Commemorate the Florida Gators run to their 3rd Men’s Basketball National Championship with this animated keepsake.
The Gators started off ranked No. 21 in the AP Poll and after a 13–0 start, the Gators found themselves ranked No. 6. They defeated No. 1 Tennessee by 30 points on January 7th and then No. 1 Auburn by 9 points on February 8th, becoming the fifth team in NCAA history to defeat two No. 1 teams in the same season. Florida finished the regular season 27–4, with a 14–4. Florida defeated Tennessee 86–77 to win their first SEC tournament championship since 2014. As the No. 1 seed in the West Regional, Florida went on to defeat Norfolk State 95–69 to set up a match with the two-time defending national champions UConn in the Round of 32. After trailing for most of the game, Clayton Jr.'s 23 points led the Gators past the Huskies 77–75. Their comeback victory over UConn proved to be a trend for Florida during the tournament, as they orchestrated three additional comeback wins later in the tournament. Their 87–71 win over Maryland in the Sweet Sixteen set up a matchup with Texas Tech in the Elite Eight. Down 9 points with 3:14 left to play, four straight 3-pointers from Clayton Jr. and Haugh helped the Gators defeat the Red Raiders 84–79 and secure Florida's first Final Four appearance since 2014. In the Final Four, the Gators defeated Auburn, overcoming a 9-point second-half deficit off of Walter Clayton Jr.'s 34 points. On April 7, 2025, Todd Golden led the Florida Gators to its first National Championship since the 2006–07 season with a 65–63 win over the Houston Cougars. Clayton Jr. was named the Final Four MOP.
The Gators tied the record for most wins in a single season in program history with 36.
