Florida star Walter Clayton Jr. -- who scored 34 and 30 points in the last two NCAA Tournament games vs. Auburn and Texas Tech, respectively -- has zero points on four shots through 20 minutes of play in San Antonio. That's right: zero.

Florida overcame a 12-point second-half deficit to beat Houston 65-63 in a nail-biting thriller, claiming their third national championship in NCAA men's basketball on Monday. Senior Will Richard led the scoring for the Gators with 18 points in Florida's first trip to the title game since they last won in 2007.

Florida defeated Houston 65-63 to take home the school's third NCAA men's basketball championship, coming back from down double digits and taking the lead in the final minute of the game. The Gators' first two titles came in back-to-back championship seasons in 2006 and 07.

Live updates, highlights and analysis as the Gators battle the Cougars with the national championship on the line

The Athletic has live coverage of Florida vs Houston in the March Madness men’s national championship game. Three weeks ago, 24 staffers submitted their predictions for The Athletic’s consensus men’s NCAA Tournament bracket.

Florida is looking for its first championship since winning back-to-back national titles in 2006 and 2007. The Cougars, on the other hand, have never won in the championship round, only coming as close as the runner up in 1983 and 1984.

Todd Golden’s Florida Gators face Kelvin Sampson’s Houston Cougars for college basketball’s national title Monday night in the Alamodome.

The Florida Gators won the NCAA men’s basketball championship on Monday, defeating the Houston Cougars in a heart-stopping contest that went all the way down to the final play.

Dribbles bounced off hips, no-look passes went to no one and Florida’s talisman point guard couldn’t make a basket.