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The first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament were considered more boring than normal for many. There weren't as many underdog victories, Cinderella runs, or memorable moments as there are in most March Madness brackets, and all of the number one seeds made the Final Four. Those concerns are no longer valid, though, as the NCAA Tournament has turned up a few notches in terms of both intensity and entertainment value. Now, Houston is set to face Florida in the national championship game after what was an incredible semifinal round.
Both teams required epic comeback performances during the Final Four to make it this far. Standout players for both teams have established themselves as March Madness legends along the way, too. So, here is how to watch the 2025 national championship game.
When and where is the national championship game?
The entirety of the Final Four is being played inside of the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, and that includes the national championship game. Tip-off on Monday, April 7, is at 8:50 p.m. ET.
How to watch Houston vs. Florida
CBS will be broadcasting the national championship game, meaning you can also live stream it with fuboTV. Paramount+ is another option for live streaming. The broadcast team consists of Ian Eagle, Bill Raftery, Grant Hill, Tracy Wolfson, and Gene Steratore.
Date: Monday, April 7 | Time: 8:50 p.m. ET
Location: Alamodome — San Antonio, Texas
TV channel: CBS | Live stream: fuboTV (Get Access Save $30)
Odds: Florida -118
National championship preview: Florida
If the national championship is anything like the Final Four was, than the last game in March Madness will be must-watch TV. Florida faced Auburn in their semifinal game. They trailed by eight points at halftime, but as has become the case a lot during the NCAA Tournament, Walter Clayton Jr. got hot.
Clayton scored 34 points in the comeback victory, somehow outdoing his 30-point performance and comeback effort against Texas Tech from the game before. Clayton was the first player since Larry Bird – one of the best NBA players and college basketball players ever – with back-to-back 30-point games in the Elite Eight and Final Four.
The guard has been unconscious from deep as recently, and his draft stock is soaring because of it. Florida isn't here only because of him, though. They are a deep team with few weaknesses other than slow starts. Alex Condon, Will Richard, and Alijah Martin are all double-digit scorers as well, and Thomas Haugh is close with a scoring average of 9.9 points. Martin, who previously played for Florida Atlantic, is the first player in history to start in the Final Four for two different programs. Overall, the team scores 85.3 points per game, which is the third-best mark in the nation.
National championship preview: Houston
Florida's offense won't have things easy against Houston's elite defense, though. The Cougars' comeback against Duke was even more impressive than Florida's was against Auburn. Houston held Duke to only one made field goal in the final 10 minutes of action despite Duke's roster being filled with NBA talent.
Houston trailed Duke by 14 with 8:03 left in the game, then by nine with 2:06 on the clock, by six with 34 seconds left to play, by three with 25 seconds left, and by one point with 19 seconds on the clock. The team went on a 9-0 run in the final 35 seconds. Stifling defense, especially with their full-court pressure, led to the Cougars coming out victorious and earning their first national championship appearance since the Phi Slamma Jama teams went to the championship back-to-back in 1983 and 1984.
Houston lost both of those games, leaving their program without a title. Florida, meanwhile, won back-to-back championships in 2006 and 2007. They also appeared but lost in the big game in 2000.
This Houston program is led by LJ Cryer. Just like Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler before him, Cryer has become one of the best Houston basketball players ever. Cryer hits 3-point shots at a 42.7 percent clip. The team's defense is what is truly scary, though. Houston only allows opponents to score 58.5 points per game, which is by far the best mark in the nation. So, what will prevail – a great offense or a great defense?
