves — 11:25 p.m, O'Connell Center
As the final buzzer sounded and the massive horde of UF students spilled onto the court of the O'Dome, Curtis Dearing's first reaction was to hop up on the press box table and start dancing like nobody was watching.
The 22-year-old genetics graduate student had no doubt the Gators were ever going to lose.
"i knew we had it from the start," he screamed. "The boys brought it home."
— Daniela Ortiz
“A second-half team” – 10 p.m., MacDinton’s
Florida trails Houston by three points at halftime, with the score 31-28. This is familiar territory for the Gators. They were down by eight to Auburn at the half in the Final Four on Saturday and crawled back for the victory.
UF students have been at MacDinton’s preparing for the national championship for hours before tipoff. Junior Sidney Tod said she’s been at the sports bar since 6 p.m.
The 20-year-old had one word to describe the atmosphere at MacDinton’s today.
“Awesome,” Tod said.
Students have been lining up since 11 a.m. to get bands for the watch party, with the doors not opening until 4 p.m.
While Tod said she has had a great time today, she thinks the Gators team needs to step up the game in the second half if it wants to secure its first national title since 2007.
“We’re a second half team,” Tod said. “We’ll be fine as long as we shoot like we can.”
Florida struggled from the 3-point line in the first half, and star senior guard Walter Clayton Jr. has yet to score a point.
The Gators need to focus on getting the ball to Clayton more in the second half than they did in the first 20 minutes, Tod said.
Senior guard Will Richard leads Florida with 14 points at halftime, including four made 3-pointers.
“Will Richard is hot,” 21-year-old senior Jason Sanzare said. “Keep feeding him the ball.”
Sanzare, along with many UF students in attendance at MacDinton’s, hope that the Gators will continue to get the ball to Richard in the second half.
If Florida can continue the second-half dominance it has shown so far in the NCAA tournament, it can potentially make another comeback and take home its third crown in UF history.
— Hugh Green
Reporting from Texas – 9:41 p.m., San Antonio
Houston entered Monday night No. 360 out of the 364 Division I teams in adjusted tempo. Florida’s offense, while not the fastest in the nation, was nothing similar. So, there was always going to be the question as to what pace the national championship would take.
The question was cleared up almost immediately. Through 20 minutes, Houston has fomented a fistfight in San Antonio, with neither team shooting better than 38% from the field. In turn, the Cougars lead 31-28 at the break — and it hasn’t been pleasant for the eyes.
In the only moment offense has been permitted, Houston rattled off an eight-point run with four minutes left, which concluded with a banked-in 3 from graduate student guard Mylik Wilson. It elicited by far the loudest moment of the evening thus far, with the box-like Alamodome batting the Coogs’ roar around the college basketball world.
Only one player has scored double digits in this run-of-a-muck affair, and it’s surely not Florida senior guard Walter Clayton Jr. The NCAA Tournament star hasn’t hit any of his four shots today, all from the 3-point line, setting up a career-low half. In his place, Florida senior guard Will Richard is the only player who has scored double digits with 14.
- Noah White
Anything for the game – 9:40 p.m., O’Connell Center,
The battle for the national championship has encouraged many Gators to embrace a more rebellious side.
Fans crowded around the gates of the Stephen O’Connell Center — which closed 15 minutes after opening — banging on doors, hoping to slip into the arena. Some fought through the throng and made a mad dash from security.
Alejandro Roldan, a 21-year-old UF political science and international studies senior, admitted she cut the line to get in. Roldan has some less-than-civil plans for a Gator win.
“I’ll try to hop on a building or rush the court,” she said.
Benjamin Bryant, a 21-year-old UF computer science senior, and Nicolas Namia, a 22-year-old UF psychology senior, said they’ll run through campus and Midtown if the Gators win, perhaps shirtless.
But streaking isn’t the only mischievous activities fans plan to participate in post victory.
“Maybe I’ll meet up with Ollie if I can,” Namia said, pointing to the blow-up Gator who riled up the crowd.
Namia did not specify what “meet up” meant.
-- Grace McClung
Creative costume - 10:16 p.m., O’Connell Center
When it comes to spirited swag, the Florida Gators don’t just think outside the box- they insulate it.
Ricky Burke, a 23-year-old UF Computer Engineering Senior, crafted a stunning 3D version of a clone suit from Star Wars, carefully painted in the vibrant orange and blue colors of the Gators.
The clone helmet was uniquely customized, featuring an orange outline of the iconic gator snout that stretched across the front.
“It’s scraps of my normal suit of armor I’m working on,” he said. “I redid them, cut them up and resized them so that I could wear them to UF games.”
Burke has proudly worn his “gator-fied” clone suit to multiple games, including football, where it’s become a signature look. When asked how he manages the heat inside the suit, Burke didn’t just offer a simple answer—he showed the suit’s full potential.
“It’s packed with AC and lights,” he said. “The visor can light up, it’s just hard to see with the lights on.”
- Gabriella Chavez
Father-daughter bonding - 10:20 p.m., O’Connell Center
Gator pride runs deep, even among the smallest of cheerleaders.
Boyu Huang, a 30-year-old postdoctoral associate, brought his daughter Nikki to watch the game.
The pigtailed 5-year-old pumped her fists in the air and gave an enthusiastic cheer, saying she hoped the Gators will win.
She and her dad have attended several sporting events in the O’Connell Center, and both said they love UF.
When asked if she would attend UF in the future, Nikki answered with a resounding no. But a Gator win could change that.
-- Grace McClung
Friendship anniversary – 8:48 p.m., O’Connell Center
Amid the chaos and intensity of the O’Connell Center, two lifelong best friends, 67-year-old Paul Hale and Vince Ionata spent their 50-year friend anniversary watching the sport that brought them together all those years ago. Both friends graduated from UF in 1980, where over the course of their college years, they watched the construction of the O’Connell center take place.
In those days, they bonded over their love for sports while watching UF basketball games in Alligator Alley.
Now, while the amount of people watching UF’s basketball games has grown exponentially, the feeling Hale and Vince get when they watch their favorite team advance in the national championships is entirely the same, they said.
“When you come back to Gainesville, it’s like coming home again, and you go on a time warp,” Hale said. “You just become ageless. I’m a hardcore Gator basketball fan.”
— Autumn Johnstone
A multi-generational celebration - 8:48 p.m., Midtown, MacDinton’s
Right before tipoff, Gator fans chanted, “F*ck you, Houston.”
Connor McCarthy, a 25-year-old UF law school student, said he flew into Orlando from London Monday morning. Once he “got the car,” he drove straight to Gainesville for the game, he said.
He got to MacDinton’s at 6 p.m. and has enjoyed “a few responsible adult beverages” since he arrived, he said.
Mccarthy grew up watching UF sports because of his father, football player Sean McCarthy, who played tight end in 1995.
A Gator win would be multi-generational, he said.
“It would be the most wonderful, full-circle moment for me,” he said. “I’ve been an orange and blue fan since day one.”
— Sara-James Ranta
“Clayton doing his thing”- 8:37 p.m., Silver Q Sports Bar
Collin Greenhalgh, a 23-year-old UF chemistry graduate student, and Evelyn Spencer, a 21-year-old University of South Florida sustainability graduate student, are confident the Gators will pull out a national championship tonight.
After watching the Final Four victory in downtown Gainesville on Saturday, the couple is back at local sports bar Silver Q to experience the national championship, expecting chaos.
“I’ve got us [Florida] winning, it’s gonna be Clayton doing his thing, like he’s done every game”. Greenhalgh said. “I think it’ll be a madhouse if we win… Midtown is going to be insane, and i’ll be looking forward to it.”
Spencer thinks Florida has it easy after Duke’s loss to Houston and is cheering for Florida because her boyfriend, Greenhalgh, is a huge Gator fan.
“I don’t feel like Houston did anything spectacular to beat Duke. Duke just choked, so that made me more positive about today.” Spencer said. “Win or lose it’s going to be utter chaos, but if we win, the vibes will be much better.”
—Curan Ahern
"They can't stop me" - 9:17 p.m., O’Connell center
The stakes are higher than ever as the game kicks off at the O'Connell Center.
Giselle Leon, a 19-year-old UF applied physiology and kinesiology freshman said she expects it to be a competitive game, but she's confident the Gators will finish first.
“It’s gonna be a close game, which I’m worried about, but we’re gonna come on top, we always do,” she said. “We’re a second half team.”
Leon said that if the Gators pull off a win, she's ready to do something wild to celebrate.
“I know those poles are greased, but they can’t stop me,” she said.
-Gabriella Chavez
"I didn’t expect them to get this far" - 8:19 p.m., Downtown, Silver Q Sports Bar
Shea Husband, a 26-year-old UF employee and alum, said he thinks the National Championship will be a close game.
“It’ll come down to the last minute or two…whoever’s shooting 3’s at above 50% in the last two minutes,” he said.
Despite having doubts, Husband picked the Gators to win the title, hoping a Gainesville magic could bring his bracket’s prediction to life. He said the Gators winning could send the city into a frenzy.
“I put UF in the bracket, I didn’t expect them to get this far, really, but I wanted them to win,” he said. “There’s gonna be some people going crazy, and I don’t know, it might look like Philly after the Eagles won [the Superbowl].”
— Curan Ahern
Pre-game research - 8:15 p.m., MacDinton’s
Gator fans at MacDinton’s Irish Pub were met with long lines, with capacity reaching its limit and entry only for ticket holders, according to management.
Ian Cueli, a 21-year-old UF finance senior, said a Gator win would mean a lot for his senior year.
Cueli said he looked at photos from UF’s win in 2007 for insight into how packed the streets would be if the Gators won. He came to the conclusion Gainesville “isn’t ready” for what might happen if the Gators win, he said.
“I’ve heard from alumni that they started a bonfire in the middle of University and 13th,” he said. “If there’s any ounce of what we had back then, the streets are not ready.”
— Sara-James Ranta
Last-minute bets — 8:00 p.m., O’Connell Center
Jordan Harper, a 21-year-old UF neuroscience senior, said she hasn’t placed any bets on tonight’s game but is considering a last-minute gamble.
“I’d bet my whole checking account, which is at $192.50,” she said. “I checked the ATM today.”
Between Gator jerseys and hats, one fan stood out: an orange-and-blue stormtrooper.
Ricky Burke, a 23-year-old UF computer engineering senior, used his own 3D printer to create the full-body costume.
– Vera Lucia Pappaterra
“Our Neighbor is Alijah Martin”- 7:55 p.m., Downtown, Silver Q Sports Bar
Camryn Burgs, a 25-year-old grocery store employee, said he’s neighbors with Gator men’s basketball player Alijah Martin and has seen his success both on and off the court.
“He’s a super cool guy. We met him a couple times separately, just all of us that live there,” she said. “He used to have a red Dodge Charger, and it was a base model. And now that he’s gotten all this success with the Gators, he has a $125,000 Audi SUV.”
Camryn said she’s excited to see Martin find success at Florida and will enjoy the game at local bar Silver Q, where she watched the Final Four game.
“It’s cool to see his blow up,” she said. “We were at Silver Q, we were watching the game here… and [they] replayed [the Martin poster] and I go, “Fast break, go Gators! That’s our neighbor!”
Win or lose, Burgs said she thinks there will be people scaling the light poles, and the town will be madness.
“I think that there’s going to be people on the light poles no matter what,” she said.“So that’ll be crazy… It’s going to be a mob house for sure.”
— Curan Ahern
Trees and goalposts, beware - 7:46 p.m., Downtown
Eric Seager, a 19-year-old applied physiology and kinesiology freshman, has been waiting a long time for a night like this one.
“I was 2 years old cheering [the Gators] on in the national championship,” he said.
Seager and his friends will watch the Gators attempt to reach the pinnacle of college basketball from the White Buffalo bar, and he has a very clear game plan of what to do if they win.
“There’s a couple trees I’d like to climb,” he said. “There’s a couple live oaks on campus I’ve really been wanting to climb.”
His friend joked that the goalposts in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium could be targets, too.
“We’ll take the goalposts, probably take a net, too,” Seager said.
— Paul Hof-Mahoney
Fervor and festivity - 7:40 p.m., The Swamp
Ryan Harvey said he’s been following the Gators throughout the season, and he thinks the team will snag a win tonight. The 19-year-old Santa Fe College construction management freshman sees the odds of a UF victory as favorable but not solid enough to place a wager on the game.
“I’d lose so much money doing that, but if I were to bet, I’d bet on the Gators winning,” Harvey said.
Taylor Stiles, a 20-year-old UF business sophomore, said she’s expecting a 100% chance the Gators trounce Houston.
“I’m gonna run a mile for each 3-point they make,” Stiles said. “I already declared that earlier.”
The way the game pans out depends primarily on the strength of the team leadership and preparation, said Sam Knight, a 21-year-old accounting junior.
“I think [Todd] Golden’s got his guys well coached, and that’s all that matters,” Knight said.
– Natalie Kaufman
“Gator everything” – 7:17 p.m., The Swamp
The chatter was audible from streets away. A mass of Gator fans pressed into The Swamp, challenging its white picket fence to stay upright. Fraternity members in pinstripe overalls flocked through the crush and carefully clutched their beer cans.
The line was a disorganized huddle, and after 30 minutes, Hayden Mueller’s group was steps away from victory. The 22-year-old UF interior design senior wasn’t just a basketball fan: She said she loved all things Gator.
“H*ll yeah,” she said. “Gator everything.”
Just past where Mueller weathered the wait with her friends, some students had a different idea. They piled onto plastic deck chairs and picnic blankets on the grass, still in view of the big screen. For 20-year-old Tyler Booth, that was more than enough.
The UF applied physiology and kinesiology junior had set up camp beneath a tent, prepped for oncoming rain. As tipoff neared, he waited anxiously. There was money on the line, and he was praying for a win.
“It would mean a lot for me. It would mean a lot for Gainesville,” he said. “And it would mean a lot for my bank account.”
Booth leaned back in his wooden chair, which he’d taken straight from his friend’s house next door.
Strangers banded together to scream the Gator chant, and several plainly dressed onlookers scrambled past in a hurry. The school spirit was blinding, and for a non-basketball fan, maybe even too much to bear. But not for Grace Avillar, a 21-year-old UF tourism, hospitality and event management senior.
Avillar’s day began 24 hours ago in a hammock she pitched between trees outside the restaurant, and two of her friends spent the night on a blow-up mattress. Sleeping gear, chairs and umbrellas were all they needed, she said.
Even in the rain, Avillar was ready for an excuse to take to the streets.
“Everyone’s just going to rush to University [Avenue],” she said.
The wind picked up, sending dead leaves flying. Storm warnings had already left some watch parties on the rocks. Clouds broiled above, but the crowd’s attention was elsewhere, unflinching.
In just over an hour, the game would begin.
— Rylan DiGiacomo-Rapp
Senior sendoff – 7:09 p.m., O'Connell Center
Eager chatter and loud chants flooded the gates of the O’Connell center as students started making their way into the university’s watch party.
Among the crowd was Joseph Hernandez, a 21-year-old material science and engineering senior who said a winning national championship would be the cherry on top of a remarkable four years at UF.
“My first two years we didn't even make the March Madness tournament, third year we were first round exits and now we’re in the national championships,” he said.
Hernandez also said the atmosphere feels bigger than Fall semester’s football takeovers.
“The vibes just feel bigger than a football game,” he said.
Another cheerful senior, 22-year-old business major Summer Harvey, said she can't believe she’s ending her time at UF with a possible national championship.
“It’s just a unique experience,” she said. “Seeing all the students come together and celebrate together.”
Harvey said she’s certain the Gators will secure the win.
-Nicole Beltran
Taking to the streets — 6:54 p.m., O’Connell Center
Ernesto Lopez, a 21-year-old computer engineering junior, promptly arrived at the O’Dome at 3 p.m. and played cards while in line for three hours, before he was forced to succumb to the massive agglomeration of Gator fans pushing and shoving.
“Whatever happens, I’ll take to the streets. That’s for sure,” he said.
Emma De Verona, a 19-year-old industrial and systems engineering sophomore, has a bet with her friends.
“I’m gonna wear a Gator suit to all of my classes for the rest of the semester,” she said. She did not disclose what would happen if the Gators lose.
– Vera Lucia Pappaterra
Winning big — 6:49 p.m., O’Connell Center
Kale Watson-Black, a 22-year-old UF economics junior, was sporting a T-Rex onesie with a close resemblance to a Gator for tonight’s game. He said he got the onesie a while ago, but wanted to go all out for the game.
Watson-Black said he bet $500 that the Gators would win every game this season and has cashed out $1,200 so far.
“Walter Clayton Jr. is going to be my hero,” he said. “I’m gonna name my kid Walter Clayton Jr. Jr.”
Tim Hartman, a 20-year-old UF engineering sophomore, said Watson-Black has a history of success when betting.
“That’s a sign we might win this,” Hatman said.
Hatman wore his lucky hat and shorts to watch the game.
Hartman said he wore the hat when UF beat Tennessee’s football team in 2023, and he was wearing the shorts when UF’s men’s basketball team beat Texas Tech and Auburn this season.
— Annie Wang
Defense wins championships — 6:39 p.m., Midtown
Houston’s challenging defense is what 22-year-old UF history graduate student Andres Tremante is most worried about in today’s matchup. He pointed out that if Houston’s defense could hold off Duke’s high-flying offense, they could do the same to Florida’s offense.
Tremante said the key to winning tonight would be reducing turnovers on offense and playing relentless defense.
“If we can match their defense, then we just have to hope our offense, you know, goes through,” Tremante said.
— Jeffrey Serber
No bathroom breaks — 6:33 p.m., Midtown
Trey Heller, a 23-year-old UF history senior, said as the tournament has continued, he’s developed a superstition about mid-game bathroom breaks.
“I can’t go to the bathroom when there’s minutes on the clock,” Heller said.
He said the atmosphere in Midtown is “the craziest” he’s seen it, and it feels like a 'once-in-a-lifetime event.”
— Jeffrey Serber
“The March Madness Challenge” — 6:32 p.m., The Swamp
Austin Santaro sat with friends at The Swamp, detailing what he called “The March Madness Challenge”: a pitcher, an appetizer, an entree and “a bunch of different stuff.”
Santaro, a 21-year-old UF agricultural sciences junior, felt like most of his peers do just hours before tipoff — confident.
“F*cking gators gonna win,” he said.
– Michael Angee
Gators star player — 6:30 p.m., Midtown
Caleb Harris, a 19 year-old UF information systems freshman, said he is “cautiously confident” in the Gators’ performance, but that senior guard Walter Clayton Jr. is going to have to keep up his success.
“He’s one of one. What he can do on the court, in the mindset and skillset that he brings, is unmatched by any player in college basketball,” Harris said.
The Florida freshman also talked about how crazy the pregame scene is and how “there is a strong sense of unity” in Gainesville to support the Gators Monday night.
— Jeffrey Serber
Familiar territory — 6:26 p.m., O’Connell Center
Twenty-nine-year-old Brandon Johnson traveled from Orlando to watch the game in Gainesville. Johnson was born and raised in Gainesville, so the game is very reminiscent of his childhood, he said.
“The celebration we had on University Avenue [in 2006 and 2007] when I was in middle school was epic, so I was like, ‘You know what? If we win tonight, I want to be back in that same environment,’” he said. “I made the trip this morning to get a spot in line and make sure I was here for history.”
Johnson said he’s been a Gator fan all his life and has seen the team’s ups and downs, so he’s nervous for tonight’s game.
— Annie Wang
“The Lagway special” — 6:00 p.m., The Swamp
Insomnia Cookies employees had to lock their door Saturday night as eager fans clamored to take a picture with Florida Quarterback DJ Lagway, who was ordering brownies.
“He didn’t get his usual,” said 18-year-old Andrew Lyon, who works at Insomnia Cookies. “‘The Lagway special’ — and I’m trying to get this as an actual special — is six chocolate chunks.”
The store, located at 1702 W University Ave, has a capacity of seven. On Saturday, they saw a total of 302 customers. Tonight, they are expecting even more.
Restaurants along University Avenue are bracing for an influx of customers tonight as the Gators face off against the Houston Cougars in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament final. Establishments like Raising Canes, Wawa, and Bite of Power stay open late and often accommodate students after football and basketball games.
Forty-three-year-old Omar Kamal, the owner of Bite of Power, is welcoming the chaos by hosting a watch party in the restaurant located at 1412 W University Ave. After football games, he said they usually see around 900 people.
“It's very rare in the restaurant industry to see people sitting in and eating, he said. “People just want to take out and go. So it's nice to see a crowded restaurant.”
– Juliana DeFilippo
Staging a coup — 5:30 p.m., The Swamp
Safety measures aren’t stopping Tommy Mai from “planning out and starting a coup” after the final buzzer sounds — whether the Gators win or lose.
“There’s a couple poles out here they didn’t grease yet,” said Mai, a 26-year-old UF architecture junior. “The grease of these poles is not enough to stop my strength.”
As part of his plan, Mai repeated multiple times how he’s thinking about how he’ll “flip a cop car” after the game, adding he’s been thinking about it “all day.”
“I’m gonna start a riot,” he said. “Go f*cking Gators.”
— Sara-James Ranta
Gators superhero — 5:30 p.m., O’Connell Center
Looking like a Gators superhero, Grant Burling waited in line at the O'Connell Center in a basketball jersey and orange-and-blue face paint, a Gators flag tied around his shoulders with a string of Mardi Gras beads.
The 21-year-old UF information science graduate student said he had to go all in for nationals.
“I have this flag up in my room, and I gotta support,” he said. “I looked for any Gators stuff I had, and I put it all on.”
Burling always wears his basketball jersey on game days, but he said “the cape has to come out for the Natty.”
While he thinks the game will be close, he said he's enjoyed watching all the national sports reporters be proven wrong by Florida’s performance throughout the season. When UF wins, Burling said, he wants to see people go crazy.
“I saw them greasing the poles earlier,” he said, “but that won't stop us.”
When asked if he plans to go crazy too, Burling simply said, "No comment.”
— Kaysheri Haffner
Dips in Lake Alice — 5:25 p.m., The Swamp
Nina Walls, a 23-year-old UF engineering senior, joined her friends in the grass just over The Swamp’s white fence.
Among them were plenty of others, who brought their own chairs, coolers and footballs to wait out the game. The big screen television stood at the other side of the patio, crowded by tables full of antsy Gator fans.
The line to enter stood halfway to Southwest 10th Street, with people joining by the minute.
Walls and her friends decided to wait out game time at Swamp because there “weren’t a lot of other options,” she said.
“We found this lot, which was really lucky,” she said. “But in general, we just wanted to be in a big crowd of people. I feel like that’s the best time and place to watch a championship.”
If the Gators win, Walls said she’ll “jump into Lake Alice.”
— Sara-James Ranta
Not a betting man – 4:55 p.m., O'Connell Center
Wearing a Gators cowboy hat and a Hawaiian shirt, double Gator Michael McNair, a 23-year-old UF biochemistry doctoral student, joined the O'Connell Center line at 4 p.m.
While he said he's not a betting man, he said if he were to put money on anything, it would be the Gators winning.
"I feel like if I started getting into that, I'd lose a lot," he said. "I'd bet on the Gators to win."
He said he's more of a football fan, but the basketball team's performance converted him.
"I've been to a bunch of the games," he said. “Got up early for the College Game Day.”
— Kaysheri Haffner
Money on the line – 4:29 p.m., The Swamp Restaurant
Vishal Dasani, a 19-year-old professional sports gambler, has so much confidence in the Gators that he traveled by himself from Minnesota and bet thousands of dollars throughout the NCAA tournament.
“I had four grand on the game against Auburn, and they f*cking won,” said Dasani. “And tonight I win 10K if they win, and I’ll probably put another 5K on the Gators to win.”
Although Dasani is not a UF student, he said he loves the atmosphere and support from Gator Nation. He was sitting outside The Swamp, taking it all in, describing the passion as unreal. Since January, he said he’s had confidence that Florida would take home the title.
“The vibes on campus are so high right now,” Dasani said. “Saturday was a movie, and tonight, when they win, it’s gonna be an even bigger movie.”
Dasani said Houston is known for making teams uncomfortable, and the key to winning is to stay calm, avoid turnovers and play the same game they’ve played all season long.
– Amanda Roman and Isabella Sanin
Pretty players – 4:20 p.m., O’Connell Center
Saryu Madelyn Udumala, a 20-year-old international business masters junior, got in line a few minutes ago.
“Some of the basketball players were fine,” she said. “I want to see them on the big screen.”
Udumala said the arena was one of the only places that was free.
“I was not about to spend minimum $50 at Social,” she said. “Now, it's about $100 to get in.”
– Shaine Davison
God’s will – 4:12 p.m., MacDinton’s
At MacDinton’s, Julian Alvarez, a 20-year-old UF political science sophomore, stood in a clump of Gator fans trying to get through the doors. He spent Friday and the better part of Saturday camping outside of the pub waiting to watch the Gators play.
Now he’s back, anticipating tipoff at 8:50 p.m. as Florida faces Houston in the National Championship.
When asked what he’d be willing to do in order for the Gators to win, Alvarez smiled.
“I can’t disclose that on public record,” he said.
Alvarez didn’t buy a ticket for the pub’s festivities, which sold out in minutes Saturday night following UF’s victory over Auburn. Now, he just hopes he’ll get in — and not for too much money.
“I’m hoping that somehow, by the grace of God, I’m spared,” Alvarez said. “But we’ll see how it goes.”
- Max Bernstein
A calmer environment – 4:09 p.m., Bo Diddley Plaza
Under clear skies at Bo Diddley Plaza, the DIRECTV satellites were just being set up for a 7:30 p.m. watch party.
Despite being over three hours early to the watch party, two UF public health doctoral students wanted to escape the craziness of the bars
“I feel like this is more in the community, and it feels kind of more representative of the people I want to be around,” said 25 year-old Selena Gutierrez.
While Gutierrez tried multiple spots to watch the games, she doesn’t think UF’s facilities are robust enough to accommodate the potential chaos that could result from winning the game.
“I feel like we have really dedicated fans,” Gutierrez said. “However, we don’t have the places to house them, and so why not try something new.”
– Jackson Colding
Future baby names – 4:06 p.m, Downtown Gainesville
UF alum and Gainesville native Hunter James is planning to name his firstborn son after Walton Clayton Jr., a basketball player who left a lasting impression on him.
“Walter Clayton Jr. is the best basketball player I’ve ever seen in my life,” James said.
The 26-year-old is starting the night at Lillian’s, a downtown bar, before heading over to Midtown and the O’Connell Center.
James described the atmosphere around town as chaotic during the hours before game time. As an undergraduate, he said he never saw Gainesville this crazy.
“People camping by The Swamp – I haven’t seen that before,” James said.
– Olivia Shehadi
Sibling rivalry – 4:05., O’Connell Center
Katelin Reisinger, an 18-year-old marine science freshman, met up with her friend who was in line at the O’Connell Center.
Reisinger said the Gators basketball team making it this far is significant to her because her sister goes to Florida State University, and her brother is a Gator alum.
“Out of the siblings I'm winning right now.. so it's perfect,” she said.
After the game, Reisinger also said she’ll have the same reactions whether the Gators win or lose.
“I’ll cry if we win, I'll cry if we lose,” she said.
– Sofia Meyers
Studying in line – 4:05 p.m., O'Connell Center
Elle Richardson, a 19-year-old UF aerospace engineering sophomore, said she’d been in line since 3 p.m. She’s passed the time in line by studying for her physics final.
She said she hasn’t been a big basketball fan until Florida’s Final Four win Saturday night, and depending on the result of the game, the atmosphere will “definitely be interesting.”
– Shaine Davison
4:08 p.m., O’ Connell Center
Hoping to celebrate – O’ Connell Center, 4:08 p.m.
Jordan Ragsdale, a 22-year-old graphic design senior, had been waiting on a folding beach chair with her friends since 3 p.m. outside of the O’ Connell Center.
Ragsdale said if the gators win, she hopes to celebrate by drinking with friends at Salty Dog Saloon.
“I’ll have a couple of drinks with friends, hopefully celebrate,” she said. “If we lose, which not jinxing ourselves, I'll go home and go to bed.”
– Sofia Meyers
18 years in the making – Bo Diddley Plaza, 4:02 p.m.
Doctoral public health student Alexandra Rodriguez is on track to become a triple gator. She set up chairs in the first row of Bo Diddley Plaza around 2:30 p.m., the same spot where she got engaged. The watch party starts at 7 p.m., if the weather permits.
“This is some good luck, some good energy,” she said.
The 28-year-old smiled as she looked around the plaza. She only lives a few blocks away, so she was happy to get there early and get some work done.
If the Gators win, she will just be excited to be around her friends and celebrate in Gainesville, Rodriguez said.
“I’ve waited 18 years for this,” she said.
– Olivia Shehadi
Overnight Camp Out – 4:00 p.m., Swamp
Kylie Warsaw, a 21-year-old dietetics junior, started camping at The Swamp Restaurant at 8:30 p.m. Sunday and got into the restaurant at 2:45 p.m. Monday.
She said that when she got in line she wasn’t even close to being the first. She heard that some fans got there at 2:30 p.m. Sunday.
During her camp out, Warsaw said “there were these guys that brought their XBox and a huge TV.” She said they were playing games and poker all night to keep them occupied.
If the Gators win, she said she is running from Swamp to Midtown to celebrate with Gator Nation.
“I’ve just been telling myself that everything will be okay, and I just keep repeating that over and over,” Warsaw said. “And I have faith in Walter Clayton Jr.”
– Amanda Roman and Isabella Sanin
‘Mardi Gainesville’ – 3:55 p.m, Cantina Anejo
Outside of Cantina Anejo, hundreds of students stood and sat on the sidewalk waiting for the doors of the bar to open.
Sammy Vaserstein, a 21-year-old UF international business graduate student, began waiting outside at 1 p.m, alternating spots with friends in the front half of the line.
With only three weeks left of his time at UF, Vaserstein said he has high hopes for tonight’s matchup and the party that will occur if the Gators prevail.
“I have been dreaming of what Gainesville will be like since the moment I stepped on campus,” Vaserstein said. “I think it’ll be like Mardi Gainesville, on steroids.”
Demitri Howard and Daniel Corazon, both 20-year-old finance juniors, began waiting in line at 2 p.m. and said they’re hopeful about UF’s chances in San Antonio.
“Right now, I really like our chances,” Howard said.
Corazon said that for Florida to win, it would help if senior point guard Walter Clayton Jr. dropped a “35-bomber.”
As they stood where the street curved around, residents of nearby Stadium House were on their balconies, throwing bags of popcorn to Gator fans waiting in the long line.
Near the back of the line, which extended to the backdoor of the Wawa store on University Avenue, 20-year-old UF sports management student Ryan Hoffman said he’s willing to sacrifice everything for the Gators to win their third national championship.
“I’d sacrifice my arm, my leg and a few pieces of clothing,” Hoffman said.
He said if the Gators prevail, the party would be unforgettable.
“I know that I’ll be in the street, and I hope all my fellow Gators will be as well,” Hoffman said.
– Max Bernstein
Cards Against Humanity – 3:57 p.m., O'Connell Center
The O’Connell Center was lined with about 200 students awaiting entry to the finals watch party, where doors wouldn’t open until 7:00 p.m.
Carlie Griffin, a 21-year- old biology junior, has been waiting in line since 9:30 a.m., saying she wanted to make sure she had good seats. She has been playing Cards Against Humanity with other people in line.
Griffin is also part of the Gainesville Emergency Medical Response Unit on campus, so she has been able to work some games during the regular season.
When she drove by Swamp this morning after picking up bagels for breakfast, she saw the scene at the Swamp.
“There were people on mattresses sleeping,” she said.
– Shaine Davison
Greasing poles – 3:57 p.m., O’ Connell Center
Some have been waiting hours in the Florida heat outside of the O’Connell to secure a spot for the watch party
Francesca Medaglia, a 21-year-old psychology junior, has been camped outside of the O’Connell center for seven hours.
Medaglia and her friend didn’t have class today, so she said they decided to secure a spot early.
“The craziest thing I saw was them greasing the poles, I think that’s really funny,” she said.
– Sofia Meyers
This is an Alligator staff report.
