Image Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

Florida Gators vs. Houston Cougars – Who is the favorite to win the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship?

Will Houston surprise Florida in the championship game to win their maiden title?

Image Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

All the attention will be shifted to the 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship clash on Monday as Houston will take on top-seed Florida in pursuit of its maiden national title. Houston silenced the crowd of more than 6000 thousand when they pulled off a majestic comeback against the Duke in Final Four.

It has been a fairytale story for the Cougars (34-4), who halted a seven-game losing streak in the Final Four and advanced to the championship game for the first time since 1984. Meanwhile, Houston failed to cross the line in 1984 NCAA Championship game. It’s a toughest task for Kelvin Sampson, who led Houston to a historical final in his 11th year in charge.

Also Read: LJ Cryer, Emanuel Sharp shine as Underdogs Houston Cougars beat favorites Cooper Flagg and Duke Blue Devils!

On the flip note, Florida (35-4) outplayed the overall top-seed Auburn 79-73 in the first game of the Final Four. The Gators dropped a second-half surge to reach their first national title game after 17 years. Florida have won the NCAA tournament in back-to-back seasons in 2006 and 2007. The two-time winners will feel the heat of the game after Houston’s biggest comeback against the Blue Devils.

IT'S #NATIONALCHAMPIONSHIP GAME DAY 🤩#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/C1sy8mU19U
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 7, 2025

Florida Gators vs. Houston Cougars Match Details

Date: Monday, April 7, 2025
Time: 8:50 pm ET
Venue: Alamodome, San Antonio, TX
TV: CBS

Who is the favorite to win the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship?

Before the Final Four game, no one dared to pick the Cougars against the Blue Devils but Houston upset all the odds. The 2025 NCAA championship game would be a cracking contest. Let’s find out the odds on the final between Florida and Houston.

Houston delivered a comeback for the ages in the Final Four and their mental strength would be tested in the final. LJ Cryer, and Emanuel Sharp led the comeback in San Antonio which replicated the defensive value of Sampson’s roster. Houston’s No. 1 scoring defense countered Duke over the last eight minutes. The Cougars didn’t allow Duke’s guards to get to the rim.

Also Read: Second Half Surge Helps Florida to Reach First Title Game Since 2007

Florida, the No. 1 seed in the West Region, are a different team and they have Walter Clayton Jr., who can turn around the game in one half. The roster of the Gators fight on the boards and have an all-around right combination. They held Auburn to 27 points in the second half which showed their defensive strength.

Walter Clayton Jr. was UNREAL tonight 🤯

His 34-point performance powered @GatorsMBK to the #NationalChampionship game 🐊 #MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/OCVul5he3X
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) April 6, 2025

As per the BetMGM, Florida are likely to go all the way to win their third NCAA title and first since 2007. Houston will bring the pressure in the first half but Florida will not commit mistakes like Duke. The clutch game of the Gators is better than the Blue Devils. They have a dominant guard like Clayton who can counter Houston’s defense.

The Gators are a 1.5-point favorite over the Cougars in the national championship game odds provided by BetMGM Sportsbook. On the moneyline, Florida is -115 and Houston is -105.

Image Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

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A native of Jaipur, Rajasthan, journalist, and a complete soccer and basketball fan, he found the huge interest with basketball by watching videos of Allen Iverson and Tony Parker, but fell head over heels in love with the sport during the Warriors’ championship era (2015-2018). A sports game addict since his late PS1, he’s also passionate about the Eagles, Inter Miami and the Fever. He’s fortunate to have seen all his favorite teams win championships. He also has a special love for cricket and football (soccer), where he is a fan of Royal Challengers Bangalore and Barcelona.