Best Last Four … ever?! Breaking down Houston’s, Florida’s legendary
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Jeff Borzello Close Jeff Borzello ESPN Personnel Author Basketball recruiting expert. Signed up with ESPN in 2014. Graduate of University of Delaware.Myron Medcalf Close Myron Medcalf ESPN Personnel Author Covers college basketball Signed up with ESPN.com in 2011 Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato Apr 6, 2025, 02:52
- AM ET The men’s Last 4 included two second-half resurgences by the Houston
- Cougars and Florida Gators on Saturday.What took place to
Duke? What was most outstanding about Houston? And where does this pair of stunners belong in the history books?Our college basketball experts address the pushing concerns after a thrilling night at the Alamodome in San Antonio.play
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Duke, Cooper Flagg fall to Houston in chaotic ending
Houston takes down Duke after a chaotic ending involving a missed out on Cooper Flagg jumper and foul, with Tyrese Proctor coming up short on a last-second heave.What on the planet
happened to Duke’s offense in the final 10 minutes?Well, the most effective offense in
nearly thirty years made only one basket in the last 10:30– but a couple of things triggered it.One: Houston’s defense is still elite. Even when Duke was winning, heaven Devils were not particularly effective on offense. They had 2 basket droughts of more than four minutes in the first half, and beyond a periodic burst from Kon Knueppel in the first half or Sion James in the 2nd, the only consistent source of offense was Cooper Flagg.Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson stated after the game the Cougars weren’t going to let Flagg beat them.
Houston was its usual physical self, and the Cougars’full-court press in the last minutes developed absolute turmoil for Duke.It was a mix of a stunning offending collapse and Houston’s desperate defense.– Jeff Borzello play 1:43 Did Cooper Flagg make the ideal play
with
his final
shot?Jay Williams and Seth Greenberg review Duke’s shocking 70-67 loss and credit Houston’s unbelievable resiliency.What was the most outstanding part of Houston’s comeback?Houston’s offensive production in the final minutes was the most remarkable part of the group’s resurgence. Yes, a team with the No. 1 defense in
America turned a squad with the most effective offense in the history of KenPom’s database( since 1996-97 )into a group that could not make a shot late.The Blue Devils made only one field goal in the last 10 minutes, 31 seconds. But to get the win, the Cougars likewise needed to produce an incredible offending
display screen. With 8:17 to go, Houston had simply 45 points however completed with 70 after outscoring Duke 25-8 the remainder of the way. With 1:26 to play, the Cougars were still down by seven points. Although its defense produced those scoring opportunities, Sampson’s squad (74th in scoring nationally)needed to hit a flurry of shots to prevail. That was the most outstanding element of the rally.– Myron Medcalf play 0:16 Joseph Tugler’s dunk brings Houston within 1 Houston creates a big steal and Joseph Tugler tosses it down to bring the Cougars within a point of Duke.What impressed you most in Saturday’s games?Houston’s comeback was extraordinary, among the 5 greatest in
Last 4 history. However provide me Walter Clayton Jr.
‘s performance against Auburn. The Florida guard has actually been the Kemba Walker and Shabazz Napier of this NCAA competition, and he’s
doing it in jaw-dropping fashion, making contested
shot after objected to shot. Bruce Pearl tossed whatever at Clayton on Saturday, including changing big wings Miles Kelly and Chad Baker-Mazara on him. They tried to blitz Clayton off of ball screens so he could not get a clean appearance going to his left, where he is so deadly. None of it mattered.I’m not even convinced he can see the whole basket on a few of these shots, the defense has actually been so good at times. But he’s been the most electrical player in the NCAA tournament, he’s the best guard in college basketball and now he’s making history, too.– Borzello It needs to be Houston’s grace. Clayton’s 34-point effort against Auburn would have been the most
outstanding minute in most Last Fours. But Houston was remarkable in the way it did not succumb to press in spite of being down by double digits on the sport’s greatest phase in the final minutes. And the Cougars weren’t playing some also-ran– they were playing a Duke team that had actually been the preferred to win the national title for weeks, a group led by just the fourth freshman to ever win the Wood Award. Yet, the Cougars never broke down. Their challenger did.It’s unusual for something to take place in the Final 4 that seems like it’s occurring for the very first time. But Duke’s collapse and Houston’s resurgence were both unmatched.– Medcalf play 0:16 Alijah Martin skyrockets for a thunderous Florida dunk Alijah Martin gets the steal and flies for a breakaway dunk for Florida vs. Auburn.This was the best set
of semifinal games because … This is the very best pair of semifinal games considering that 2019, when Texas Tech beat Michigan State and Virginia beat Auburn. The latter game ended on a late foul by Auburn and game-winning totally free tosses by Virginia, a sequence that came after a no-call on a double dribble by Virginia’s Ty
Jerome.Michigan State had
defeated a Duke team that included Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett in the Elite 8. Although the Spartans lost to the Red Raiders by 10 that night, Aaron Henry’s layup had cut Michigan State’s deficit to one with 2:55 to play. Still, Saturday’s games were two of the best in Final Four history.– Medcalf play 2:50 SEC Now previews the Florida vs. Houston national championship SEC Now’s Dari Nowkhah, Daymeon Fishback and Ron Kill take the
very first look at the matchup between the Gators and Cougars following two amazing Final Four battles.What are you most excited about in Monday’s title game?Clayton vs. Houston’s defense. I simply waxed poetically about how excellent Clayton has actually been all season and all NCAA tournament, how he’s on a historical run to the title game– the very first player with back-to-back 30-point games in the Elite 8 and national semifinals because Larry Bird in 1979. He’s seen whatever tossed at him and it hasn’t made a difference. However he hasn’t seen Houston’s defense. And a Sampson defense is a various thing completely. Can he handle the Cougars’ physicality? Can he still create constant appearances? On the other side, it will be fascinating to see if Houston provides any wrinkles to decrease the first-team All-American. As excellent as the Cougars’defense is, Houston will let teams shoot 3-pointers. Which’s not a great concept against Clayton.– Borzello I’m most thrilled to see how 2 of college basketball’s best storylines end. Clayton was an under-recruited possibility from Florida that Rick Pitino found and signed when he was at Iona. Clayton evolved into an All-American at Florida, and if he has another amazing effort on Monday, he will become one of the NCAA tournament’s all-time heroes. But Sampson, who will turn 70 years of ages later on this year, is one of the game’s leading training veterans. And the only thing missing out on from his résumé is a nationwide title. He is currently a Basketball Hall of Popularity prospect, but a championship game will put him in a various classification among his peers.– Medcalf