Ad News Live
April 08, 2025
Florida Houston Game: He waited in a dark hallway, his face etched with disappointment, almost an hour after Houston coach Kelvin Sampson left the Alamodome court.
In the national championship game, the 69-year-old experienced coach had just watched his team blow a 12-point lead in the second half.
The Cougars had the game in their hands for almost the entire night, but in a shocking twist, they fell apart at the last second, handing Florida a stunning 65-63 victory.
Sampson folded his arms and thought about his heartbreaking defeat while sporting a gray polo shirt with an NCAA National Final pin. He said, "This team was built to win this tournament."
READ ALSO
MLB Power Rankings: Phillies Stun Dodgers, Take No. 1!
And for that reason, it's really frustrating. We simply didn't complete it, even though we had our chance.
The loss was exactly same to Houston's incredible win over Duke in the semifinals, in which the Cougars pulled off a stunning comeback in last seconds.
On Monday night, but the roles were reversed. With 46 seconds left, Florida took the lead and eliminated Houston's lead. In the history of the NCAA title game, it was the third-biggest comeback.
Houston's last minutes were painful. In the final 30 seconds, star guard Emanuel Sharp, who had played a key role in the tournament, had two costly turnovers.
Will Richard of Florida first stripped him by forcing the ball out of bounds. Then, with five seconds remaining, Florida's Walter Clayton Jr. jumped at Sharp, making him to hesitate as he tried a long three-pointer.
READ ALSO
Dawn Staley Slams Bueckers Hype, Defends South Carolina
Alex Condon of Florida grabbed the ball as it fell to the ground, securing the win for his team.
There was silence in the Houston locker room when the last buzzer sounded. Inside, reporters saw Sharp draped in a towel as teammate Milos Uzan led him out.
The room rang with Sharp's suppressed sobs. He said, "That's me, bro," and then yelled.
Then Sampson walked over to Sharp and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. Sampson said, "I told him I loved him."
All night long, he played excellent defense. Without him, we wouldn't be here.
The pain was added to by the Cougars' other late-game faults.
READ ALSO
Treysen Eaglestaff Commits to South Carolina Over Elite Schools
Joseph Tugler, a forward, lost possession after grabbing an offensive rebound. When L.J. Cryer flipped the ball directly into the hands of a Florida defender, his baseline drive was a complete failure.
"It was there for the taking," said Cryer, defines the frustration of the night.
A victory would have guaranteed Sampson's induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame and also his 800th career win.
Actually, he exited the court in shock, where his daughter Lauren met him in the tunnel and gave him a tight hug. "I'm all right," he told her.
Assistant coach Kellen Sampson, Sampson's son, tried to get over to deal with the loss in the quiet Houston locker room. He said, "This tournament is brutal."
The margins are really thin. Florida won, but we did enough to win. And they won.
Follow Us
AD News Live
