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The NCAA men's tournament championship game will feature the nation’s two best teams. I’d call that a rare treat, except that it happened last year, too. Call it a repeat treat.
In one corner is Houston, the nation’s hottest team, owner of an 18-game win streak and recent slayer of Duke.
In the other corner is Florida, the best team from the nation’s best conference, with the nation’s hottest player, and recent destructor of Auburn, the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed.
What an extra special treat it would be if this national championship Monday night becomes a thriller at the finish. We last enjoyed that in 2022, when Kansas beat North Carolina 72-69 in a battle of blue bloods. UNC led by 15 points in the first half before Kansas rallied with a 47-point outburst after halftime.
In the years since then, Connecticut delivered a pair of lopsided title romps.
Florida and Houston have shown a flair for dramatic finishes. Give us one more, eh?
Here are four final takes before tip-off:
Duke’s Cooper Flagg won the Wooden Award for the nation’s best player. He's a deserving winner after his fantastic season. Auburn’s Johni Broome finished as runner-up.
I wonder how close Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr. could have come, though, to snatching the honor for himself if voting didn’t occur until after the national championship game.
OPINION: Kelvin Sampson's old-school Houston program is a reminder of a disappearing era
INSIDE THE MATCHUP: Florida vs. Houston in March Madness title game is contrast of styles
Wooden ballots were due on March 24, the day after the NCAA Tournament’s second round concluded. Clayton saved his two best performances of the season for after ballots were submitted. He torched Texas Tech for 34 points in the Elite Eight, then went for 30 in a Final Four takedown of Auburn.
He’s averaging 24.6 points in the tournament, on the heels of being named the SEC tournament’s most valuable player.
Too late for the Wooden, but Clayton’s tournament excellence raises the question: Does Florida need to win Monday for Clayton to be named the tournament’s most outstanding player? Answer: No.
If the Gators cut down nets, surely the award is headed for Clayton.
But, what if Houston wins? L.J. Cryer enters Monday as Houston's best candidate for the honor, but the Cougars reached this stage thanks to a true ensemble performance.
Every MOP winner has come from the tournament champion since Hakeem Olajuwon won the award in 1983. Ironically, Olajuwon played for runner-up Houston.
Voters shouldn’t disqualify Clayton if Houston wins the championship.
The Cougars are more than their defense. They’re an elite 3-point shooting team. Against Duke, they shot better from the perimeter than from inside the arc. Stopping Houston requires more than shutting down one man, too. Every Houston starter has scored in double figures at some point during this tournament. But, it’s true that Houston’s unrelenting defense forms the tip of its spear.
Three of Houston’s four losses occurred in November. Since Dec. 1, the Cougars have allowed 70 or more points in just three games: It beat Kansas 92-86 in double overtime; lost to Texas Tech 82-81 in overtime; and it survived Gonzaga 81-76 in the second round of March Madness.
Limiting Florida to fewer than 70 points would be an extraordinary feat, though. The Gators, throughout their 11-game win streak, have averaged 89.5 points. They last scored fewer than 77 points in a 64-44 loss to Tennessee on Feb. 1. Clayton injured his ankle in that game.
It’s misguided to believe Florida is all about offense and Houston pins its hopes entirely to defense. In truth, both teams grade well at each end of the court.
However, the Cougars play at one of the nation's slowest tempos, while Florida opts for a quicker pace. The ability for one team to set the tempo could influence the outcome.
No matter what happens in this championship, the SEC should be remembered as supplying a historically great season. It broke the record with 14 tournament bids, advanced seven into the Sweet 16, put four in the Elite Eight and had two still standing in the Final Four. Case closed. The SEC was the best conference this season, and a Florida championship would strengthen its argument for best single-season performance by a conference ever.
The Big 12 can lay claim to being the second-best conference.
The Big Ten qualified eight teams to the Big 12’s seven, but that doesn't mean much considering the Big Ten has two additional teams in its conference. The Big 12’s 14-6 tournament record gives it the best tournament winning percentage, and Texas Tech joined Houston in the Elite Eight.
The Big Ten advanced all eight teams into the second round, but with its final team, Michigan State, exiting in the Elite Eight, the Big 12 earns the edge for conference silver medalist.
“Don’t sleep on Houston. We weren’t 34-4 playing in the Toy Poodle League,” Houston’s Kelvin Sampson said on CBS, while taking up for the Big 12, after his Cougars beat Duke.
After the committee released the bracket on Selection Sunday, I picked Houston to beat Florida in the national championship and wrote these words: Houston is balanced on offense, elite on defense and armed with excellent perimeter shooters. Sampson has coached in two Final Fours. I predict he finally captures his first ring at age 69.
I’m not pivoting away that pick now. I'm doubling down.
Houston survived Gonzaga, scored the game winner against Purdue on Sampson's brilliant inbounds play, and supplied one of the best 75-second rallies you’ll ever see in a Final Four game to stun Duke. Calling Houston battle-tested is to understate reality.
Florida survived the fires, too. Clayton is playing too well to think he’ll stop now, but Houston has the experience and the scoring balance to counteract Florida’s star.
Give Clayton the Most Outstanding Player award, but make the national championship confetti Houston red and white.
Blake Toppmeyer is a columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X @btoppmeyer. Subscribe to read all of his columns.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness takes: Houston wins title. Walter Clayton for award
Continue reading...
In one corner is Houston, the nation’s hottest team, owner of an 18-game win streak and recent slayer of Duke.
In the other corner is Florida, the best team from the nation’s best conference, with the nation’s hottest player, and recent destructor of Auburn, the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed.
What an extra special treat it would be if this national championship Monday night becomes a thriller at the finish. We last enjoyed that in 2022, when Kansas beat North Carolina 72-69 in a battle of blue bloods. UNC led by 15 points in the first half before Kansas rallied with a 47-point outburst after halftime.
In the years since then, Connecticut delivered a pair of lopsided title romps.
Florida and Houston have shown a flair for dramatic finishes. Give us one more, eh?
Here are four final takes before tip-off:
Award watch for Walter Clayton Jr.
Duke’s Cooper Flagg won the Wooden Award for the nation’s best player. He's a deserving winner after his fantastic season. Auburn’s Johni Broome finished as runner-up.
I wonder how close Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr. could have come, though, to snatching the honor for himself if voting didn’t occur until after the national championship game.
OPINION: Kelvin Sampson's old-school Houston program is a reminder of a disappearing era
INSIDE THE MATCHUP: Florida vs. Houston in March Madness title game is contrast of styles
Wooden ballots were due on March 24, the day after the NCAA Tournament’s second round concluded. Clayton saved his two best performances of the season for after ballots were submitted. He torched Texas Tech for 34 points in the Elite Eight, then went for 30 in a Final Four takedown of Auburn.
He’s averaging 24.6 points in the tournament, on the heels of being named the SEC tournament’s most valuable player.
Too late for the Wooden, but Clayton’s tournament excellence raises the question: Does Florida need to win Monday for Clayton to be named the tournament’s most outstanding player? Answer: No.
If the Gators cut down nets, surely the award is headed for Clayton.
But, what if Houston wins? L.J. Cryer enters Monday as Houston's best candidate for the honor, but the Cougars reached this stage thanks to a true ensemble performance.
Every MOP winner has come from the tournament champion since Hakeem Olajuwon won the award in 1983. Ironically, Olajuwon played for runner-up Houston.
Voters shouldn’t disqualify Clayton if Houston wins the championship.
Houston, Florida a contrast in scoring trends, playing styles
The Cougars are more than their defense. They’re an elite 3-point shooting team. Against Duke, they shot better from the perimeter than from inside the arc. Stopping Houston requires more than shutting down one man, too. Every Houston starter has scored in double figures at some point during this tournament. But, it’s true that Houston’s unrelenting defense forms the tip of its spear.
Three of Houston’s four losses occurred in November. Since Dec. 1, the Cougars have allowed 70 or more points in just three games: It beat Kansas 92-86 in double overtime; lost to Texas Tech 82-81 in overtime; and it survived Gonzaga 81-76 in the second round of March Madness.
Limiting Florida to fewer than 70 points would be an extraordinary feat, though. The Gators, throughout their 11-game win streak, have averaged 89.5 points. They last scored fewer than 77 points in a 64-44 loss to Tennessee on Feb. 1. Clayton injured his ankle in that game.
It’s misguided to believe Florida is all about offense and Houston pins its hopes entirely to defense. In truth, both teams grade well at each end of the court.
However, the Cougars play at one of the nation's slowest tempos, while Florida opts for a quicker pace. The ability for one team to set the tempo could influence the outcome.
Best conference already decided: It’s the SEC
No matter what happens in this championship, the SEC should be remembered as supplying a historically great season. It broke the record with 14 tournament bids, advanced seven into the Sweet 16, put four in the Elite Eight and had two still standing in the Final Four. Case closed. The SEC was the best conference this season, and a Florida championship would strengthen its argument for best single-season performance by a conference ever.
The Big 12 can lay claim to being the second-best conference.
The Big Ten qualified eight teams to the Big 12’s seven, but that doesn't mean much considering the Big Ten has two additional teams in its conference. The Big 12’s 14-6 tournament record gives it the best tournament winning percentage, and Texas Tech joined Houston in the Elite Eight.
The Big Ten advanced all eight teams into the second round, but with its final team, Michigan State, exiting in the Elite Eight, the Big 12 earns the edge for conference silver medalist.
“Don’t sleep on Houston. We weren’t 34-4 playing in the Toy Poodle League,” Houston’s Kelvin Sampson said on CBS, while taking up for the Big 12, after his Cougars beat Duke.
Final March Madness pick: Clayton scores 25, but Houston wins
After the committee released the bracket on Selection Sunday, I picked Houston to beat Florida in the national championship and wrote these words: Houston is balanced on offense, elite on defense and armed with excellent perimeter shooters. Sampson has coached in two Final Fours. I predict he finally captures his first ring at age 69.
I’m not pivoting away that pick now. I'm doubling down.
Houston survived Gonzaga, scored the game winner against Purdue on Sampson's brilliant inbounds play, and supplied one of the best 75-second rallies you’ll ever see in a Final Four game to stun Duke. Calling Houston battle-tested is to understate reality.
Florida survived the fires, too. Clayton is playing too well to think he’ll stop now, but Houston has the experience and the scoring balance to counteract Florida’s star.
Give Clayton the Most Outstanding Player award, but make the national championship confetti Houston red and white.
Blake Toppmeyer is a columnist for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X @btoppmeyer. Subscribe to read all of his columns.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: March Madness takes: Houston wins title. Walter Clayton for award
Continue reading...
