
Here's where Florida basketball's national championship win ranks among top 25 of 2000s
According to the group, the Orange and Blue's 65-63 comeback victory over the Houston Cougars to seal the university's third NCAA title is the 18th-best game played since the turn of the millennium.
"Houston fans are not going to want to relive this. The Cougars led by 12 with just over 16 minutes to play. They had held Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. in check and the Gators were out of sorts offensively," contributor Lindsay Schnell begins.
"But Florida slowly chipped away and took its first lead of the second half with 46 seconds left. On Houston's final possession, Clayton made a brilliant defensive play, forcing Houston's Emanuel Sharp to pause in the middle of his shooting motion. Worried about traveling, Sharp dropped the ball and watched it bounce, and the Gators pounced. Florida captured its first title in 18 years."
The Gators also got an honorable mention for their 84-83 win over the Wisconsin Badgers on March 24, 2017, in the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16. Chris Chiozza's coast-to-coast game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer finished off one of the greatest games in Florida's hoops lore.
The Athletic's top 25 best men's college basketball games of the 2000s
Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


New York Times
32 minutes ago
- New York Times
Astros rookie Cam Smith now takes the later bus to games — and it could shape his career
PHOENIX — Three buses transport the Houston Astros to and from every road ballpark, a transit system based on service time and pregame schedules. Veterans have seats on the final shuttles. Manager Joe Espada, his coaching staff and some rookies ride the first bus, which sometimes departs six hours before first pitch. Advertisement At the beginning of his big league career, Cam Smith never missed the first bus. He is a precisionist with a meticulous pregame routine, but also cognizant of his place within the clubhouse hierarchy. Earlier this month, Smith said he prioritizes being in the batting cage 'before the veteran guys start to step in.' Smith's respect for the sport's status quo is admirable, one of the myriad reasons a man with just 32 games of minor-league experience has made such a seamless transition to major-league life. Prolonging it means protecting Smith from himself. The Astros' 22-year-old wunderkind is walking into uncharted territory, where such a dogged work ethic may do more harm than help. 'It kills him when we tell him that,' first-base coach Dave Clark said. 'He's just such a perfectionist. But he's taken to it. He's starting to understand a little bit.' Two months remain in what is already the longest season of Smith's baseball life, a fact reiterated to the rookie by those around him. Smith's preference is to not change a thing about the routine he's crafted, be it taking the first bus, being early to the batting cages or continuing to learn the intricacies of outfield play alongside Clark. 'Just tell him that he ain't f—ing doing it,' Clark said with a smile. 'Leave it at that. Say, 'Hey, you're not doing it. That's it. Go sit down. Go back inside.' Because if we left it up to him, he'd still be doing it. We just have to make sure we are adamant about what we tell him.' Clark has morphed into one of Smith's most trusted mentors during a season defined by confronting learning curves. The latest is a delicate balancing act, intended to preserve Smith for the future without eliminating his ethos. 'He's in the middle of like, 'Oh my God, OK, I didn't know this. Wow, that's wild,'' bench coach Omar López said. 'It's going to feel a little bit weird when he starts to do stuff differently that he hasn't done in the last three months, but then later on, he's going to see, 'This helped me, so let me do it more often at this point in the season.' He'll figure out how to manage his stuff. Advertisement 'He's 22 and wants to play all the way to 39, 40. The first five years are the most important.' Smith is 13 months removed from playing in the College World Series for Florida State. He never took more than 322 plate appearances or played in more than 66 games in any collegiate season, all of which contained ample off days with limited travel. Even Smith's draft year only featured a combined 98 games and 384 plate appearances between college and the Chicago Cubs' minor-league system. Carrying him on the Opening Day roster this year all but assured Smith would shatter those benchmarks. He has already appeared in 88 games and accrued 349 plate appearances — and he's feeling the effects. 'He does not look as fresh as he did on Opening Day,' Clark acknowledged, claiming the club's recent trip through Colorado and Los Angeles took a bigger toll on Smith than others. 'He's getting used to it, but (if) we start to see maybe he's a step slower or his bat is dragging a little bit or he's not running like he normally runs, we'll just shut him down.' Houston does not have that luxury, but even if it did, it is far from the team's intent. Tailoring Smith's pre- or postgame workload is the priority. Smith is taking fewer swings in the batting cage and has stopped daily work with Clark in the outfield, though the duo still throws to bases or tracks fly balls 'a couple times a week,' Smith said. 'He needs to understand it's a ramp-up, then you get to the middle and stay there,' López said. 'You're going to get some ups and downs when you get to the middle, but then the whole idea is not to go all the way down. It's to stay right there before you ramp up and finish strong.' Few coaches are better equipped to counsel Smith than López and Clark. López is an Astros lifer who managed for 12 seasons within the club's minor-league system, where he guided several players in Smith's predicament. Advertisement Clark parlayed his 13-year playing career into 15 years of coaching, including two stints on the Astros' staff. Clark's first Astros tenure included teaching Michael Bourn: another excitable young outfielder he needed to temper. 'He comes out (and) wants to run down every fly ball when he's not hitting, and I had to make him stop doing that,' Clark said. 'I said, 'You hit, you go inside.' I know you're not a 10-year vet, but you make sure you go in and get your rest.' Smith is in impeccable shape and follows a strict diet, but many big leaguers can make the same claims. Adjusting to the travel, constant changes in time zones and quick turnarounds after a night game require more than the regimented routine Smith has. 'I think I've found a good routine to do in the weight room just to get my body ready, and I feel good every day,' said Smith, who lifts weights twice per week. 'I think I've found something I can rely on for now until I have to adjust, but I've been feeling good every day.' Smith did not start Wednesday's series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks, part of manager Joe Espada's plan to protect the young outfielder as his workload grows. Smith has just eight hits in his past 57 at-bats, prompting an obvious question of whether the volume has caught up with him. Acquiring a left-handed hitting outfielder before the trade deadline could be beneficial if the Astros continue monitoring Smith's workload. General manager Dana Brown acknowledged as much during an appearance on the team's pregame radio show last week. Welcoming back injured outfield prospect Jacob Melton, another left-handed hitter, could serve the same purpose. Isaac Paredes' hamstring injury has already heightened Brown's desire to add another bat before the July 31 deadline, but even if he does, Smith will remain an everyday player. Ensuring that continues is crucial, even if it means breaking from precedent. 'It is tough, but having the coaches talk to me about it makes me realize, 'OK, maybe I should take a step back and show up a little bit later than I have been,'' Smith said. 'Nowadays it's not a bad idea to catch the second bus.'
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
2026 NBA Finals contenders: Which teams elevated themselves this offseason?
Without question and rightfully so, the Oklahoma City Thunder are heavy favorites to repeat as NBA champions in 2025-26. They return all their key players, including regular-season and Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. However, there hasn't been a repeat NBA champion since Golden State in 2017 and 2018, and a team hasn't even played in back-to-back Finals since the Warriors in 2018 and 2019. The NBA has never been more wide open. Several teams in the West will push the Thunder. On paper, the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets all improved in the offseason. And the East is for the taking. Consider that 2025 finalist Indiana is without Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles); 2024 champion Boston is without Jayson Tatum (Achilles), Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis (both traded); and 2023 finalist Miami is far from contention. Which teams made offseason moves that elevated themselves to contender status for the 2025-26 NBA season? Houston Rockets This is as obvious a team as you'll find on this list. The Rockets added Kevin Durant, 3-and-D wing Dorian Finney-Smith, guard Josh Okogie and center Clint Capela, while re-signing center Steven Adams — who thrived in Houston's double-big lineup — and key contributors Fred VanVleet and Jabari Smith Jr. (rookie extension). All the while, Houston didn't lose much. With their size, length and athleticism at the wing, and with their ferocious defensive identity, the Rockets are built to stop a team like the Thunder. Now, with Durant's scoring, they have the offense to match, too. Denver Nuggets Since winning the title in 2023, the Nuggets failed to advance past the second round in 2024 and 2025, and the team is intent on trying to win another title while center Nikola Jokic is playing at an MVP level. With a new coach (David Adelman) and new front-office leadership (Ben Tenzer and Jonathan Wallace), the Nuggets made the moves that can put them back in the Finals (they lost in seven games to Oklahoma City in 2025). Denver traded for Cam Johnson in a deal that sent Michael Porter Jr. to Brooklyn, brought back Bruce Brown, signed Tim Hardaway Jr., and acquired Jonas Valanciunas, giving the Nuggets depth and versatility to better compete with the Thunder and other top teams in the West. New York Knicks They were already a conference finals team, and — while they didn't necessarily add that much — their roster continuity should go a long way, particularly in a wide-open Eastern Conference. Getting veteran bench scorer Jordan Clarkson on the cheap should ease the scoring burden and help the team put up points during the non-Jalen Brunson minutes. But, more than anything, new coach Mike Brown should have no reservations about relying on Clarkson and New York's bench, something Tom Thibodeau was hesitant to do. Los Angeles Clippers "Thirtysomething" was a popular TV drama in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It's also how Clippers front-office executives Lawrence Frank and Trent Redden believe the team can contend for a title – with thirtysomethings James Harden, 35; Kawhi Leonard, 34; Nic Batum, 36; Bradley Beal, 32; Kris Dunn 31; and Brook Lopez, 37, plus one fortysomething in Chris Paul. They also have John Collins, Ivica Zubac, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Derrick Jones Jr. The Clippers are fast approaching a rebuild with the contracts of Leonard and Harden expiring after the 2026-27 season and trying to maximize these two seasons. Detroit Pistons The Pistons minimized the losses of Tim Hardaway Jr. and Dennis Schroder in the offseason by acquiring Duncan Robinson, signing Caris LeVert, re-signing Paul Reed and getting Jaden Ivey back in the rotation after an injury sidelined him for 52 games last season. The growth of Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, Ron Holland II, Ausar Thompson and veterans such as Tobias Harris could make the Pistons the breakout team in a wide-open East. The Pistons made a giant leap from 14 victories in 2023-24 to 44 victories in 2024-25 and should be moving into the 50-win territory in 2025-26. Orlando Magic Again, in a wide-open East, the Magic might have done just enough to elevate into a contender. The big move was to find another shooter and scorer in Desmond Bane, who averaged 19.2 points per game for Memphis last season. Orlando's identity has been on defense, and Bane instantly takes the pressure off of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. Getting Tyus Jones was another solid move, one that shores up the backup point guard slot. And No. 25 overall selection Jase Richardson could also provide a little scoring bump off the bench. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NBA Finals 2026: Which teams elevated themselves into contenders?

USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Big Ten's College Football Playoff plan is recipe for making season worse, not better
Tony Petitti says his preferred College Football Playoff format would make for a compelling November, and, on that point, I agree with the Big Ten commissioner. November, though, doesn't require a commissioner's help. That portion of college football's calendar already rocks, full of epic rivalries and crucial games that influence playoff qualifications and seeding. On a wild Saturday last November, Florida upset Mississippi and Oklahoma stunned Alabama in results that altered the playoff field. That same day, Penn State barely survived Minnesota, and Arizona State wriggled past Brigham Young in a thriller with playoff stakes. Regular-season television ratings peak in November. It's the rest of the season that could use a boost. That's where Petitti's controversial 4+4+2+2+1+3 playoff plan falls flat. Big Ten playoff plan would devalue non-conference games Petitti claims to want a playoff model that would improve the regular season, but his plan wouldn't achieve that goal. The surest way to improve the season would be to incentivizing teams to play tough non-conference games and reduce the feast of cupcake games that shackle the season's early weeks. Petitti, though, aims to devalue non-conference games. November would stay great in his plan, and play-in Saturday would generate buzz, but his idea to award more than 80% of the playoff bids based on conference standings and play-in games would diminish September and, to a lesser extent, even October. 'Fans will gravitate to' play-in games, Petitti said Tuesday at Big Ten media days. At what cost? One play-in Saturday is not worth deflating September. If the playoff became a Petitti production based mostly on conference results, interconference games like Ohio State-Texas, LSU-Clemson and Michigan-Oklahoma would become glorified exhibitions. ABSOLUTE POWER: Big Ten, SEC fight to shape College Football Playoff HOME FIELDS: Our ranking of toughest Big Ten college football stadiums Play-in Saturday could prop up average teams Petitti admits to wanting to prolong the playoff hopes of average teams. He sees the chance for an 8-4 Big Ten team winning a play-in game and cracking the playoff as an asset, not a detriment. I see a structure that would make the season's first two months less relevant. I'm envisioning a scenario in which Iowa loses to Iowa State in a September non-conference matchup, and the Hawkeyes slog to 8-4 before winning a play-in game to reach the playoff, while the Cyclones go 10-2, lose a play-in game and miss the playoff. That's how a playoff becomes a farce. Fortunately, Petitti's playoff plan is going nowhere fast. He's failed to gain support from other conferences. The playoff format for 2026 and beyond remains undecided. Petitti would like to diminish the selection committee's role and, as he puts it, allow playoff spots to be decided on the field and not in a boardroom. In practice, his plan not only would dimish the selection committee, but it also could dilute the influence of some November results. Alabama, Mississippi and Miami lost to unranked opponents late last November, results that bounced them from the playoff. If Petitti's model had been in place, the losing teams would have retained a playoff path through play-in games. I don't see how college football's season improves if Syracuse upsetting Miami on the final day of November carries no weight on the playoff picture. How to actually improve college football's regular season Petitti's playoff plan would earmark four automatic bids for the Big Ten and four more for the SEC – that's half of a 16-team field – while the Big 12 and ACC received only two automatic bids apiece. Is it any wonder why the Big Ten hatched this plan, and the Big 12 and ACC detest it? If Petitti wants to get serious about improving the regular season, then he's going about this backward by focusing on conference standings and propping up mediocre teams. Here's how you improve the regular season: Preserve automatic bids for conference champions, but keep most of the playoff bracket open to at-large bids, and devise a system in which the playoff committee values meaningful non-conference results while evaluating bubble teams. As it is now, Big Ten teams like Indiana and Nebraska are canceling their toughest non-conference games in favor of weaker schedules, and SEC teams cling to their Championship Subdivision games like a child hugs a security blanket. These gimme games bog down the schedule, particularly early in the season. To rectify that, task the selection committee to reward teams that schedule – and win – tough non-conference games and hold accountable bubble teams that beefed up their record purely by blasting patsies. Do this, and you'd spur more Big Ten vs. SEC games, of which there are only three this season. Likewise, only three SEC teams will play a Big 12 opponent. Generating more high-stakes non-conference clashes between Power Four opponents not only would become a boon for September audience, those games also would help the committee separate the wheat from the chaff come selection time. Imagine if Oklahoma played Oklahoma State this October, instead of Kent State, or if Texas played Texas Tech in September, instead of Sam Houston, or if Southern California opened the season against Missouri, instead of Missouri State. That's how you improve the season. College football needs a play-in Saturday in December less than it needs more significant non-conference games, some of which could restore rivalries that conference realignment interrupted. College basketball figured this out. The NCAA men's tournament selection committee values victories against opponents within the top quadrants and thereby rewards teams that schedule tough. Qualifying for March Madness isn't purely an exercise of assembling a fine record. Who you played, and who you beat, matters. Teams that avoid tough games are held accountable in bubble debates. Petitti claims he's got college football's regular season at heart in his playoff plan. He's wrong. His playoff plan would diminish and neglect the non-conference portion of the schedule that needs enhancement. Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@ and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.