Houston Cougars vs Florida Gators Picks and Predictions April 7th 2025

Houston Eyes Historic First Title in NCAA Championship Battle vs. Florida

The Houston Cougars are one win away from finally shedding the title of the best program to never win a national championship. But standing in their way Monday night in San Antonio is a red-hot Florida Gators team armed with elite scoring and sky-high confidence.

Houston (35-4) returns to the NCAA title game for the first time since the heartbreak of 1983, when NC State’s Lorenzo Charles delivered one of the most iconic finishes in college basketball history. This time, the Cougars are fueled by redemption, legacy, and a system built on grit, defense, and a bit of history themselves.

Love Sports? You’ll Love What’s On The Scores And Stats Blog.

“We’re standing on those guys’ shoulders… It would mean a lot to get this done. Not only for us, but for them,”

– Houston senior LJ Cryer on honoring the Cougars’ legendary alumni.

Cryer led Houston with 26 points in Saturday’s comeback win over top-seeded Duke, helping the Cougars erase a 14-point deficit with eight minutes to go. It was a defining moment that sets up Kelvin Sampson—at 69, aiming to become the oldest coach to win an NCAA title—for a potential storybook finish.

Houston rides an 18-game win streak and pairs its trademark physical defense with the nation’s most efficient 3-point shooting (39.9%). Guards Cryer, Emanuel Sharp (12.8 ppg), and Milos Uzan (11.5 ppg) give Houston perimeter firepower, while big men J’Wan Roberts and Joseph Tugler provide elite switchability in the paint.

“I saw Tubby, Rick Barnes, Popovich, Izzo… They all kind of had similar messages: Win one for the old guys,”

– Houston coach Kelvin Sampson on support from fellow coaching veterans.

On the other side, Florida (35-4) brings firepower of its own, led by senior point guard Walter Clayton Jr. The All-American has averaged 32 points over his last two games, including 34 in a thrilling comeback over Auburn in the semifinals. Head coach Todd Golden, just 39 years old, has molded the Gators into one of the most potent offenses of the KenPom era, averaging 128.8 points per 100 possessions.

“Having someone that’s such an elite threat to score with the ball in his hands at all times… obviously makes everybody else so dangerous as well,”

Can’t Miss This One?

Get Expert Final Four Picks That Help You Win Big!

Register Today!

– Florida coach Todd Golden on Clayton’s impact.

While Houston’s game plan will likely center around swarming Clayton with aggressive doubles, Florida has depth in senior guards Alijah Martin (14.6 ppg) and Will Richard (13.2 ppg), as well as bigs Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh. The Gators have won 11 straight and are in their first NCAA final since Billy Donovan’s back-to-back championships in 2006-07.

Vegas sees it as a toss-up, favoring Florida by 1 to 1.5 points, while predictive analytics (KenPom) give Houston the edge by a single point. With powerhouse defenses, elite backcourts, and storylines on both benches, this title game has all the makings of a classic.

Looking for expert breakdowns and betting angles before tip-off? Don’t miss our elite college basketball picks and predictions for championship night.