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It's Houston and Florida playing for the title on Monday. Here's what you need to know from the Final Four It’s a good thing that there’s a day off between the Final Four and the national championship game because the entire college basketball world needs to catch its collective breath. Houston and Florida are set to play for the national title, tipping off at 8:50 p.
m. ET. Both teams needed big comebacks to power into the final game, with Houston pulling off one of the most unlikely come-from-behind wins in Final Four history.
Here’s all you need to know from Saturday’s absolutely scintillating Final Four: Houston 70, Duke 67 The Houston Cougars are back in the national championship game for the first time since 1984, following a stunning 70-67 come-from-behind victory over Duke. The Cougars, who are in the title game for the third time, are looking to win their first national championship in program history. Big 12 All-First Team selection LJ Cryer put the team on his back in the contest, scoring 26 points with five rebounds, while Emanuel Sharp added 16 points.
Duke led by 14 points with over 8:17 minutes left to play, held a six-point lead with 1:14 to play, and trailed as the clock hit zero. Houston’s suffocating defense showed up when the team needed it most, forcing Duke into a nearly eight-minute stretch without a field goal. “It’s hard to process still.
I thought our guys did an incredible job the whole game and I thought we had some good looks. Didn’t finish,” Duke head coach Jon Scheyer told the CBS broadcast after the game. “You got to give Houston a ton credit.
And still even with that, we have the lead with under a minute to go and - I couldn’t be more proud - I’m not about to hang our head. I mean this part of it. You got to handle the wins, and you got to handle the losses too.
In a moment like this, we we’re this close. We felt like we were the best team, tonight was Houston. And hats off to them.
” Scheyer continued: “I feel for them because they’re competitive and they’re going to think about plays. I didn’t help them enough and that’s where my mind goes. I couldn’t be more proud of them.
This is part of it. This is part of it unfortunately. .
.. They played their hearts out.
Just really feel for our guys.” Duke’s freshman duo of Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel played valiantly all game, combining to score 43 of the Blue Devils’ 67 points. For the Cougars, they advance to the national championship game, where they’ll square off against Florida on Monday night in San Antonio.
Florida 79, Auburn 73 Florida outlasted Auburn in a heavyweight bout between the two best teams in the SEC on Saturday, using a second-half charge to take home a 79-73 victory. Led by Walter Clayton Jr.’s heroics – the star guard scored 34 points – the Gators came out on fire after the halftime break and overpowered a tough Tigers team.
“He’s incredible. On and off the court he’s a great dude. We trust him in those situations.
He knocks down big shots day after day,” said Thomas Haugh, Clayton’s teammate. Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said before the game that if the Gators could be more physical than Auburn, and if Clayton was the best guard on the floor, then Florida would beat his Tigers for the second time this year. That’s exactly what happened in the second half.
Tough interior defense from Florida held Johni Broome, the SEC player of the year, to three points on 1-4 shooting in the second half. Auburn shot over 50% in the first half and just 33% in the second. After having a huge advantage on points in the paint in the first half, the Tigers only had eight points down low in the second.
Florida head coach Todd Golden used to be one of Pearl’s assistants at Auburn and has a long history with the venerable head coach of the Tigers. It’s safe to say that on this night, the student outfoxed the teacher with his halftime adjustments. “The way our game plan, we weren’t executing it very well and it wasn’t working very well.
...
The main message at halftime was we have to get back to doing what we do and executing in a positive way,” Golden said after the game. “We did a great job of guarding Johni one-on-one in the second half. I think he was 1-4 from the field.
We started getting out in transition a little bit, saw the ball go through the basket, started gaining some confidence. We obviously played a really, really good second half.” It’s a tough pill to swallow for Pearl and the Auburn Tigers, who were the top overall seed in this year’s tournament and were looking to win the school’s first-ever basketball national title.
“I’m really proud of my team, how these guys made history, the best basketball team in the history of Auburn basketball. They gave us a ride that won’t ever be forgotten. They did so many great things both on and off the court that I’m extremely proud of,” Pearl said after the game.
“Played beautiful basketball in the first half. We were prepared. We had a great game plan.
They executed it really well. We only turned the ball over twice. Second half, Florida’s effort and energy, the fact that we’re not as deep as what we normally are, was a factor.
I thought fatigue was a factor. As a result, we weren’t able to maintain control of the game, which I think if we had taken care of the basketball a little bit, not turned it over, not given them easy ones, we could have been in position to win the basketball game.” Anatomy of a comeback With 8:17 to go in the game, Duke’s Tyrese Proctor hit a free throw to put his team up by 14.
Houston had scored one time in the previous five minutes and looked like they had nothing left. And then everything changed. Led by LJ Cryer, as they were throughout the whole game, the Cougars clawed their way back into it over the next eight minutes, eventually pulling off one of the most shocking, incredible and unlikely comebacks in Final Four history.
Cryer hit a 3-pointer with 8:02 on the clock and then sunk a free throw minutes later after a Duke turnover to cut the deficit to 10. He missed his next free throw but Houston got the rebound and Cryer hit another jumper to bring the Cougars within eight. With 5:55 to go, J’Wan Roberts hit a layup to cut the deficit to six and the red parts of the crowd at the Alamodome were suddenly stirring.
A second-chance tip in a minute later made the Cougars believe. Proctor hit two more free throws to rebuild the lead and then Cooper Flagg, the all-everything freshman for the Blue Devils, hit a 3-pointer with three minutes to go. The Duke lead was now nine and it looked like that was going to be enough to snuff out the Houston comeback attempt.
Then Emmanuel Sharp entered the chat. A layup and two free throws from Sharp cut the lead back down to five with 1:27 to go. Flagg answered with two free throws of his own and the lead was seven with 1:26 to play.
Sharp hit two more free throws with 1:14 left to cut the deficit to five again. And then all hell broke loose. First, Houston’s Joseph Tugler touched the ball while Duke was waiting to inbound it, getting a technical foul.
Kon Knueppel made the free throw and Duke got the ball back with a chance to seal it. But Tugler wasn’t going to go out on a mistake like that – he blocked a Knueppel layup attempt and the ball went back down the court, where Sharp hit another 3-pointer to make it 67-64 with 33 seconds to go. Duke got the ball inbounds after some trouble and Sion James made a bad mistake at a bad time, throwing an errant pass that was nabbed by Mylik Wilson.
Wilson ran down the floor and shot a 3 to tie, but it missed – but there was Tugler again to jam home the rebound and cut the deficit to one. Houston fouled Proctor on the inbounds play for a one-and-one free throw opportunity. He bricked it and J’Wan Roberts grabbed the rebound.
Flagg fouled him quickly and, improbably, Houston was shooting free throws to take the lead with 19 seconds left. Roberts nailed them both and Houston had a one-point lead. Duke had one more chance and they went to their superstar, but Flagg couldn’t make the jumper.
Wilson grabbed the rebound and got the ball back to Cryer, who was fouled and sunk two more from the charity stripe. One last heave from Proctor went way wide of the basket and the Alamodome hit an ear-damaging decibel level as the Houston fans went absolutely insane. The best pictures from tonight's games And then there were two teams left! Saturday’s Final Four gave us unforgettable moments that will go down in college basketball history.
Florida and Houston will meet in Monday’s national championship game at the Alamodome in San Antonio but the road to get there wasn’t easy for either. The Gators survived a heavyweight bout against SEC foes Auburn while the Cougars pulled off one of the most stunning come-from-behind wins against a juggernaut Duke squad. Here are some of the best pictures from tonight’s Final Four matchups: See more photos from this year’s March Madness tournament.
Cooper Flagg emotional in postgame press conference after tough loss The emotions were written all over Cooper Flagg’s face in the postgame press conference. The incredible freshman struggled to power through his emotions after a heartbreaking loss, his voice catching as he described what this season – potentially his only season in college – has meant to him. “It was an incredible season, incredible people, incredible relationships that I’m gonna have for the rest of my life,” Flagg said, his voice catching.
“Didn’t end the way we wanted to, but still an incredible year.” The 18-year-old Flagg balled out in this Final Four game, scoring 27 points, grabbing seven rebounds, blocking three shots and racking up two steals. He missed a shot in the final seconds with a chance to put his team back in front, a moment that will surely haunt him, but he was also the main reason his team had built its lead in the first place.
Houston's Sampson: 'No one ever loses at anything as long as you don’t quit' Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson is headed to his first national title game after Houston pulled off an incredible comeback to stun Duke in the Final Four on Saturday. If there’s one person who never lost hope in his squad despite their struggles on offense, it’s Sampson. “No one ever loses at anything as long as you don’t quit,” Sampson told the CBS broadcast after the game.
“If you quit, then you’ve lost.” Sampson continued: “We’ve been here before it’s not like we’re down 20. It’s not like we were playing.
Great we felt like if we could get it close enough to put some game pressure on them then something good can happen.” Duke had a six-point lead with 1:14 to play, but the Cougars closed the game on an 11-1 run to secure a return to the national title game against Florida on Monday. The national title game is set amid absolute pandemonium at the Alamodome It is absolute pandemonium in the Alamodome.
The Duke fans have fled the arena, the Houston fans are standing on their chairs and screaming in disbelief. Truly, it’s the most incredible Final Four comeback in recent memory, maybe ever – recency bias certainly points to the latter. Houston looked dead in the water about halfway through the second half and Duke’s talented group of freshmen looked for all the world like they were going to cruise into the national championship game.
Even with 1:14 to go, the Cougars still trailed by six. But Houston’s experience and grit won out in the end. They never panicked, even when their shooting touch abandoned them multiple times throughout the game.
It all sets up an incredible showdown on Monday night. Florida vs. Houston, Todd Golden vs.
Kelvin Sampson. A young head coach vs. a veteran and both of them playing for their first national title.
It’s also a matchup of incredible guards – Walter Clayton Jr. for Florida and LJ Cryer for Houston, both of whom mean everything to their squads. Wow.
Just wow. You can’t make it up. Final: Houston 70, Duke 67 In one of the most spectacular comebacks in recent college basketball history, the Houston Cougars erased a 14-point deficit to stun the Duke Blue Devils 70 - 67 to clinch a berth in the national title game for the first time since 1984.
The Cougars offense struggled for long stretches throughout but settled in for the closing minutes, stringing together an 11-1 run to pull off the unthinkable come from behind victory. HOUSTON WITH A COMEBACK FOR THE AGES 😱 THE COUGARS ARE OFF THE THE #NATIONALCHAMPIONSHIP GAME 👏 #MarchMadness @UHCougarMBK pic.twitter.
com/Jpp8yyN9Qp L.J. Cryer led the way for the Cougars, dropping a team-high 26 points and five rebounds, while Emanuel Sharp added 16 points.
Meanwhile, for Duke, this loss will sting after the stunning collapse. After playing well on offense for most of the contest, a nearly eight minute spell without a field goal in the second half ultimately doomed the Blue Devils. Freshman duo of Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel combined to score 43 of the team’s 67 points loss.
In the end, the nation’s best defense edged out the nation’s best offense. Final: Houston 70, Duke 67 HOUSTON DOES IT! LJ Cryer steps up to the free throw line to shoot two. He makes one .
.. and then another.
The lead is three with 3.7 seconds to go. The ball is.
Heaved down the court and Duke scrambles after it. Tyrese Proctor heaves up a desperation shot and it’s WIDE! HOUSTON WINS! Score: Houston 70, Duke 67 Cooper Flagg misses a jumpshot and Houston might pull this off! Suddenly, somehow, Duke finds itself trailing. Houston has clawed and scratched its way back and Duke and their talented freshmen have fallen quiet at the wrong time.
Cooper Flagg misses a turnaround jumpshot and HOUSTON GRABS THE BOARD! Houston gets the stop! pic.twitter.com/CtKxr8dkWO The Cougars are shooting free throws to book a spot in the national championship! There are 3.
7 seconds to go and LJ Cryer is at the line! Score: Houston 68, Duke 67 Houston takes the lead with 19.6 seconds to go! The Alamodome explodes – Houston is in the lead! An absolutely unbelievable comeback. Drinks are flying in the air! Houston fans are standing on their chairs! It’s their first lead since the score was 6-5 and they’ve erased a 14-point deficit! Unreal! Absolute BEDLAM in the Houston corners of the Alamodome! Score: Houston 68, Duke 67 Houston cut it down to one and can now take the lead! Duke again faces Houston’s full court press to get the ball in play and they can’t do it! Houston takes a 3 and misses it, but it’s slammed back home by Joseph Tugler! Cougars trail by one! OH MY! HOUSTON CUTS THE LEAD TO ONE! pic.
twitter.com/sF9g6TI0AX Duke gets the ball in and up the floor, the Cougars foul with 20.3 to go.
And Duke MISSES the free throw! Houston is shooting to take the lead with 19.6 left. Score: Duke 67, Houston 66 Duke keep possesion after review There’s 31.
8 seconds remaining with Duke awarded the ball after an inbounds pass appeared to deflect off a Houston defender. But Houston’s Kelvin Sampson has called for the officials to review the play. And they confirm it’s the Blue Devils’ ball.
Score: Duke 67, Houston 64 A critical mistake looked to have just cost the Cougars -- but not so fast! The Cougars cut things down to five again but a critical mistake at an awful time by Joseph Tugler, Houston’s talented forward. He’s called for a technical after touching the ball while it was out of bounds and in Duke’s possession. Duke will get a chance to rebuild their lead and then also keep the ball after the free throw.
Absolutely killer mistake from one of the younger members of Houston’s team. The wind has just been taken out of the sails of the red-clad fans in San Antonio. Kon Knueppel hits the free throw but Duke can’t get anything else on the offensive end.
Houston brings the ball back down the court and Emmanuel Sharpe nails a 3! Suddenly it’s a three-point game with 32 seconds left! IT'S A ONE-POSSESSION GAME 👀 #MarchMadness @UHCougarMBK pic.twitter.com/bgzNqqTNvR Score: Duke 67, Houston 64 We're down to crunchtime in San Antonio! Duke and Houston battling Cooper Flagg’s latest 3-pointer ended the nearly eight-minute scoreless drought and the Blue Devils’ lead ballooned back up to nine points.
Flagg then gets a massive block on Joseph Tugler to further establish the Blue Devils’ momentum. NOT IN COOPER'S HOUSE!!! pic.twitter.
com/ZnTWpQWrxY However, Cougars’ Emanuel Sharp responds with four points to get the Cougars within five points. Score: Duke 64, Houston 59 Houston makes its charge! A 10-0 run cuts the Duke lead to 4 Well, well, well just when they looked like they’re out of it, Houston has made its charge. With under five minutes to go, the Cougars have cut the Duke lead to four and Houston is on a 10-0 run over the last three minutes and change.
The crowd here in San Antonio is on its feet as the Cougars draw ever closer, led by LJ Cryer’s 24 points. IT'S A FOUR-POINT GAME WITH 5 TO PLAY ON CBS! pic.twitter.
com/1hAv2JAolm All the momentum with Houston now with four minutes to go. The Blue Devils haven’t made a field goal since the 10:31 mark of the second half. Can the freshman duo of Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel help find Duke’s rhythm? Score: Duke 59, Houston 55 Foul trouble stifling Cougars' comeback Outside of their shooting struggles, the Cougars’ chances at a come back are being hindered by continued foul trouble to Milos Uzan (4) and Joseph Tugler (3).
Both have missed extended periods of time, causing trouble for Houston on both sides of the ball. Without the three-ball, Houston would far out of this one. They’re shooting 50% from long range.
Meanwhile, Duke have gone cold, the latest spell stretched out to nearly four minutes without a field goal. Score: Duke 59, Houston 51 Cooper Flagg cementing himself in college basketball lore We are all witnesses! It’s the Cooper Flagg show in San Antonio. The freshman phenom is up to a game-high 22 points, and has scored the Blue Devils’ last six points.
Flagg is cementing himself as one of college basketball’s best players in recent memory. Add that excellent to Houston’s inability to shoot – they’re shooting 35% from the field in this one – and Duke is sucking the drama out of this game. Coop absorbs the contact and finishes at the rim 💪 #MarchMadness @DukeMBB pic.
twitter.com/g6m1B0Ua0n Score: Duke 59, Houston 45 Sion James returns after being treated following hard fall Duke guard Sion James is being cared for by Blue Devils’ trainers after getting up slowly following a hard fall while Duke was on defense. The referees have ruled no flagrant foul and that it was incidental contact.
James slowly walked off the court under his own power, taking a moment to collect himself as he did so. James returned a few minutes later and is back in this game. Score: Duke 58, Houston 45 It's Cooper Flagg time as the freshman takes over Cooper Flagg is ready for prime time.
The magnificent freshman just scored his 16th point on a three, just after converting an old-fashioned three-point play on the last time down the court. Flagg can add four rebounds, three assists and two blocks to his stat line as he powers his team to a second-half lead. COOPER FLAGG AND-1 💪 #MarchMadness pic.
twitter.com/9nuWitOSCR Houston is hanging around but they just can’t seem to make enough plays to stay with the Blue Devils’ offense. Veteran experience was supposed to be their answer to Duke’s talent, but it’s freshmen Flagg and Kon Knueppel who are doing all the damage in this one – Knueppel has 15 points.
LJ Cryer has nearly half of Houston’s points, leading all scorers with 18. He’s going to need some help fast. Houston’s Joseph Tugler is dealing with foul trouble as the Cougars will again try to contain Flagg without college basketball’s best defender.
Score: Duke 50, Houston 42 Houston's Cryer: 'There’s 20 minutes, our season on the line right now so that’s that' Houston’s LJ Cryer has been the lone bright spot for the Cougars’ offense, scoring 18 of the team’s 38 points so far. Cryer knows the team has to come out strong in the second half, if they want to come back. “I don’t know.
We just found something that worked,” Cryer told CBS broadcast on the key to the strong first-half finish. “Just getting in the gaps. We just got to find each other.
Make a play for somebody else.” “We gotta take all that confidence in this half. There’s 20 minutes, our season on the line right now so that’s that.
” Score: Duke 41, Houston 36 Duke and Houston return for second half We’re back underway in San Antonio, with 20 minutes to go before finalizing the men’s NCAA tournament title game matchup. Duke and Houston have tipped off for the second half. The winner secures a date against Florida in the national championship game on Monday night.
The Blue Devils are seeking a return since legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski stepped down in 2022. For the Cougars, they’ll look to regroup and clinch their first national title game berth since 1984. Duke leads 34-28, but the Cougars closed the half strong.
Who will come out on top? Tune in! Score: Duke 34, Houston 28 Houston didn't play well in the first half but they've kept Duke close Looking at the stats, Houston has no real right to be in this game. And yet, they are. The Cougars went 9-29 from the field for a 31% shooting percentage and turned it over six times, close to their average throughout the NCAA tournament up to this point.
Duke has five steals and 16 points in the paint but perhaps surprisingly, the Cougars are outdoing the Blue Devils on the boards. The Cougars have 22 rebounds to the Blue Devils’ 17, including nine offensive rebounds. Kelvin Sampson likely won’t be too happy in the halftime locker room after that showing but he and his Houston team can take solace in knowing that they did not play their best ball and still are within striking distance of Duke going into the second half Halftime: Duke 34, Houston 28 The Blue Devils crawled into halftime, allowing a 9-3 Cougars run to go into the break leading 34-28.
The Cougars’ shooting has been abysmal up to this point, going on several extended stretches without a field goal, while combining to shoot 9-of-29 from the field. An early injury scare for Lefty Driesell Award winner Joseph Tugel and foul trouble for Milos Uzan proved costly for Houston, as they struggled to find a rhythm. “We were taking away their 3-pointers until the last two minutes and a half,” Duke guard Kon Knueppel told the CBS broadcast.
“Get up on the shooters, don’t give them easy walk-in threes.” For the Blue Devils, you know they have to be kicking themselves for heading into the break with only a six point lead, despite the terrible shooting from Houston. RIDICULOUS FINISH FROM COOPER FLAGG 😱 #MarchMadness pic.
twitter.com/jEexF0sGdw Duke have gotten steady production from their starters, with freshman sensation Knueppel’s 12 points leading the team. AP player of the year Cooper Flagg has added 8 points for the Blue Devils.
Score: Duke 34, Houston 28 Duke turns it on and Houston goes cold again That spirited bit of a ball from Houston did not last long. The Cougars are right back to the sloppiness that marked their start of this game and missed five straight shots from the field while enduring another long scoring drought. That’s allowed Duke to make a 8-0 run to build an 11-point lead as we tick closer to halftime.
J’Wan Roberts ended the scoring drought with a thunderous dunk, but the Blue Devils aren’t letting the Cougars breathe – Maliq Brown got another layup to restore the lead off a pretty pass from Cooper Flagg. The outstanding freshman has been quiet since his burst of points early in the first half, but he’s got two assists, three rebounds and a block as he affects the game in other ways. Knueppel hits from the corner 🎯 #MarchMadness @DukeMBB pic.
twitter.com/vtiXpFOVEl Kon Knueppel has added more to his impressive first half, now with 12 points. Duke has made four of their last five from the field and are turning toward halftime with an 11-point lead.
Score: Duke 28, Houston 17 Houston's Sampson: 'It's a long game just because we get down early means nothing' Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson is confident his squad can get back into this one, while complimenting the Blue Devils’ defense. “They’re really good defensively,” Sampson told the CBS broadcast. “We’re trying to go at some matches that we like.
We got some guys playing uncharacteristically tight, but you got to stay with your guys. I’ve been with them all year. We’re going to keep going at it and stay where we are.
It’s a long game just because we get down early means nothing, we’ve been here before.” Score: Duke 21, Houston 15 Houston ends 5-minute scoring drought with quick 6-0 run Emmanuel Sharp puts an end to the more-than-five-minute field-goal drought, knocking down a 3-pointer. J’Wan Roberts pours in a layup and all of sudden the Cougars are back in it, trailing the Blue Devils by three points.
A 6-0 run has Houston right back in this thing and the Cougar faithful are losing their minds at the Alamodome. Houston’s shooting percentage has improved – it’s now 25% – but what’s almost as important is that Duke has been finally throttled by the Cougar defense. The Blue Devils are in a two-and-a-half-minute scoring drought and are 1 for their last 7 from the field.
Score: Duke 18, Houston 15 Houston's building a house of bricks and not slowing down Duke's talented freshmen Houston planned to rely on its veteran team and tough defense to slow down Duke in this Final Four matchup. They’re going to have start shooting the ball a little better too. The Blue Devils have jumped out to a sizable lead about halfway through the first half and the kids from Duke are looking like the more ready team to play on this stage.
Houston’s only shooting 19% from the field and keeps missing layups that could be pivotal momentum changers. They’ve not made a field goal for almost three minutes, while Duke has made its last three shots from the field. Kon Knueppel is pacing Duke with nine points early in this one.
Knueppel picks up the loose ball for the layup 😮💨 #MarchMadness @DukeMBB pic.twitter.com/Osywyxlzst The Cougars need to clean up their errors and figure out how to stop Knueppel – and Cooper Flagg as well after he got a rest on the bench – to keep this thing from sliding away early.
Score: Duke 16, Houston 9 Duke's Scheyer: 'I think we’ve done all right so far' Jon Scheyer is liking what he’s seeing from his Blue Devils squad as they’re in the midst of an 11-3 run. “I think we’ve done all right so far. I mean we gave up a few early and the thing is they’re gonna get a couple you have to continue to play so they got their first one that way I thought we did a better job after that.
” Jon Scheyer, Duke head coach The Cougars are struggling mightily from the field, combining to shoot 3-of-16 from the field, with L.J. Cryer scoring six of the team’s nine points.
Score: Duke 16, Houston 9 Cooper Flagg sparks 9-2 Duke run Cooper Flagg is on the board, knocking down a 3-pointer and then dunking home a two-handed jam to give the Blue Devils a four-point lead. COOPER FLAGG ALL THE WAY TO THE RIM 💪 #MarchMadness @DukeMBB pic.twitter.
com/Vmea5BTOWU Kon Knueppel then adds a reverse layup as Duke are holding the momentum as we approach the midway point of the first half. Houston badly needs Joseph Tugler to return in this one. Score: Duke 14, Houston 8 Houston has a home-state crowd behind them in San Antonio It appears the Houston fans just took their time getting in the building.
There’s a solid pack of blue behind the Duke bench, but there is significantly more red in the building now than there was before the night’s opening game. The Cougars fans are loud and proud and few of them are sitting down. The first 3-pointer of the game from LJ Cryer brought an explosion of noise from the Houston fans and they’re making it hard to hear for Cooper Flagg and company when Duke has the ball.
What a sequence -- it ends with a bucket for Houston. pic.twitter.
com/Eo3anwUwQL Score: Houston 3, Duke 2 Houston's Joseph Tugler exits with ankle injury The Cougars are dealt an early blow as Big 12 defensive player of the year Joseph Tugler has exited the game after landing on his ankle awkwardly attempting to grab a rebound. Tugler was tasked with keeping John R. Wooden player of the year Cooper Flagg in check.
The CBS broadcast showed Tugler on the stationary bike. Score: Houston 3, Duke 2 Houston and Duke tip off in second Final Four tilt We are underway in San Antonio for the second Final Four matchup in the men’s NCAA Tournament. No.
1 seeds Houston and Duke square off in a heavyweight matchup between two of college basketball’s premier teams. The Cougars roar into Saturday night’s matchup riding a 17-game win streak, winners of 30 of their last 31. They’ll lean on All-Big 12 First Team selection L.
J. Cryer, who is coming off a dazzling 17-point performance in the Elite Eight, to lead Houston to the national title game for the first time since 1984. On the other side, Duke counters with the nation’s second-longest active win streak (15) and 31 victories in their last 32 games.
The Blue Devils feature the newly crowned John R. Wooden player of the year, Cooper Flagg, who is just the second Duke player to average 15 points, seven rebounds, and five assists in the NCAA tournament entering the Final Four. This matchup marks a critical test for both squads.
Houston’s top-ranked defense, led by Big 12 defensive player of the year Joseph Tugler, will look to contain Duke’s dynamic attack, particularly targeting Flagg to disrupt his rhythm. Conversely, Duke’s versatility and depth could exploit any cracks in the Cougars’ defense, especially if Cryer’s supporting cast struggles to keep pace. For Duke, it’s a chance to reclaim their spot in the championship game for the first time since the legendary Mike Krzyzewski hung up his whistle in 2022.
The winner advances to face Florida in Monday’s national championship game. Kelvin Sampson tells CNN why he's working hard for his tribe to be recognized Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson is a member of the Lumbee Tribe, a Native American tribe that is not recognized by the federal government. He told CNN’s Coy Wire why he’s working hard on getting his tribe recognized by the federal government.
Houston’s experience might be the difference maker in its showdown with Duke Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson told reporters this week that cultivating a steady program in this particular period of college sports – with frequent transfers roiling rosters annually – has been crucial for his program. That level of togetherness and familiarity has been key to Houston’s incredible defense this season and they’ll need every ounce of that defensive ability to slow down Duke. Sampson said he’s had a lot of guys come into his program at 17 and 18 and then stayed and are now part of this Final Four team.
That allowed his staff to develop them into the squad they are now. “I think the strength of our program is maybe not recruiting the five-star guys that a lot of the schools that are here do. But we develop guys into five stars.
We take a lot of pride in that,” Sampson said. “Marcus Sasser was probably ranked 300-something. Wasn’t in the top 10.
He was in the top 300. He was the 25th pick in the draft. First round draft choice.
Jamal Shead (now playing with the Toronto Raptors) was probably a 2-something.” “I’ve got a great staff that’s been with him a long time, either played for me or shared a house with me growing up, my son. They’re really good at that.
I give them a lot of leeway, a lot of responsibility. That’s why our success is a shared success. I give a lot of credit to my staff for doing an awesome job.
” Houston’s tough defense is the key to the game against Duke Houston’s suffocating defense might be just the powerful Duke offense’s kryptonite. The veteran Cougars only allow a little more than 58 points per game on average and hold their opponents to just 38% shooting from the field. They rely on a combination of intensity and familiarity with one another – star guard Milos Uzan is the only player they brought in during last year’s transfer window and 80% of the team’s minutes are from players who were on the team last season.
If the Cougars are able to clamp down on Cooper Flagg and company in front of the huge crowd at the Alamodome, the Lone Star State might well be represented in the national title game on Monday. “You have to give them a lot of credit for what they’ve been able to do all year long with the pressure and the effort they play with every single night,” Flagg told reporters Friday. “I think that’s the biggest thing from watching all the film and whatnot.
Just seeing the amount of effort and pressure they’re able to put on teams is the biggest thing I’ve seen so far.” Duke head coach Jon Scheyer added, “I would just say been fortunate or not fortunate to coach against these guys a couple times. One in a scrimmage, then last year in the Sweet 16.
Just watching them on film, any Coach Sampson team, you talk about five guys moving as one on defense, they’re the epitome of that. Whenever something is happening, you see five guys always moving. So, the window of opportunity you have is smaller than a regular game you play.
” Cooper Flagg is no ordinary freshman and will be the most-watched player on the court If there’s one freshman in the country who will be ready to handle the intense pressure of the Final Four, it’s Cooper Flagg. The nation’s top recruit came to Duke and immediately was the most watched player in the nation. All through the season, he’s had every eye in every arena trained on him and been talked about more than any other player.
How has he handled that pressure? By averaging almost 19 points per game to lead the team, grabbing an average of 7.5 rebounds and being a defensive force close to the basket. “It’s just the work and hours you put in,” Flagg said of the source of his confidence.
“So many hours I’ve been in the gym by myself, with my trainer Matt this year, working on the skills, putting in the hours that you just trust that. It’s just coming from game experience, being in the moments, just trusting what you’ve done to get to where you are.” Kelvin Sampson is in it for his family It doesn’t take long for Kelvin Sampson to answer what the most important part of his legacy will be.
“I would hope my legacy would be I tried to help my kids be the best they could be so that when they got older, they were in a position to help somebody be the best they could be,” he said. If that’s my legacy, then I think I’ve had a career worth having.” Sampson’s son, Kellen, is a longtime assistant head coach at Houston and Sampson’s daughter, Lauren, is the program’s general manager.
He told reporters on Thursday that the reason he decided to come to Houston was so that he could hire his family and have them close to him because, as he advanced in his career, he realized that was the most important thing to him. That rankles some at the university, but he told CNN’s Coy Wire that he hasn’t handed his kids work – they’ve earned it. “We’re where we are because of my family, because of Lauren’s passion for this program, and making it relevant 12 months a year, 365 days a year,” he said.
“We’re relevant because of Kellen’s astute decision making. There’s not been a decision made here in the last 11 years where he has not been at the forefront of this, so because of our family, is why this basketball program is where it is.” “The decisions we make off the court, the love we have for each other pours over to our players, and that’s why we have such a family program.
” Houston has home-state advantage. Duke has Cooper Flagg. The University of Houston Cougars are the only team in San Antonio that traveled the actual road to the Final Four for this weekend’s games.
The Alamodome is just three short hours west on Interstate 10 from campus and there’s going to be a red-and-white parade of vehicles heading deep into the heart of Texas for Saturday. The Cougars will need every ounce of that collective energy to overcome a Duke squad that has looked unstoppable for vast swaths of the last month. The Blue Devils have only had one game in which they were tested during this run to the Final Four, overcoming a tough Arizona test in the Sweet 16.
Otherwise the closest game they had was in the Elite Eight, when they cruised past Alabama in a 20-point win. Led by Cooper Flagg, who could be named the Naismith Player of the Year on Sunday as the best player in men’s college basketball after already winning the AP’s player of the year award, Duke is firmly the favorite for to take home the national championship trophy on Monday. Flagg and fellow freshmen Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach lead the way, but the veteran leadership and experience provided by junior Tyrese Proctor and graduate student Sion James make Duke look like a juggernaut on paper.
“First of all, they don’t have any freshmen. They were freshmen in November and December. They were sophomores in January and February.
March and April, they’re vets,” Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson said. “I watch Cooper Flagg. .
.. It’s hard to say what he’s not good at.
Now, he’s not as great at some things as he is at others. His floor is really good at everything. But his ceiling is just his size, finishes with his left hand around the paint, right hand has a floater, can make a three.
Really good free throw shooter. If you double him, you better get there quick ‘cause he can pass.” Todd Golden's halftime adjustments pay off huge in Florida's second half comeback The victorious Gators run toward their fans as Auburn huddles on the court one last time before heading back to the locker room.
What an incredible game. Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said before the game that if the Gators could be more physical than Auburn, and if Walter Clayton Jr. was the best guard on the floor, then Florida would beat his Tigers for the second time this year.
That’s exactly what happened in the second half. Tough interior defense from Florida held Johni Broome, the SEC player of the year, to three points on 1-4 shooting in the second half. Auburn shot over 50% in the first half and just 33% in the second.
After having a huge advantage on points in the paint in the first half, the Tigers only had eight points down low in the second. Florida head coach Todd Golden used to be one of Pearl’s assistants at Auburn and has a long history with the venerable head coach of the Tigers. It’s safe to say that on this night, the student outfoxed the teacher with his halftime adjustments.
Florida gets a clutch offensive rebound and seals their spot in the national title game! Tahaad Pettiford sinks both free throws and Auburn is down by four with 18.5 to go. Florida needs to get a clean inbounds pass here and they’re able to do it, breaking Auburn’s press.
The Tigers foul with 12.7 seconds to go and the Gators go back to the line. Thomas Haugh again misses the first free throw – and the second! But Florida gets the rebound and that will just about do it! Miles Kelly quickly fouls and Walter Clayton Jr.
is at the line to seal the game – he makes them both and Auburn can’t get a bucket on the way back down the floor. The Gators complete an incredible comeback and they are going to the national title game on Monday! GATORS ARE #NATIONALCHAMPIONSHIP BOUND 🐊 #MarchMadness @GatorsMBK pic.twitter.
com/oY262sIfLP Final score: Florida 79, Auburn 73 Auburn trails by 6 with 18.5 seconds to go Auburn forces a jump ball and gets the ball back with 28 seconds to go! The Tigers still trail by five but that could be a huge moment off that Florida inbounds play. Miles Kelly takes a quick 3-pointer for Auburn and it misses! Florida is shooting free throws now with a chance to seal this.
Thomas Haugh misses the first but makes the second, and Auburn is running out of time. Thaad Pettiford drives to the line and draws a foul on Alex Condon and the Gator big man has fouled out of this one. Score: Florida 77, Auburn 71 Thomas Haugh makes a huge layup and Florida is this close to playing on Monday Thomas Haugh has put Florida on the brink but Auburn isn’t going quietly.
The sophomore forward takes the inbounds pass and powers his way up for a layup, getting an and-1. But he can’t make the free throw and Chad Baker-Mazara tries to make up for his mistake last time down the floor with a 3-pointer that narrows the Gator lead. THOMAS HAUGH THROWS IT UP AND IN 🤯 THE GATORS CAN FEEL IT! #MarchMadness @GatorsMBK pic.
twitter.com/OsTTSPulBa There’s 31.6 seconds to play and it’s a five-point Florida lead.
Score: Florida 76, Auburn 71 Walter Clayton Jr. just does not miss in big moments and Florida is on the verge Big time players make big time shots and Florida has one of them leading their team! Ball movement from Florida and it ends up in the hands of – who else? – Walter Clayton Jr., who drives to the lane yet again, draws a foul and then hits the shot.
WALTER CLAYTON JR. IS NOT HUMAN. #MarchMadness pic.
twitter.com/KTJN8TMaYB Clayton nails the free throw and suddenly Auburn is on the ropes, trailing by six. The Gators get another stop and bring the ball up the court, but Auburn forces a loose ball and causes a jump ball.
They have the possession arrow and it’s Tigers’ ball with 1:01 to go. The ball makes its way to a wide-open Chad Baker-Mazara, who tries to pump fake but leaves his feet before he’s able to start his dribble and the officials call traveling –a crucial mistake at a terrible moment. Score: Florida 74, Auburn 68 Broome misses both free throws and Florida has a chance to make it a 2-possession game Johni Broome missed both free throws and Auburn can’t corral the rebound as it rolls out of bounds.
The officials say it’s Florida’s ball and the review confirms it. Score: Florida 71, Auburn 68 A moment for Walter Clayton Jr. This Gators team will go as far as their star guard can take them.
And it might be all the way to the national championship game. Clayton has 29 points and is at the heart of his team’s offense. He finally got some help in this second half, but it’s clear who the Gators are going to each time down the court now.
Clayton gets right to the cup for 2️⃣ #MarchMadness @GatorsMBK pic.twitter.com/8d5Q3NMkqc Score: Florida 71, Auburn 68 Florida leads by 3 with 2 minutes to go in this all-SEC showdown Heart-in-mouth time at the Alamodome.
Alex Condon bricked the first free throw of his one-and-one and Auburn comes up with the ball but can’t make a 3-point attempt. On the next trip down, Walter Clayton Jr. goes for one of his trademark drives to the rim but loses control of the ball as he falls the floor and the ball goes back to the Tigers.
Johni Broome is again frustrated on the offensive end as he gets the ball on the block and immediately charges into Condon, who is absolutely pumped. Clayton takes over next time down the floor and darts to the basket for an easy finger roll to put the Gators up three with 2:10 to go. Broome is again at the center of things for Auburn and drives hard to the rim.
He goes for the dunk but is fouled by Condon – his fourth, something to watch in the next few minutes – as he goes to the hoop. There are two minutes to go and Broome will be shooting free throws when we return. Score: Florida 71, Auburn 68 Florida is quieting Johni Broome and takes a narrow lead into the final minutes Florida’s defense on Johni Broome is making the difference here in the second half.
After scoring 12 points in the opening stanza, the SEC player of the year only has three additional points with about three minutes to go in the game. He’s 1-4 from the field in the second half Auburn played about as well as it could have in the first half. They might have peaked to early as Florida seems to be coming into the game and their fans are feeling it here.
A dunk from Alijah Martin put the Gators up three and has the whole Florida contingent standing but Auburn ate into that lead off of two free throws by Chad Baker-Mazara. The Florida fans are unhappy – they think the block of his dunk attempt was clean. OH MY GOODNESS ALIJAH MARTIN POSTER 😱 #MarchMadness @GatorsMBK pic.
twitter.com/JFyVsSaOT1 Walter Clayton extends the lead again with a big 3-pointer to give the Gators their biggest lead of the game at four points. That lasts for only a few seconds after some nifty ball movement by the Tigers leaves Denver Jones open for a 3-pointer that he drills to cut the lead back down to one.
The Gators will get the ball out of the break after Alex Condon was fouled while grabbing an offensive rebound. There’s 3:20 left. It’s nervy stuff here in the Alamodome.
Score: Florida 69, Auburn 68 It's showtime in San Antonio! Back-and-forth, counterpunch after counterpunch, what a game this is! Chad Baker-Mazara hits a 3 to put the Tigers back on top but Florida quickly nabs it back on two free throws from Thomas Haugh, who has been doing a number on Johni Broome defensively in the second half. But then it’s Dylan Cardwell answering the bell, taking a Broome lob and throwing it down with authority to bring the Tigers fans back to their feet. BROOME LOBS IT TO CARDWELL 🤯 #MarchMadness @AuburnMBB pic.
twitter.com/jGO8jnX6jQ The joy doesn’t last long for Auburn – Florida charges back down the floor and Haugh lays it in again to retake the lead as the Gators call timeout with 6:30 to go. Woooo boy, we need to remember to breathe here.
Score: Florida 64, Auburn 63 This is a heavyweight fight and neither team is backing down. There are fewer than 8 minutes to go This is just the perfect heavyweight fight and both teams are bringing exactly what you want to see on a stage of this magnitude. The stars are playing like stars – Johni Broome leads Auburn with 15 points, Walter Clayton Jr.
leads Florida with 24 – and neither team has an ounce of quit in them. The lead is flying back and forth and we’ve had numerous ties so far. With under eight minutes remaining in this one, it might come down to whoever makes the last shot – or makes the last mistake.
Huge credit to Florida’s defense on Broome and the Tigers in this second half. The Tigers have been held without a field goal for the last 3:38 before the under-eight-minute media timeout. We’ve had 11 lead changes, nine ties and one heckuva ball game.
Hold onto your seats, here we go. Score: Florida 60, Auburn 58 Florida charges again and grabs the lead back in this instant classic And now another momentum shift back to Florida! A dunk from Alijah Martin has the Gators up by two with under 10 minutes to go following a stretch of play that contained a couple of key moments that brought Florida back in front. ALIJAH MARTIN TAKES FLIGHT ✈️ #MarchMadness @GatorsMBK pic.
twitter.com/Cq3VaiU7Jm A massive block by Alex Condon kept Dylan Cardwell from once again shaking the Alamodome with a huge dunk. Walter Clayton Jr.
added a big 3-pointer to cut the deficit to one yet again and then the Gator defense stood up again. Clayton needed some help from his teammates down the stretch here and he’s finally getting it. The Gators are throwing their best punch of the game right now.
Score: Florida 60, Auburn, 58 Auburn extends their lead after a sloppy stretch of play The game has gone a bit sloppy after Auburn retook the lead. Auburn’s Chaney Johnson hit a jumper to put his team up by four, ending a period of the Tigers going 1-7 on shots from the field. Florida, meanwhile, reverted to how they played in the first half.
The Gators had four turnovers in the span of four minutes and had a minutes-long scoring drought before Walter Clayton Jr. hit a 3-pointer to cut the Tiger lead back to one. Dylan Cardwell threw down a monster dunk that shook the basket to bring another roar out of the Auburn contingent here at the Alamodome, converting off a nifty assist by Denver Jones.
We’re at the under-12-minute media timeout and it’s starting to get to crunchtime here in Texas. Score: Auburn 57, Florida 54 Florida takes the lead! But Auburn takes it right back quickly And Florida takes the lead! But it doesn’t last long. Walter Clayton Jr.
’s layup puts his squad up by two and the comeback is complete for a moment until Johni Broome takes over on the other side of the floor. He powers through a foul to tie the game, but misses the free throw with a chance to give the Tigers the lead back. Florida airballs a 3-pointer next time down the floor.
A hard foul by Florida’s Rueben Chinyelu leaves Auburn’s Denver Jones on the floor in pain. The referees are reviewing the play to see if there’s a flagrant foul on the play – and it’s ruled a flagrant one foul. "That's not incidental to me, that's excessive.
" - @GeneSteratore After review, Rueben Chinyelu was assessed a flagrant 1 foul. pic.twitter.
com/HEzGTXWtNu Jones hits his free throws and Auburn is back on top. Score: Auburn 53, Florida 51 Florida makes its run and ties the game back up Florida is making its charge coming out of the locker room to start this second half. A quick nine-point run has Gators fans on their feet as Auburn turns the ball over again, and much of the crowd is standing as the tension ratchets up.
WE ARE ALL TIED UP 🔥 👉 https://t.co/Cw7PWdG3Nq #MarchMadness pic.twitter.
com/VC1PsZUchr The Gators are coping better with Johni Broome on the defensive end this half and suddenly the vociferous Tigers crowd has gone silent and the Gator faithful are making all the noise. Another brick from Auburn leads to a Florida fast break, but the Tigers force a turnover before the Gators can take the lead. It took four minutes and we are all tied up again – the seventh tie of the game.
A little under 16 minutes to go in this one. Score: Auburn 49, Florida 49 We are back on in the second half! And here we go in the second half here in San Antonio! The ball is back in play. Score: Auburn 46, Florida 40 Auburn played just about perfect in the first half It’s hard to imagine Auburn playing a better half than the one they just had.
The Tigers shot 52% from the field, with the vast majority of those buckets coming down low. Auburn was just 4 for 15 from 3-point land, perhaps the only reason that Florida is still in this game. The Tigers had only two turnovers, outrebounded the Gators, have more bench points, steals and are tied with Florida in blocks.
They led for almost 16 of the opening 20 minutes and have largely shut down anyone on Florida not named Walter Clayton Jr. or Alijah Martin. From our position here at the Alamodome, we could see Auburn’s star forward Johni Broome walking with a limp back to the locker room at halftime.
It wasn’t overly pronounced but he did not seem nearly as happy as one would assume he’d be after the half he played, scoring 12 points and grabbing four rebounds. If Broome can shake off whatever’s causing his discomfort and the Tigers can do 20 more minutes of what they did in the first half, then they’ll be the SEC representative in the national championship game. But head coach Bruce Pearl said before the game that the felt Florida was playing the best of any team in college basketball down the stretch this season.
It seems unlikely that the Gators will go quietly. The second half will get started in just a few minutes. Score: Auburn 46, Florida 38 It's halftime and Auburn heads to the locker room up by 8 What an intense first half and, so far, Auburn is coping best with the pressure of this massive stage – especially down the stretch of the first half as they opened up an eight-point halftime lead.
Cheered on by a huge traveling contingent here in Texas, the Tigers are leading at halftime 46-38. They’re being led by Johni Broome and his 12 points – though it appears he’s feeling some discomfort, even if he’s playing through it pretty effectively. He showed against Michigan State in the Elite Eight that an injury doesn’t necessarily mean he’s going to be taken out of the game at all.
Johni Broome is all business tonight 🧳 #MarchMadness @AuburnMBB pic.twitter.com/XUv0nWCLgk Chad Baker-Mazara has added eight points for the Tigers as the big men are getting it done for the Tigers.
They’re dominating on points in the paint, 26 to Florida’s 14. The Gators have shot well but are undoing their hard work with turnovers. Aside from star guards Walter Clayton Jr.
and Alijah Martin, they’re not getting a lot of help from the rest of the team. Clayton finished the half with 14 points – nearing his average of 19 points per game – and Martin contributed 10. Clayton is good but he’s not going to be able to do it all by himself against the Tigers.
He’ll need some help from the rest of the squad in the second half, particularly fellow guard Will Richard, who has not had a strong start to this one. For the Tigers, if they can continue to dominate the Gators in the paint and if Broome can grit through whatever is ailing him, then their loud and proud group of fans might want to get comfortable in San Antonio for another couple nights. Score: Auburn 46, Florida, 38 It's a tight one in San Antonio We expected a close one between Florida and Auburn and that’s what we’re getting.
The lead has already changed hands eight times and we’ve had six ties so far in this game. It’s been Auburn on top for most of the time though – they’ve had over 12 minutes in the lead compared to Florida’s two. Score: Auburn 36, Florida 29 Florida's turnovers making the difference as Auburn holds its lead late in the first half After another high-flying stretch, this game slowed back down into a defensive battle between two teams that know each other very well.
The Gators and Tigers exchange stops and turnovers, taking some of the life out of this loud crowd at the Alamodome – but Denver Jones of Auburn brings them to their feet again with a driving layup that ends up in an and-1 opportunity, though he missed the free throw. DENVER JONES AND-1 🗣️ #MarchMadness @AuburnMBB pic.twitter.
com/uUYLfi8ifa Walter Clayton Jr. is back in the game after a spell on the bench and has made his presence felt with a couple of driving layups that put him into double figures on the day. Auburn still looks the most in-control – with both teams shooting 48% from the field, it’s the Gators’ five turnovers that have made the difference so far.
Score: Auburn 33, Florida 29 Momentum with the Tigers after a flurry of points Florida briefly took the lead, but Auburn’s athleticism swung the momentum back in their favor as the Tigers scored a flurry of points against a weary Gators squad. Five straight points from Tigers guard Miles Kelly has Auburn out in front again. Score: Auburn 29, Florida 25 The defenses are stepping up after a frantic start to the game After a frenetic start to the game between Florida and Auburn, both teams’ defenses have started to assert themselves.
Auburn forward Johni Broome, who received the Karl Malone Award as the nation’s top power forward, put an exclamation point on the action with an emphatic block of Florida’s Alex Condon. Defense ➡️ offense 😮💨 #MarchMadness @GatorsMBK pic.twitter.
com/vowDFItO9V Score: Auburn 22, Florida 21 Auburn and Florida trading buckets early No. 1 seeds Auburn and Florida are trading baskets early at the Final Four in San Antonio’s Alamodome. The Auburn Tigers are the tournament’s top overall seed, but the Florida Gators were the winners of the SEC tournament ahead of the Big Dance.
Both teams’ stars are shooting well early. Auburn’s Chad Baker-Mazara is leading all scorers with 8 points in the early minutes, while his teammate and SEC player of the year Johni Broome has added 6 points. Johni Broome on cleanup duty 🧹 #MarchMadness @AuburnMBB pic.
twitter.com/GiwXMyTQf0 Florida senior guard Walter Clayton Jr has 6 points to lead the Gators. Score: Auburn 16, Florida 14 Florida and Auburn tip off! The national semifinal game between SEC rivals Florida and Auburn is underway at the men’s Final Four in San Antonio, Texas.
The top-overall seeded Auburn Tigers played against fellow No. 1 seed Florida one time during the regular season with the Gators coming out on top. Some thoughts from inside the Alamodome in the minutes before tipoff Some early impressions from the crowd here in San Antonio: Houston might be the home-state team, but there’s a lot of Duke, Auburn and Florida blue in this crowd about 20 minutes before tipoff.
That might change as tip nears for the night game between Duke and Houston but right now this is a very out-of-state crowd. Spare a thought for the Florida Gators, who have to enter and exit the court right next to the Auburn student section. That might not be that intimidating to the Gators though.
After all, Florida went to Auburn and defeated the Tigers on February 8. This is the fifth time that the Alamodome has hosted the Final Four and it is simply huge. But that cavernous interior doesn’t mean that the noise will get lost somewhere in the rafters – the roars for Auburn and Florida as they took the floor were head-rattling.
Auburn’s motivation? Free breakfasts How do top-level college athletes cope with the pressure of the NCAA tournament? By compartmentalizing and focusing on the little things. For Dylan Cardwell and the Auburn Tigers, that means focusing on breakfast. I think the one thing you do is you give the guys a game plan saying if we do these things, we will win,” said head coach Bruce Pearl.
“But I want the guys to feel like they’re in control of their destiny. I don’t want them worrying about if we don’t necessarily do this, it’s over, we don’t play again. I think where Dylan has compartmentalized it really well, I like free breakfasts.
Quite frankly, I’m not done having free breakfasts, do you? If we lose tomorrow, breakfast isn’t free anymore. It is humorous, but it’s real. Our guys have kind of bought into that.
They like free breakfast, too.” Cardwell gave a shout out to the team’s nutritionist for making those breakfasts so worth playing for. “I want to give a shout-out to Emily Daniels, who is our nutritionist.
She does a great job of choosing our team breakfasts. Every hotel we’ve stayed at has been first class, five-star meals. So shout-out breakfast,” he said with a smile.
Florida's Walter Clayton Jr. is the man Auburn has to stop Walter Clayton Jr. might be the most important player on the court when Auburn and Florida meet Saturday evening.
At least that’s what Auburn coach Bruce Pearl, the man tasked with stopping the Florida senior, thinks. I’ve been saying they’re the best team in college basketball. It’s not a knock on my team, Houston or Duke.
Clayton has been the best guard on the floor every single night,” Pearl said on Friday. “Clayton can’t be the best guard on the floor tomorrow. Their front line can’t be the more aggressive and the more physical tomorrow.
If they are, we lose. If they’re not, we win.” Throughout Florida’s run to the Final Four, Clayton has often been the best guard – and usually the best player – on the floor.
His 30 points against Texas Tech in the Elite Eight helped his team overcome a double-digit deficit and included some big shots in the final minutes that guaranteed the Gators would be headed to San Antonio. In the Florida wins over Norfolk State, UConn and Maryland, Clayton scored 23, 23 and 13 points respectively. He’s averaged 18 points per game this year, including 19 against Auburn in the Gators’ win in February.
The Iona transfer is primed and ready for one more weekend of big performances and his teammates have no doubt he’ll provide the goods. “It’s special seeing how poised he is in those moments, how comfortable he is taking big shots,” said fellow Florida guard Will Richard. “Goes back to who he is.
I feel like we have seen it since he got in here, his work ethic, how much he puts into the game. It’s good to see him go out there and show everybody else what we already know.” Why Dylan Cardwell wants to win a national championship for his coach Auburn senior center Dylan Cardwell says Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl has taught his team the meaning of sacrifice, which has been the mantra for the team this year.
“The word of our year has been ‘sacrifice’. You won’t know sacrifice if you don’t know Jesus Christ. He’s the one who died for all of our sins,” he said.
“That’s the reason we’ve had this level of urgency lately is because we understand that our sacrifice is the potential to play for a national championship and win a national championship, not just for own glory, not just for the glory of ourselves, but for our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ.” Pearl, who is Jewish, bonds with his players over their shared faith even if they don’t share the same religion and that bond is what Cardwell said he and his teammates are inspired by. “I’ve been here for five years, he has showed me the ropes to be a great Auburn man,” Cardwell said.
“Every time I’m praying, I’m always praying for a national championship, to win it for Bruce Pearl. He earned it, deserves it. I’m grateful to be on this stage, to play for and serve a coach like Bruce Pearl, and I am grateful to God who led me to Auburn.
That is why I have stayed here for five years, because I love God, I love Auburn, not most importantly, but importantly I do love Bruce Pearl.” Pearl, sitting next to Cardwell during the press conference where he made those remarks, teared up listening to his center. Three of the Final Four coaches are Jewish Auburn’s Bruce Pearl, Duke’s Jon Scheyer and Florida’s Todd Golden are Jewish, a point of pride for the head coaches.
Pearl on Friday said that the game of basketball has a long and deep history in the Jewish community and the success of the three coaches speaks to that tradition. “There is great history and tradition in the game of basketball in the Jewish community because all it took was just one ball and maybe a basket in the inner cities, in the ghettos, and neighborhoods with most of American Jewry lived in this century,” Pearl said. “We played basketball.
Pretty good at it. There’s a history there.” The three men all have a close relationship – Pearl coached both Golden and Scheyer on Team USA’s squad at the Maccabi Games when they were still playing and Golden is a former assistant coach to Pearl at Auburn.
“I’m really proud of Todd and really proud of Jon for being young Jewish coaches,” Pearl told reporters. “Wearing their faith on their sleeves, they both played professionally in Israel, and they’re both young mensches. It’s easier to be an old mensch than it is to be a young mensch these days.
” Scheyer told reporters that he’s proud of his Jewish background and the former Duke standout, who won a national championship during his time as a Blue Devil, said it’s not exactly something his peers would have expected of him when he was growing up. “I’m going to think as a young Jewish boy growing up in Boston, I would have been proud,” the third-year head coach said. “But I also think back then it would have been a surprise to some of my peers that weren’t Jewish.
They may have been like, ‘There’s no way that would be the case,’ because obviously we’re not athletic enough. That’s not the stereotype.” He added, “There is a stereotype about teaching, you know? Jesus was a rabbi.
What is the definition of a rabbi? It’s teacher. So that’s part of my heritage.” Pearl – who has also been outspoken about the war between Israel and Hamas and his desire to see all the hostages from the October 7, 2024, attack freed – said that his thoughts are still focused on the situation in the Middle East even as his team competes in these high-pressure games.
“We’re praying any day now he might get released,” he said of Edan Alexander, the last living American hostage held by Hamas. “Just a reminder that while we’re all celebrating this incredible championship here in San Antonio, there’s tremendous suffering going on in the Middle East, and we pray for peace and the hostages to come home. If the hostages are released, the death and the dying will stop.
” Duke star Cooper Flagg adds another trophy to his case Duke’s freshman phenom Cooper Flagg added yet another trophy to his already gaudy collection Saturday after being named the John R Wooden Award winner. The Wooden Award goes to the most outstanding college basketball player in the country “based on votes considering a player’s performance on and off the court, academic prowess, and character,” ac.
