The Florida Gators ended an almost 20-year dry spell and won their third title in the US college basketball after dramatic final seconds. The team from Gainesville prevailed in the final of the Final Four in San Antonio in front of 66,602 spectators with 65:63 against the Houston Cougars, who have to wait for the first championship due to the bitter defeat.
When the March Madness was completed, things went closely. In the last eight and a half minutes, no team led with more than three points, Houston had the ball before the end of the clock. But Emanuel Sharp had a dropout, did not take the three to the possible victory and lost the ball two seconds before the end – Florida triumphed. The Gators had previously won the title of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in 2006 and 2007.
Walter Clayton Jr.
Walter Clayton Jr. was awarded the Most Outstanding Player (MOP) of the tournament in the alamodome. The 22-year-old had shone with 34 points in the semifinals against the Auburn Tigers, in the final the Guard forced the ultimately decisive loss of ball with a defense campaign.
The German youth hope of Christian Anderson failed in the quarter-finals of the NCAA tournament. The U18 European champion lost to the later champion Florida with Texas Tech 79:84 at the end of March.