SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The national title game between Florida and Houston could come down to the NCAA Tournament's best clutch player against the country's best clutch defense.
Walter Clayton Jr., leads the Gators into Monday night's final against a long-armed Cougars defense that has snuffed out every team it has seen over this run to its first title game since 1984. That was the end of the “Phi Slama Jama” era that featured Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon.
Houston (35-4) has never won a title.
The Gators (35-4) are one win away from their third championship and first since they went back-to-back in 2006-07.