Florida and Walter Clayton Jr. somehow overcame Houston’s spirit-crushing defense Monday night to will out a 65-63 victory in an NCAA title-game thriller not decided until Clayton’s own D stopped the Cougars from taking a game-winning shot at the buzzer. Clayton finished with 11 points, but what he’ll be remembered for most was getting Houston’s Emanuel Sharp to stop in the middle of his motion as he tried to go up for the game-winning 3 in the final seconds. Clayton ran at him, Sharp dropped the ball and watched it bounce there while the clock ticked to zero. Florida won its third national title and denied Houston its first.
