Todd Golden: Florida's ‘best backcourt, best frontcourt in America’ to thank for title

The Florida Gators are your 2025 March Madness champions!

Florida overcame a 12-point second-half deficit in their dramatic 65-63 victory over Houston to secure its first national title since 2007. Todd Golden has brought basketball glory back to Gainsville. By doing so, he became the youngest head coach to win a championship (39) since the late, great Jim Valvano did it at 37 in 1983.

Yet, Golden knows he couldn't climb college basketball's highest mountaintop without his outstanding group of players. Speaking shortly following Florida's thrilling win against the Cougars, his love, admiration and respect for their buy-in and sacrifice became abundantly clear.

"We did what we did all year," Golden voiced. "We stayed the course. We had the best backcourt in America. I think we had the best frontcourt in America. And like we've done all year, we've made plays when we needed them most."

Todd Golden claims Florida has the 'best' backcourt/frontcourt in college basketball after national championship win vs. Houston

Declaring you have the premier stable of guards and forwards/centers in the country is bold, to put it mildly. But at the moment, it's hard to disagree with Golden. After all, he and the Gators are the last team left standing from this season's field of 68.

Despite constantly having their backs to the wall throughout the Big Dance, Golden's Gators found ways to come out on top. The dangerous senior guard trio of Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard and Alijah Martin could do no wrong. Alex Condon, Thomas Haugh and Rueben Chinyelu provided Florida with a versatile interior presence on both ends of the floor.

Golden's comments might not be as far-fetched as they sound. Clayton is a consensus First-Team All-American, while Martin and Richard are dynamic two-way contributors. Condon and Haugh are versatile big men who can impact winning as defenders, floor-spacers or passers. Meanwhile, Chinyelu has been a solid rim protector for Florida since arriving from NBA Academy Africa.

While Golden worked diligently to recruit this talented Gators squad and pushed all the right buttons, his players seized their opportunities. Because of this, Florida "[has] the natty," as he emphatically shouted in the postgame interview.