SAN ANTONIO — No matter the outcome of Monday night’s national championship clash between the Florida Gators and Houston, one thing is certain: Alijah Martin has already secured his place in the annual “One Shining Moment” montage that caps the NCAA Tournament.

And he’ll appear more than once.

In a span of less than five minutes during the second half of Florida’s 79–73 victory over Auburn, Martin brought the crowd of more than 68,000 at the Alamodome to its feet with two thunderous dunks. Beyond the highlight reels, those plays injected energy into the Gators’ comeback win at the Final Four.

Florida had trailed by as many as nine points (49–40) before storming back with an 11–0 run to grab a 51–49 lead. Auburn briefly regained control, but after the game was tied at 57, Tahaad Pettiford threw a pass behind Johni Broome. Martin pounced on the loose ball, sprinted the length of the court, and soared from the foul line for a dunk that gave Florida a 59–57 advantage with 9:54 left.

That was only the beginning.

Following a Thomas Haugh   layup that put UF ahead 64–63 with 6:31 remaining, Martin delivered what many are calling his signature play of the tournament—and perhaps the dunk of March Madness.

As Auburn tried to reset, Rueben Chinyelu knocked the ball loose from Pettiford. Martin scooped it up, shifted gears, and accelerated down the court.

"Anytime in transition, his eyes light up," said teammate Denzel Aberdeen. "He wants to take off from far."

With Pettiford chasing from behind and Chad Baker-Mazara, Auburn’s 6-foot-7 forward, closing in from the side, Martin launched himself skyward. The 6-foot-2 guard cocked his right arm back and threw down a ferocious dunk over both defenders, a moment that will be remembered as one of the defining highlights of Florida’s postseason run.

Alijah Martin slams the ball over two Auburn players in Florida's Final Four victory over the Tigers on Saturday night. (Photo: Spencer Gnauck/UAA Communications)

In 2025, the play was instantly labeled a viral moment across social media.

As the sequence unfolded, Alijah Martin prepared for contact when Chad Baker-Mazara closed in, leaping to contest the shot.

"I see him kind of creeping over," Martin said. "I didn't know if he was going to jump or not, but even if he was, I was going to put it in the rim."

Martin followed through in emphatic fashion—slamming the dunk, crashing to the floor, spinning as he got back up, while the crowd erupted. The play gave the Gators a 66–63 lead with 5:27 left, and they never trailed again.

"It gave us a lot of energy," said Will Richard, whose stunned reaction to the dunk was captured by photographers. "When you see one of your teammates get a dunk like that, that completely changes momentum."

"That's what he does," added Denzel Aberdeen. "He's a high-flyer."

For Martin, though, the dunks were secondary to the bigger picture—his first Final Four win. Two years earlier, he reached the same stage with Florida Atlantic, only to fall in the semifinals.

Now, with 105 career wins over the past three seasons (including nine in the NCAA Tournament), Martin has been vocal during Florida’s run in San Antonio about wanting a different outcome this time.

"We didn't get the job done at FAU," he said Saturday in Florida’s celebratory locker room. "We still haven't gotten the job done. We've got one more to go. It's different when you get bounced in the first game in the Final Four. This could be special if we get the job done here."

His teammates, meanwhile, teased him for finally delivering a dunk through heavy traffic on the sport’s biggest stage.

"We've been waiting for it all year," said Walter Clayton Jr., who poured in a game-high 34 points.

Martin finished with 17 points and three rebounds, but his defining play came at the perfect moment.

"I was sitting right under the rim watching it," Richard said. "It was kind of crazy because we always talk about it: He hasn't got a body the whole year. And he gets it in the Final Four."

Though those were his final points of the night, the timing made them unforgettable. Afterward, Martin fielded wave after wave of questions from reporters, happily reliving the moment.

"It's a blessing to be back here," Martin said. "A lot of players get to experience it one time, but doing it twice is really special."