Gators head coach Todd Golden is pushing his team to be ready for a physical challenge on Monday night in the national championship game against Houston. (Photo: Maddie Washburn/UAA Communications)
SAN ANTONIO — Late Saturday night, Alex Condon sat on a locker room stool, his body marked with red patches after a grueling matchup against Auburn big man Johni Broome.
Back at the team hotel, Condon’s recovery plan was simple: ice packs on nearly every sore spot.
"I'm banged up. I'm really sore," he admitted.
"The most physical game I've had all season, I believe. The referees let a lot of stuff go."
The Gators had just secured a 79–73 win over Auburn in the Final Four, advancing to Monday night’s national championship game. Later, Condon tuned in to the Houston-Duke matchup and, like many, was stunned by the Cougars’ furious rally from 14 points down with just over eight minutes left.
Early Sunday at the Alamodome, teammate Rueben Chinyelu summed it up best:
"It's March Madness," Chinyelu said. "I guess that's the reason it's called that."
The Cougars embodied that chaos. Condon watched them overwhelm the Blue Devils, disrupt in-bounds plays, and dominate the boards. A thunderous putback dunk by Joseph Tugler cut Duke’s lead to one, and Houston closed with six points in the final 33 seconds to steal a 70–67 victory.
For Florida, it was a clear warning of the battle ahead.
"It just shows their team is willing to fight for all 40 minutes," Condon said. "Rebounding is all an effort thing. I feel like Houston controlled the glass down the stretch. If we take that away from them and make sure we use our height, our length, and make any plays in the rebound margins, we're going to be good.
"We've got to be prepared and be willing to fight for 40 minutes."
Alex Condon found baskets difficult to come by in Saturday's physical matchup against Auburn. (Photos: Maddie Washburn/UAA Communication)
By Sunday, Condon looked more refreshed, determined to improve on his one-point, four-rebound, five-foul outing against Auburn. But he knows the challenge won’t get easier.
Houston (35–4), riding an 18-game winning streak, entered the Final Four as the nation’s top-ranked team in defensive efficiency. Against Duke, they proved why—holding the Blue Devils to just one made field goal over the final 9:59.
The Gators (35–4) recognize they’ll need the same toughness and edge they showed in their win over Auburn. They’ve been battered, but not broken. And Houston’s relentless style is the ultimate reminder of what it will take.
"You've got to turn your dog up," said guard Alijah Martin. "You've got to do whatever it takes to win. If it takes a bloody nose, a bloody lip, so be it. It won't matter. We know who we're going up against, and I've got all the confidence in the world, and everybody is locked in."
Gators center Rueben Chinyelu celebrates and his teammates celebrate Saturday night's Final Four victory over Auburn.
UF head coach Todd Golden expressed confidence on Sunday in his team’s ability to go toe-to-toe with the Houston Cougars. He noted that Houston’s defensive style resembles that of Tennessee, a team the Cougars defeated in the Elite Eight.
Florida’s own history against the Volunteers this season was a rollercoaster: a dominant win at home when Tennessee was ranked No. 1, a lopsided loss in Knoxville, and finally, an 86–77 victory in the SEC Tournament championship game. The comparison is clear, but so is the difference—Houston is still standing, while Tennessee is not.
"They're the best defensive team in America," Golden said. "They have just a great identity as a program of just being both physically and mentally tough. That's something we've tried to pride ourselves on this year."
Against Duke, Houston showcased that toughness, winning the rebounding battle 42–31 and outscoring the Blue Devils 19–12 in second-chance points. J’Wan Roberts, the Cougars’ 6-foot-8, 235-pound forward, pulled down 12 boards, while Joseph Tugler added eight rebounds and four blocks.
Florida, meanwhile, has its own depth in the paint. Condon, Rueben Chinyelu, Thomas Haugh, and Micah Handlogten give the Gators a strong rotation inside. After being pushed around early by Auburn, Florida responded in the second half, outrebounding the Tigers 39–30 and riding a spectacular 34-point performance from Walter Clayton Jr.
Golden emphasized that the same level of grit will be required against Houston.
"You look at a guy like Tugler, Roberts. They have incredible length, athleticism, and physicality inside the paint," Golden said.
"They wear you down, make it really hard on you. [The] big-picture goal is going to be to make them take tough twos, fight like hell to get the rebound.
"Every rebound we get is going to feel like we won the game, I feel like."
Chinyelu echoed that sentiment. The 6-foot-10, 260-pound center, who grabbed key rebounds in the Auburn win, described his mindset heading into the championship.
"You are just going out there to play and look at it like, 'This is war. You either kill or be killed.' So, you just have to take that mindset," he said. "You just have to go out there and pour out your heart."
For Florida, that mentality may be the difference between falling short and returning home as national champions.
