Sports Poets Society

SCOTT WACHTER/IMAGN IMAGES  Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr.  shoots  the ball past Auburn Tigers center  Dylan  Cardwell in the semifinals of the men’s NCAA Tournament at Alamodome on Saturday. 7 Apr 2025 - The Florida Times-Union Kevin Brockway Gainesville Sun USA TODAY NETWORK SAN ANTONIO — Florida basketball has grown comfortable coming from behind throughout the NCAA Tournament. The Florida Gators rallied from down six points in the second half to beat UConn in the Round of 32, down nine points in the final four minutes to beat Texas Tech in the Elite Eight and down eight points at halftime to beat Auburn in the Final Four. But Florida (35-4) will meet a team just as resilient when it faces Houston (35-4) in the NCAA Tournament national title game on Monday night (8:50 p.m., CBS). The Cougars pulled off a stunning comeback in the Final Four, coming back from down nine points in the final 3:03 to beat Duke 70-67 on Saturday night. “As long as there’s ...

7 Apr 2025 - The Florida Times-Union Dan Wolken Columnist USA TODAY SAN ANTONIO – You think you know heartbreak? Try being a Houston fan. Imagine being on the wrong end of the most famous finish in men’s NCAA Tournament history, with Lorenzo Charles steering the ball in the basket and Jim Valvano running across the court; a forever moment of torture replayed every March from 1983 to eternity. Imagine creating a run so unique and special in college basketball history, with Hall of Famers like Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler , only to be remembered for coming up empty at three straight Final Fours. Imagine decades of irrelevance, only to return to the NCAA Tournament in 2018 – and lose on Jordan Poole’s improbable, off-balance, buzzer-beating three to send Michigan to the Sweet 16. Imagine believing you’re on your way back to the Final Four last year , only to watch your best player, Jamal Shead, sprain his ankle. These are the things that Houston fans have lived through, have suffer...

ROBERT DEUTSCH/IMAGN IMAGES Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. is defended by Auburn guard Miles Kelly (13) during  the national semifinals of the men’s NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome on Saturday. 7 Apr 2025 - The Florida Times-Union Dan Wolken Columnist USA TODAY SAN ANTONIO – Here came the inevitable question about Walter Clayton Jr., and the array of spin moves and contested jumpers and lightning-quick drives past the defense that was designed to stop him. Bruce Pearl, the Auburn coach whose team had spent two-plus hours flailing and failing to slow down the single most dominant player in this NCAA Tournament , closed his eyes, tilted his head back ever so slightly and let out a deep breath. “I guess you could say all things were kind of equal,” Pearl said. “And he was the difference. Just flat out the difference.” Florida’s 79-73 victory over Auburn, putting the Gators into Monday’s national championship game, reinforced two things. Despite the conference standings that showed ...