Yahoo Sports’ Jason Fitz and basketball analyst Isis ‘Ice’ Young react to the Gators’ 77-75 win over the Huskies in the second round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.

Video Transcript

Uconn’s reign as defending national champions has officially come to an end by way of a two-point dramatic loss to #1 seed Florida I You Jason Fitz hanging out.

I, I got to be honest, in the morning, I thought this was going to be an absolute demolition and by halftime I was saying not so fast.

UConn showed that championship DNA we talked about and it almost made things scary for Florida.

Yeah, I mean this was such a tight game down the stretch.

It’s a Florida team that has won the SEC championship.

They looked terrific during the last 78 games of the regular season, and you kind of felt like UConn wouldn’t be able to compete with them.

But the way that Liam McNeely played, Alex Caravan, and then obviously the coaching job by Dan Hurley, they defended well in the paint.

They made it tough for Florida’s interior players to get good looks at the back.

Basket, but the difference was Walter Clayton Junior.

That man is a bucket, a lethal bucket.

The 2 3s that he knocked down down the stretch of this game were huge.

It allowed Florida to get a six-point separation, and from then on, it was a two possession game and they were able to hold off UConn.

Uh, great guards win games in March Madness.

Walter Clayton Junior is one of the best guards we’ve seen in the tournament so far.

I think one of the most surprising parts about this, uh, with about 6 minutes left, this game could go either way.

And it honestly felt like UConn was the one that folded.

The, the, we’re so used to UConn finding a way to make these big plays, but you’re right, Clayton was the one that was able to come in and get it done.

And if you’re Florida, look, you, you didn’t have the game you wanted on the boards.

You didn’t have the game you wanted when it came to turnovers, and you still got to win over a UConn team that obviously has a ton of respect for a reason.

I think this is a key moment for the Gators.

Survive and advance, Fis.

Survive and advance.

It doesn’t have to look pretty.

It doesn’t have to look great.

You just, at the end of the day, have to get it done.

It’s interesting you say that we felt like, you know, UConn folded towards the end.

I just felt like Florida decided to close the game.

I felt like a team that is extremely battle tested, that’s beaten some of the best teams this season, showed up and showed out.

Close out the game in those last 5 minutes with great guard play, great defense, the free throw, rebound, and then the duck by Martin.

I mean, they made critical plays down the stretch that they needed to, and this is why they’re a 1 seed.

This is why a lot of people have them winning this tournament and at least getting to the Final Four, because you know that Florida is one of the most balanced and deepest teams in the country.

And we now know that we will have a new team as our national champion.