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Tip-Off: College Basketball ’25-26

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LAS VEGAS – Freshman Koa Peat scored 30 points with seven rebounds and five assists in a stirring debut and No. 13 Arizona pulled off a 93-87 upset of No. 3 Florida in the Basketball Hall of Fame Series on Monday.

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Jaden Bradley scored 27 points and Ivan Kharchenkov added 12 points with 10 rebounds as Arizona rallied from a 12-point deficit in the first half to defeat defending champion Florida.

Peat, the centerpiece of the Wildcats’ acclaimed freshman class, went 11 of 18 from the floor in a team-high 36 minutes.

Thomas Haugh scored 27 points for Florida and Princeton transfer Xaivian Lee added 14 in his Gators debut. The Gators shot 36.8% from the floor in the second half to lose their opener after they dropped just four games last season on the way to the third title in program history.

No. 2 Houston 75, Lehigh 57

Kelvin Sampson earned his 800th career win as the Cougars handled the visiting Mountain Hawks.

Over a 36-year career coaching at Montana Tech, Washington State, Oklahoma, Indiana and Houston, Sampson now has compiled a record of 800-354, including last season’s run to the NCAA championship game.

This win, Sampson’s 300th at Houston, featured a familiar script for a Sampson-coached squad, with Houston getting more rebounds (43-30) and shot attempts (61-51) while holding its opponent to worse than 40% shooting from the field.

Emanuel Sharp scored 24 points while making 9 of 10 from the free-throw line, pacing the Cougars in both categories.

No. 4 UConn 79, New Haven 55

Alex Karaban collected 19 points and 10 rebounds and Solo Ball added 18 points to fuel the host Huskies to a season-opening victory over the in-state Chargers.

All-Big East Preseason First Team members Karaban and Ball combined to sink six 3-pointers and all 11 of their free-throw attempts. Jaylin Stewart recorded 11 points and eight rebounds and Georgia transfer Silas Demary. Jr. had 10 points for the Huskies, who spoiled the Division I debut of the Chargers.

UConn played without All-Big East Preseason First Team member Tarris Reed Jr. (hamstring), star freshman Braylon Mullins (ankle) and classmate Jacob Furphy (ankle). New Haven’s Andre Pasha scored 17 points, Najimi George had 14 and Maison Adeleye added 13.

No. 5,  St. John’s 108, Quinnipiac 74

Zuby Ejiofor scored 17 points the Red Storm began their third season under coach Rick Pitino with a wire-to-wire victory over the outmatched Bobcats in New York.

The Red Storm lived up to their billing with a dominant showing ahead of Saturday’s game against No. 15 Alabama at Madison Square Garden. Ejiofor, the preseason Big East Player of the Year, made 7 of 10 shots from the field in 24 minutes.

Dillon Mitchell scored a game-high 18 in his St. John’s debut after transferring from Cincinnati. The guard made 7 of 9 shots and also grabbed seven rebounds to go along with four of the Red Storm’s 12 steals.

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No. 7 Michigan 121, Oakland 78

Morez Johnson scored 24 points on 10-of-12 shooting to help lead the Wolverines past the Golden Grizzlies in an intrastate matchup in Ann Arbor.

Johnson was one of seven players who scored in double figures for the Wolverines. Trey McKenney made 6 of 8 shots from 3-point range and scored 21 points off the bench and Elliot Cadeau dished out 12 assists for Michigan, which set a school record for points in a half with 69 before intermission.

Isaac Garrett scored 20 points and Tuburu Naivalurua added 18 for Oakland.

No. 8 BYU 71, Villanova 66

AJ Dybantsa scored 21 points in his college basketball debut — including 13 in the second half — to lead the Cougars over the Wildcats in the Hall of Fame Series in Las Vegas.

Dybantsa also grabbed six boards and shot 9 of 18 from the floor. Richie Saunders complemented the freshman phenom with 15 points and seven rebounds, and Robert Wright III notched 14 points.

Bryce Lindsay led Villanova with 22 points and Duke Brennan added 15 rebounds. The Wildcats were leading BYU by two with 6:28 remaining but could only manage two baskets over the last six minutes.

No. 11 Louisville 104, South Carolina State 45

The Cardinals’ second season in the Pat Kelsey era began in remarkable fashion as five players scored in double figures en route to a 59-point rout of the visiting Bulldogs.

Khani Rooths led the way with a career-high 20 points off the bench for the Cardinals, who led 13-0 less than four minutes into the game. The winning margin was Louisville’s largest since an 87-26 win over Savannah State on Nov. 24, 2014.

South Carolina State’s first field goal came with 10:36 left in the first half and made the score 24-4. The Bulldogs shot just 10.3% in the first half.

No. 12 UCLA 80, Eastern Washington 74

Donovan Dent scored 21 points and dished nine assists in his Bruins debut as the hosts held off the Eagles in Los Angeles.

With five scorers in double figures, UCLA led most of the way against its Big Sky Conference opponent. Each time the Bruins appeared ready to blow the game open, however, Eastern Washington cut into the deficit — including pulling to within a single-digit margin in the final minute.

The Eagles had an opportunity to pull within five with 34 seconds remaining after Emmett Marquardt rebounded Skyy Clark’s one-and-one front-end miss. Isaiah Moses then penetrated and found Johnny Radford on the wing, but his 3-point attempt rimmed off and UCLA held on from there

No. 14 Arkansas 109, Southern 77

Trevon Brazile had 25 points and 11 rebounds, heralded freshman Darius Acuff Jr. scored 20 of his 22 points in the first half of his college debut and the Razorbacks blew out the Jaguars in both teams’ season opener in Fayetteville, Ark.

Freshman wing Meleek Thomas added 21 points, seven assists, six rebounds and three steals off the bench for the Razorbacks, who won their 52nd straight home opener.

Michael Jacobs had 22 points and Fazl Oshodi had 15 points on five 3-pointers for Southern. The Jaguars scored on their first possession for a 2-0 lead but never led again.

No. 15 Alabama 91, North Dakota 62

Labaron Philon scored a career-high 22 points and added eight assists to lead the Crimson Tide to an easy season-opening 91-62 victory over the Fighting Hawks in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Houston Mallette added 15 points and eight rebounds and Amari Allen registered 12 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals for Alabama, while London Jemison scored 12 points. The Crimson Tide never trailed in the game.

Garrett Anderson had 13 points and three steals for North Dakota, while Eli King added 11 points and four steals. The Fighting Hawks managed to shoot just 5 of 20 from beyond the arc as they lost to Alabama for the second straight season.

No. 16 Iowa State 88, Fairleigh Dickinson 50

Milan Momcilovic scored 29 points on 11-for-16 shooting, including 7-for-10 shooting from beyond the arc, and the Cyclones cruised past the Knights in Ames, Iowa.

Tamin Lipsey added 18 points, six rebounds, five assists and five steals for Iowa State (1-0), which is looking to build upon a 25-win campaign from a season ago. Joshua Jefferson finished with 14 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.

David Jevtic scored 14 points and grabbed six rebounds to lead Fairleigh Dickinson (0-1). Eric Parnell scored 13 points, and Taeshaud Jackson added nine points and seven rebounds.

No. 17 Illinois 113, Jackson State 55

Ben Humrichous and Tomislav Ivisic scored 21 points to lead six players in double figures as the Illini rolled to a victory over the Tigers in Champaign, Ill.

Playing without starters Mihailo Petrovic (hamstring) and Andrej Stojakovic (knee), the Fighting Illini jumped to a 24-3 lead in the opening seven minutes and sprinted the distance to win their 10th straight opener and 26th in the last 27 years. Freshman David Mirkovic recorded 19 points and 14 rebounds in his college debut — achieving a double-double in the first half — while freshman Keaton Wagler added 18 points and four assists.

Devin Ree paced Jackson State with 19 points before fouling out. Point guard Daeshun Ruffin, the SWAC’s preseason player of the year, was limited to 12 points and one assist.

No. 18 Tennessee 76, Mercer 61

Prized recruit Nate Ament totaled 18 points and nine rebounds as the Volunteers opened the season with a win over the Bears in Knoxville, Tenn.

The 6-foot-10 Ament, a McDonald’s All-American last season, made 6 of 11 shots from the floor, including 1 of 4 from 3-point range. Sophomore J.P. Estrella tallied a career-high 12 points, hitting 6 of 10 from the field, and added five rebounds. Jaylen Carey, a Vanderbilt transfer, had eight points and 10 rebounds in his Tennessee debut.

Baraka Okojie led Mercer with 15 points and had four rebounds. Armani Mighty contributed 14 points and five boards, and Zaire Williams had 10 points and four rebounds.

No. 19 Kansas 94, Green Bay 51

Freshman Darryn Peterson scored 21 points in his college debut and Flory Bidunga led all scorers with 23 points as the Jayhawks cruised past the Phoenix in Lawrence, Kan.

Peterson was 7-for-11 from the field, including 3 of 7 from 3-point range, in 22 minutes for Kansas. With a comfortable margin, Kansas coach Bill Self rested Peterson, who missed the team’s last exhibition game with cramps, for most of the second half.

Bidunga went 9-for-11 from the field and made 5 of 6 free throws. He also led the Jayhawks with six rebounds. Marcus Hall led Green Bay with 17 points. The Phoenix shot just 28.6% (16-for-56) from the field.

No. 20 Auburn 95, Bethune-Cookman 90 (OT)

The Tigers needed overtime to avoid a stunning upset in Steven Pearl’s head-coaching debut before holding off the visiting Wildcats.

With Auburn leading 81-78, Elyjah Freeman fouled Bethune-Cookman’s Arterio Morris on a 3-point attempt with less than a second remaining in regulation. Morris made all three foul shots, part of his 20 points.

But Keyshawn Hall’s free throws with 3:27 left in overtime gave the Tigers an 86-85 lead and they never trailed again. Hall scored a game-high 28 points.

No. 21 Gonzaga 98, Texas Southern 43

Tyon Grant-Foster scored 15 points in his debut with the Bulldogs and Braden Huff added 14 as Gonzaga rolled to a victory over the Tigers in Spokane, Wash.

Graham Ike recorded 13 points and 11 rebounds while reserve Adam Miller also scored 13 points for the Bulldogs, who led by as many as 57.

Duane Posey and Jaylen Wysinger scored eight points apiece to lead the Tigers, who missed 16 of their final 17 field-goal attempts.

No. 22 Michigan State 80, Colgate 69

Jaxon Kohler scored 16 points and grabbed 15 rebounds the Spartans beat the Raiders in East Lansing, Mich.

Jeremy Fears Jr. also had a double-double with 14 points and 10 assists, while Coen Carr contributed 12 points for Michigan State, which was 24-for-37 from the free-throw line while Colgate was 4 of 6.

Sam Wright led the Raiders with 17 points and Jalen Cox supplied 12 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in the loss.

No. 24 Wisconsin 96, Campbell 64

John Blackwell scored 31 points and Nick Boyd added 21 as the Badgers pulled away from the Fighting Camels in Madison, Wis.

Campbell, which trailed by 15 early in the second half, rallied within 67-62 on two free throws by Chris Fields Jr. with 8:39 remaining. But Blackwell then scored eight of Wisconsin’s next 11 points to trigger a 15-0 run. Nolan Winter’s dunk put the Badgers in front 82-62 with 3:48 left.

Wisconsin has eight newcomers from the team that went 27-10 last season and lost to BYU 91-89 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Wisconsin, which led the nation in free throw shooting last season with 82.6%, hit 17 of 19 free throws.

No. 25 North Carolina 95, Central Arkansas 54

Caleb Wilson scored 22 points in his collegiate debut, and the Tar Heels received contributions from a variety of sources in a season-opening victory against the Bears in Chapel Hill, N.C.

Kyan Evans, boosted by four 3-pointers, poured in 15 points, Henri Veesaar had 14 points and 10 rebounds and Seth Trimble scored 12 for North Carolina, who won its 21st consecutive season opener. The Tar Heels have also notched victories in 24 straight home openers.

Cole McCormick scored nine points for Central Arkansas, which fell into an early hole and couldn’t shoot its way back into range to make it interesting. The Bears shot 31.3% from the field, making eight of 29 attempts from 3-point range. McCormick fouled out with nearly five minutes left.

–Field Level Media

One-Sided Holy War in Chestnut Hill

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A One-Sided Holy War Today in Chestnut Hill

No. 12 Notre Dame Faces Desperate Boston College

CHESTNUT HILL – (STAFF REPORT) – One used to look at a battle between the Jesuits of Boston College and the priests of Blessed Basil Moreau’s Congregation of Holy Cross as being an even fight. Not anymore.

A college football contest will take center stage today at Alumni Stadium, where No. 12 Notre Dame (5-2) invades Boston College (1-7) in a lopsided ACC-Independent clash kicking off at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. The Fighting Irish, fresh off a bye week and riding a two-game win streak, enter as 28.5-point favorites desperate to keep their College Football Playoff dreams alive. Meanwhile, Bill O’Brien‘s Eagles limp in on a five-game skid, winless in ACC play (0-5), searching for any spark in a nightmare 2025 campaign. Their only victory came against their fellow Jesuits of Fordham on the first weekend of the season.

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Irish on the Hunt: Playoff Push Meets Perfect Storm

Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman‘s squad has rebounded masterfully from an uneven start, blistering NC State 36-7 before gutting out a gritty 34-24 road win at USC – where RB Jeremiyah Love erupted for 228 yards and a score. The Irish offense hums at 462 yards per game (19th nationally), fueled by a 191.7 rushing average (32nd) and explosive 39.1 points per contest (10th). Sophomore QB CJ Carr has settled in as the triggerman, posting 1,758 yards, 14 TDs, and just 4 INTs (65.8% completion) – a bold preseason gamble by Freeman paying massive dividends.

Defensively, Notre Dame stuffs the run (100 yards allowed per game, 17th) and boasts a +8 turnover margin (9th), primed to feast on BC’s turnover-prone attack (-5 margin). Challenges loom with injuries sidelining LG Billy Schrauth (knee) and WR Jaden Greathouse (hamstring), but the depth chart – headlined by Love (758 rush yards, 9 TDs) and Jadarian Price (509 yards, 8 TDs) – should overwhelm.

Eagles’ Desperation: Can O’Brien Conjure a Miracle?

Boston College’s 371 yards per game (83rd) and 26.8 points (76th) pale against a defense hemorrhaging 34.4 points (126th) and 410 total yards (111th) nightly. QB Dylan Lonergan (1,394 yards, 9 TDs) leans on WR Lewis Bond (547 yards), but a woeful 102.1 rushing average (130th) screams vulnerability. RB Turbo Richard (431 yards, 5 TDs) offers hope, but injuries have decimated the secondary – leaving O’Brien’s squad ripe for exploitation.

Key Matchups

  • ND Run Game vs. BC Front Seven: Love and Price could eclipse 300 yards combined against a run defense yielding 163 yards per game.
  • Carr’s Air Raid vs. BC Secondary: With Bond as the lone threat, Irish LBs like Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (27 tackles) feast.
  • Turnover Battle: ND’s ballhawks (+8) vs. BC’s fumblers (-5) – expect multiple Irish picks.

Holy War History: Irish Domination

Notre Dame owns the series (leads ~10-4 overall, 9 straight wins), including a 44-0 demolition in 2022. BC’s last triumph? 1994. This isn’t a rivalry – it’s a rout in waiting.

Prediction: Irish Roll, 45-10

Expect Notre Dame’s rested legs and ground-and-pound to bury BC early, piling up 500+ yards en route to a 35-point blowout. Love notches 150+ yards and 2 TDs; Carr throws for 250+. The Eagles hang tough for a quarter, then fold – handing Freeman a statement win to vault back into playoff contention.

Louisville Runs All Over BC

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LOUISVILLE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Louisville ran for a season-high 317 yards and the No. 19 Cardinals used their big-play capabilities to hold off upset-minded Boston College 38-24 on Saturday. Isaac Brown needed just 14 carries to amass a career-high 205 yards, and Keyjuan Brown added 95 on 10 rushes. Both scored on big plays and also set up Miller Moss’ two scoring runs for Louisville (6-1, 3-1 Atlantic Coast Conference).

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Moss threw for 187 yards on 15-of-27 passing with an interception and a touchdown. His second run gave Louisville the lead for good, 14-10, with 1:42 left in the first half.

Isaac Brown, who ran for 151 yards on five carries in the first half, added a 62-yard touchdown 40 seconds later to make it an 11-point game. However, the Eagles (1-7, 0-5) refused to go away, and Brown’s fumble to start the second half led to Grayson James finding a wide-open Kaelan Chudzinski for a 23-yard touchdown pass. That cut the BC deficit to 21-17 just 52 seconds into the second half.

The Eagles entered the weekend next-to-last in the ACC in average time of possession (27:33). However, they held the ball for 23:53 in the first half alone. They led 10-7 after James threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Lewis Bond on the first play of the second quarter.

James completed 23 of his 46 passes for 244 yards. He threw three touchdown passes but was also intercepted twice.

Louisville’s defense, which stopped BC on downs in Cardinal territory twice in the first half, came up with three turnovers in the second half to keep the Eagles from completing a comeback. An Antonio Watts fumble recovery led to a 22-yard touchdown pass from Moss to Caullin Lacy midway through the third quarter.

A Kalib Perry interception set up a Cooper Ranvier 41-yard field goal to make 31-17 with 8:13 remaining in the game.

Jeremiah Franklin caught a 21-yard touchdown pass from James less than two minutes later to make it 31-24.

The Eagles had the ball at their 44 with three minutes remaining, but they chose to punt. Keyjuan Brown ended any thought of an Eagles comeback with a 67-yard TD run with 1:49 remaining.

–Field Level Media

Stanford Defeats Boston College

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PALO ALTO – (Wire Service Report) – Stanford’s Micah Ford rushed for a career-high 157 yards on 17 carries with a touchdown to lead his school to a 30-20 win over Boston College on Saturday night in California.

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The game was the home opener for Stanford (1-2, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) after the Cardinal opened the season losing at Hawaii and BYU. The win was their first under interim coach Frank Reich.

Boston College (1-2, 0-1) lost despite former Alabama quarterback Dylan Lonergan passing for 333 yards while completing 30 of 44 passes with a touchdown and an interception.

Stanford gained 213 yards on the ground on 37 carries.

The Cardinal’s final possession, consisting of 12 rushing plays, took the last 7:36 off the clock. They achieved four first downs in the drive.

Toward the end of the third quarter, a 75-yard run by Ford was followed by his 5-yard scoring run.

The touchdown with 1:35 left in the third quarter put Stanford ahead 27-20.

After a three-and-out for Boston College, Ford started Stanford’s following possession with a 31-yard run.

Emmet Kenney finished the possession with a 26-yard field goal with 11:26 left.

The teams each scored two touchdowns in the second quarter and converted two field goals in the first half for a 20-20 tie at halftime.

Kenney accounted for the scoring in the first quarter with field goals of 23 and 35 yards.

Boston College scored 17 unanswered points in the second quarter, beginning with a 51-yard field goal by Luca Lombardo.

Lonergan’s 49-yard scoring strike to Turbo Richard was followed in the next possession with a 46-yard pass from Lonergan to Jordan McDonald that set up another touchdown.

McDonald scored on a 2-yard run following the connection with Lonergan, giving Boston College a 17-6 lead with 8:04 left in the second quarter.

Stanford scored two touchdowns in the last 1:47 of the half to take a 20-17 lead.

After Ben Gulbranson completed a 69-yard touchdown pass to Sam Roush with 1:47 remaining in the second quarter, Collin Wright returned an interception 19 yards for a touchdown on Boston College’s second play of the next possession.

Boston College, starting at its 25, managed to get a last-second 31-yard field goal by Lombardo heading into halftime.

–Field Level Media

Jalen Rose Wins Impact Award

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SPRINGFIELD – The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and popular rap star, film producer and actor, entrepreneur, and co-founder of the BIG3 basketball league, Ice Cube, have announced that former player, TV analyst, and philanthropist Jalen Rose will be honored with the 2025 Ice Cube Impact Award.

“It’s truly an honor to be recognized by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame with the Ice Cube Impact Award,” said Jalen Rose. “Cube is family, and we share an unwavering dedication to giving back to the communities that raised us. Basketball created opportunities for us in different ways and has allowed both of us to make a lasting impact beyond the court. I’m grateful for this recognition and proud to be celebrated in the Hall’s museum.”

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Rose’s impact extends well beyond the basketball court through his unwavering commitment to education and community development in his hometown of Detroit. In 2011, he founded the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy (JRLA), an open-enrollment, tuition-free public charter high school focused on academic excellence and family. JRLA prides itself on being a 9-16 model, to and through college, and offers AP courses, college tours, summer programs, and dual enrollment opportunities. Rose remains hands-on as the president of the Board of Directors and is actively fundraising to bridge the funding gap, raise dollars for college scholarships, and support a $20 million capital campaign to expand the school. Jalen also has a scholarship endowment at the University of Michigan.

Beyond education, Jalen serves as a volunteer Board Member for the National Basketball Players Association Foundation and partners with New Era Detroit, a community organization that focuses on community engagement, resource distribution, and safety initiatives. His dedication to Detroit and beyond is reflected in the time, resources, and leadership he continues to invest in the city where he was raised.

“Throughout his entire career, Jalen has consistently been a force for good,” said Ice Cube, who was recognized last year with the inaugural award. “Not only does he give back to his communities through fundraising, education, and, most importantly, through basketball, but he leads by example, championing the exact values this award was created to celebrate. His impact can be felt deeply in Detroit, and his commitment to building up the next generation is inspiring. I could not be more honored that we have named Jalen Rose this year’s Ice Cube Impact Award recipient and thank him for his tireless dedication to lifting up communities through the beautiful game of basketball.”

The Ice Cube Impact Award was created in 2024 to recognize individuals making substantial contributions to their communities through basketball. As the eponymous recipient, Ice Cube was honored with the inaugural award for his creation of the BIG3 basketball league alongside Jeff Kwatinetz in 2017. The league plays the premier global version of professionalized 3-on-3 basketball and is committed to increasing the opportunity, entertainment, diversity, and growth of the 3-on-3 game. The Ice Cube Impact Award is permanently housed in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame’s museum and recognizes honorees through a dedicated exhibit and in-depth storytelling.

“It’s incredibly exciting to see Ice Cube and the Hall of Fame come together for something this impactful,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. “Ice Cube’s influence goes way beyond entertainment—he’s a cultural icon who’s using his platform to uplift communities through education and philanthropy. This partnership represents a modern, meaningful opportunity for the Hall to celebrate not just basketball excellence, but the power of the game to drive real change. Jalen Rose is a remarkable selection for the Ice Cube Impact Award, embodying the values this honor was created to recognize.”

The Ice Cube Impact Award will be presented to Jalen Rose at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame during Enshrinement Weekend festivities on Saturday, September 6, in Springfield, Massachusetts.

NCAA Partners with SportsBooks

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INDIANAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The NCAA is set to forge a partnership with sportsbooks after an agreement was reached to supply data from its championship events through Genius Sports, multiple outlets reported Friday.

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Because the NCAA is not in charge of the College Football Playoff, the biggest impact from the new deal will come with information supplied through the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. The agreement, which runs through 2032, does not include regular-season games.

While the NCAA has tried to keep its distance from the growing sports betting industry, the partnership with Genius Sports puts it more in line with professional sports leagues that have working relationships with the industry.

With online harassment of student athletes on the rise, NCAA president Charlie Baker spoke at a Senate hearing about the impact of sports betting and college athletics in December. The NCAA’s chief concern is with betting options tied to an individual player.

Genius Sports will now supply sportsbooks with official game data, through an authorized gaming license, while “limiting risky bet types,” and “safeguarding student-athletes,” are listed as primary goals of the London-based company.

“NCAA data will only be available to sportsbooks if they remove risky bets from their platforms and agree to fully cooperate with NCAA investigations and provide key information including geolocation data and device records,” NCAA senior vice president of external affairs Tim Buckley said in a statement, according to ESPN. “The NCAA retains the right to terminate any sportsbook data license if integrity protections are violated — ensuring real accountability.”

NCAA member schools will continue to get live game statistics for free through NCAA LiveStats, ESPN reported.

–Field Level Media

 

FINAL FOUR: GOLDEN’S GATORS

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SAN ANTONIO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – All-America guard Walter Clayton Jr. scored 11 points in the final 15 minutes and made the game’s biggest defensive play with four seconds left as the University of Florida rallied from a 12-point second-half deficit to edge Houston, 65-63, in the NCAA championship game Monday night in San Antonio.

Florida’s Will Richard put up 18 points and Alex Condon added 12 as the Gators earned their first national championship since Coach Billy Donovan’s teams won back-to-back championships in 2006 and ’07. Florida led for just 17 seconds before seizing its first second-half lead on Alijah Martin’s two free throws with 46.5 seconds to play.

The Gators (36-4) tied the 1998 Kentucky Wildcats for the third-largest rally in NCAA championship annals. Florida’s Todd Golden, 39, became the youngest coach to win an NCAA title since 37-year-old Jim Valvano and North Carolina State stunned Hakeem Olajuwon and Houston with Lorenzo Charles’ last-second dunk in 1983.

Houston (35-5) fell to 0-3 in national championship sgame despite a game-high 19 points from LJ Cryer. The Cougars had the ball for the final shot and Emanuel Sharp went up for a 3-point attempt with four seconds left, but Clayton flew out at him and Sharp had to drop the ball to the floor to avoid a traveling violation.

Condon dove on the floor to secure the ball and the rest of the Gators started celebrating as the clock hit zero for an improbable victory that looked impossible early in the second half.

After Florida was whistled for its fifth foul of the second half with 17:21 to play — including back-to-back offensive fouls before the Gators could take a shot — Florida’s assistant coaches jumped on the court and were whistled for a technical.

Cryer canned one of the technical free throws, then took the inbounds pass in the corner and swished a 3-pointer to push the lead to 40-30. Houston’s J’Wan Roberts soon followed with a jump hook in the lane to put the Gators behind by 12.

Clayton, who scored a career-high 34 points to guide Florida over Auburn in the semifinals on Saturday, missed his first six shots and committed three turnovers before finally getting on the board with 14:57 to play in the second half when he hit two free throws.

The Gators rallied in the second half behind a 14-3 run. When Clayton drove for a lefty layup — his first field goal of the night — and hit the accompanying free throw, Florida pulled even 48-48 with 7:54 to play.

Neither team could build more than a 3-point lead the rest of the way.

After Martin’s two free throws gave the Gators a 64-63 edge with 46.5 seconds to go, Richard stripped Sharp on a drive. Florida’s Denzel Aberdeen added a free throw to make it a two-point game with 19.7 seconds to go, then Houston called its last timeout to set up the unsuccessful final play.

The Cougars led 31-28 at halftime thanks to seven points from Mylik Wilson.

–Field Level Media

Houston Shocks Duke at Final Four

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SAN ANTONIO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The University of Houston’s LJ Cryer ignited a 14-point comeback in the final 8:02, and teammate J’Wan Roberts made the go-ahead free throws and Houston stunned Duke 70-67 in a memorable Final Four clash between No. 1 seeds on Saturday night at the Alamo Dome.

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Cryer shot 6-of-9 from 3-point range and led the Cougars with 26 points, while Roberts had 11 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. Emanuel Sharp made massive plays down the stretch and finished with 16 points for Houston (35-4), which will face Florida in the national championship game on Monday night.

Duke’s Cooper Flagg had 27 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three blocks (35-4) but was whistled for a foul with 19 seconds left that allowed Houston to move in front after the Blue Devils led most of the game.

Houston out-rebounded Duke 42-31 to make up for 37.7 percent shooting from the floor. Duke made just 39.4 percent of its shots after hitting at least 50 percent in each of its first four NCAA Tournament games.

Duke appeared safe when Houston’s Joseph Tugler made contact with the ball when the Blue Devils were attempting an inbound with 1:14 to go. Duke received one technical foul shot and possession.

Kon Knueppel (16 points) made the foul shot for a 67-61 lead, but Houston got a stop on Tugler’s block and Sharp made a major 3-pointer to cut it to 67-64.

James’ inbound pass was stolen by Mylik Wilson, and Houston clawed within one on Tugler’s putback dunk with 25 seconds left. The Cougars then fouled Duke, Tyrese Proctor missed the front end of a 1-and-1 and Roberts drew a foul from Flagg on the rebound.

Roberts’ free throws gave Houston its first lead since 6-5. Flagg’s midrange floater with eight seconds left hit the front of the rim and Houston got the rebound. Cryer hit two free throws for the final margin.

Flagg hit a jumper at the 10:31 mark of the second half and Proctor added one free throw for a 59-45 lead, but the Blue Devils missed their next six field-goal attempts.

Cryer had a six-point possession thanks to a flagrant-1 foul call on Mason Gillis under the basket when Cryer made a three. Houston got one foul shot and possession, and Cryer hit a jumper to cut it to 59-51 with 7:43 to play.

Houston pulled within 59-55 before Proctor hit two free throws to end a 4:33 Duke scoring drought. Then, Maliq Brown kicked the ball to Flagg in the right corner for a 3-pointer with 3:03 left.

–Field Level Media

Final Four: Duke vs. Houston

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SAN ANTONIO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – As Duke and Houston prepare to battle Saturday night in San Antonio, the story of the Final Four matchup between these No. 1 seeds is a contrast of two basketball powers at different stages of evolution.

The Blue Devils (35-3), appearing in their 18th Final Four and seeking their sixth national title, are the blue blood du jour. They’re the ones with the presumptive No. 1 pick in June’s NBA draft, and the team many believe is the best in the sport.

The Cougars (34-4) have made their seventh national semifinal, on par with the likes of Villanova and UConn. But the program most associated with “Phi Slama Jama” has yet to win its first national championship, and this season Houston has not enjoyed the same attention as Duke or the Southeastern Conference despite winning 17 games in a row.

J’Wan Roberts, in his fifth season at Houston, said this week that being overlooked suits the gritty Cougars just fine.

“We’re probably not the big-name school or whatever. We’re just Houston, in Third Ward,” Roberts said. “We probably don’t get the respect that we need, but I think that’s something that puts a fire under us and us keeping a chip on our shoulder.”

Roberts was a freshman on the Houston team that made the 2021 Final Four. He’s blossomed into the Cougars’ top rebounder (6.3 per game) and vocal leader. The forward is one of four Cougars scoring in double figures (10.7 ppg), behind L.J. Cryer (15.4), Emanuel Sharp (12.7) and Milos Uzan (11.6).

The main X’s and O’s question of this Final Four matchup is how Houston’s No. 1 KenPom defense will counter Duke’s No. 1 KenPom offense — and how Duke phenom Cooper Flagg will fare against the Cougars’ man-to-man.

Duke has shot 56.2 percent from the floor and 47.3 percent from 3-point range this tournament, averaging 91.8 points per game. Houston has allowed just 37.6 percent shooting and 24.0 percent on 3-pointers in four games, allowing only one opponent to exceed 60 points.

“You talk about five guys moving together on defense, they’re the best at it,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said. “They’re the best at it no matter what you do. You really have to take advantage of that window of opportunity, and then you have to go north-south. You can’t be going east-west against these guys.”

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Flagg (18.9 ppg) can score in bunches, but Houston’s lengthy frontcourt of Roberts, Ja’Vier Francis and Joseph Tugler may prioritize neutralizing him and lob threat Khaman Maluach.

Then the Cougars must deal with a Duke backcourt of Kon Knueppel, Tyrese Proctor and Sion James, all of whom are 40 percent 3-point shooters or better.

Scheyer has reached his first Final Four in his third year since succeeding Mike Krzyzewski. But he’s no stranger to the weekend, having made it with Duke as a player (2010) and an assistant (2015, 2022).

“Walking out there (Thursday) for practice, I was just soaking it in like when I was 22 years old walking out for the first time,” Scheyer said.

“… At the same time, I feel we belong here. I feel this is what we’ve worked for. So there’s that combination of amazing pride, wanting to soak it in, but then the incredible hunger and understanding what a challenge this game is going to be on Saturday.”

Scheyer and Houston coach Kelvin Sampson both expressed high respect for one another and revealed that they played a closed-door preseason scrimmage in 2022.

Sampson dubbed Proctor (12.5 ppg) a “professional role player” and complimented James (8.7 points, 4.2 rebounds), Duke’s less-heralded fifth starter.

“The brilliance of Jon is how he insulated those (freshmen) with veteran guys, and they don’t get talked about enough,” Sampson said. “Sion James when he was at Tulane — smart, tough, winner. For them to identify him, evaluate him and say, ‘That’s what we need with these three.’”

–Field Level Media

Final Four: Auburn vs Florida

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SAN ANTONIO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – When Bruce Pearl was hired in 2014 to rebuild Auburn’s program, he lured Todd Golden away from Columbia to serve as his director of basketball operations.

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After Golden spent his first year focused on Auburn’s advanced analytics and metrics and a lot of other duties, Pearl promoted him to assistant coach. Though the Tigers suffered through two losing seasons when they worked together, it was enough to put Golden on the fast track.

He was hired as San Francisco’s associate head coach in 2016, promoted to head coach in 2019 and jumped to Florida in 2022. Though Pearl and Golden haven’t worked together in nine years, they’re as close as ever — and they’re each one win away from their first NCAA championship game appearance.

Alas, when Florida (34-4) takes on Auburn (32-5) in Saturday’s first Final Four semifinal in San Antonio, Texas, only the pupil or the mentor will advance to Monday night against either Duke or Houston. While the Tigers earned the No. 1 overall seed from the NCAA Tournament committee, the Gators are regarded as a slight favorite by the oddsmakers.

“It is (awkward) because the relationship is that close,” Pearl said on “The Paul Finebaum Show.” “But if we have to play each other, let’s do it for a championship, you know? I’m so proud of Todd and so happy for him.”

“Bruce and I texted a little bit on Saturday night, Sunday morning,” Golden said. “And then I FaceTimed with Steven (Bruce’s son and an Auburn assistant) Sunday night after they won. We were just kind of giggling, man. It’s pretty incredible, you know?

“Come a long way from the 2014-15 season at Auburn, where we were playing in the only game on the men’s side on the first day of the SEC tournament. It was us against Mississippi State at the bottom of the league. Fast-forward 10, 11 years and now both of us have our teams in the Final Four.”

Then Golden smiled.

“We don’t necessarily enjoy playing each other. It’s not something that excites us. But at the same time, when you’re doing it in the Final Four, it’s a little different.”

When Golden joined the SEC in 2022, he quickly was reminded what a force Pearl and the Tigers are. Both went all-out to reel in a big transfer from Morehead State named Johni Broome.

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