Last Updated on June 3, 2025

The Florida Gators men’s basketball team that represents the University of Florida recently won its third NCAA championship title and the first title in 18 years. Let’s dive straight in and take a closer look at how this latest victory may be the start of a new era for the Gators.  

A look at the Gators’ path to victory

In their final six games of the season, the Florida Gators put on some impressive performances. They beat Norfolk State 95-16 on March 21 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. In the second round, they beat UConn 77-75, and both games were in front of a home crowd. 

In the Sweet 16 round, they also played at home, this time beating Maryland 87-71. Their Elite Eight game against Texas Tech was also at home, which they won 84-79, and then they travelled away for their next game. 

In the Final Four game against Auburn, they won 79-73, and then in their final game of the season in the NCAA Tournament Championship final on April 8, they just managed to secure a tight-margin victory against Houston, winning 65-63. 

What does the latest NCAA championship title mean for the Gators?

Their latest 65-63 win against Houston in the final on Tuesday, April 8, means that the Florida Gators have entered a new era. If they win again next season, they will replicate the success of the team from almost twenty years ago, when they won the NCAA Championship title in 2006 and then again in 2007. 

Can they repeat history? Only time will tell. According to the latest theoretical odds, the Gators are already shaping up to be one of the favourites to win again next season. 

For example, if you look on trusted iGaming sites such as the official 10bet South Africa sportsbook and games website, you will soon be able to find outright seasonal betting odds for the 2025/26 NCAA season.

You will most likely see that the Florida Gators will be one of the odds-on favourites to win next year’s championship for a second consecutive season running. 

However, anything can happen between now and the end of next season, so before placing any wagers on the NCAA, always do your research and pay attention to what the actual odds and implied probability rates are trying to convey. 

The Florida Gators will use this time to strengthen their team, bringing in fresh new talent that will hopefully ensure victory next season. Key players this year, in no particular order of importance, were Oliver Rioux (center), Alex Condon (center), Walter Clayton Jr. (guard), Rueben Chinyelu (center), Will Richard (guard), Thomas Haugh (forward), and Denzel Aberdeen (guard). 

That’s not forgetting to mention Urban Klavzar (guard), Bennett Andersen (guard), Kajus Kublickas (guard), and Alijah Marton (guard). 

The final was played at the Alamodome in front of a capacity crowd of 66,602, and although the Cougars dominated the first half, the Gators quickly took control after mounting an impressive comeback. 

Walter Clayton Jr. was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Match, and 39-year-old Gators coach Todd Golden became the NCAA’s youngest-ever coach to win the championship title since 1982, when Jim Valvano of North Carolina State received the same honor. 

The Gators will now be looking to next season and retooling to ensure they get off to a flying start in the Southeastern division. However, it’s still too early to say what the team might look like next season. 

If the Gators can win again next season, they will equal Kansas with four titles. Kansas last won in 2022, and they also won in 2008, 1988, and 1952. However, the Gators still have a long way to go before they can call themselves true greats like UCLA. 

UCLA has won more NCAA Championship titles than any other university. They have lifted the trophy on 11 separate occasions, followed by Kentucky with 8 titles, North Carolina and UConn, both with 6 titles, and Duke and Indiana with 5 titles. 

Final thoughts

To find out how the Gators might do next season, the best thing to do is to stay on top of the latest NCAA men’s basketball news from reputable sources. Conducting your own research and keeping well-informed can also help you place far more strategic bets. 

For example, gather as much relevant data and statistics as possible. Find out which new players are in and which ones have left. Stay on top of the latest injury news, current table position/league standing, importance of the match, and things like historical results between the two teams when they typically face each other. 

Finally, if you decide to bet on college basketball, remember to stick to betting on legally permitted sites like 10Bet, which are well known for having highly competitive NCAA betting odds. 

Florida high school football faces wave of transfers

It’s a shift that’s shaking up the high school football scene. Top high school football players in Florida are increasingly transferring to schools in pursuit of better exposure, competition, and future opportunities.

SANFORD, Fla. – It’s a shift that’s shaking up the high school football scene. Top high school football players in Florida are increasingly transferring to schools in pursuit of better exposure, competition, and future opportunities. 

What we know:

Top players are changing jerseys in search of bigger opportunities.

Seminole High School quarterback Michael Clayton II, already committed to the University of Illinois, is the latest to make a high-profile move — transferring to Miami Edison for his senior season. This trend reflects the growing influence of school choice policies and lenient FHSAA transfer rules, which allow athletes to switch schools with few limitations.

What we don’t know:

It remains unclear how this increase in player movement will affect team cohesion, player development, and long-term academic outcomes. There’s also uncertainty around whether future policy changes may limit such transfers, and how coaches will continue to adapt as mobility becomes a dominant factor in high school sports.

The backstory:

Florida’s school choice policies have expanded in recent years, allowing students to attend any public school with available space, regardless of district. This has opened the door for student-athletes to choose schools based on athletic opportunities rather than residency. For football players, the goal is often to gain more playing time, better coaching, or greater visibility to college recruiters.

What they’re saying:

The high school football landscape is increasingly mirroring the dynamics of college football, where Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals and transfer portals have revolutionized player movement. 

Some athletes transfer multiple times before graduation, reflecting a broader shift in priorities toward individual branding and competitive advantage.

“It’s gone from, you grew up in a school district, and you had to go to a school. Now with school choice, you can go to any school as long as there are seats available in that school,” Influencer Counsel Athlete Agent and Financial Advisor Dan LaForest told FOX 35 Sports.

Some athletes transfer multiple times during their high school careers.

It’s a move that makes long-term development difficult. However, with current FHSAA rules, players can move schools with little restriction.

“It’s tough on a high school coach. They have to create an environment that kids want to play. It’s not x’s and o’s anymore. I think x’s and o’s are a piece of it,” LaForest said.

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Last season, Hubert Davis made it clear changes would be coming at North Carolina. He promised to hire a general manager to help the program in the NIL and transfer portal landscape, and those investments are becoming clear.

UNC’s NIL payroll is more than $14 million this year, according to a report from Inside Carolina. It’s part of the influx in support after the hiring of Jim Tanner as general manager and is almost triple the dollars from a year ago when the Tar Heels were the last team in the NCAA Tournament.

Tanner’s contract pays him $850,000 this year, according to the UNC salary information database. Additionally, the total compensation for the staff could be upward of $7 million, the report said. Davis also received a two-year contract extension after last season as the university started to invest in the program.

Davis was outspoken about North Carolina’s need to adapt in the changing landscape. General manager hires have become prominent across college sports, and Tanner’s NBA connections and experience as an agent are also important parts of the role. It also fits what Davis was looking for in the position.

“The old model for Carolina basketball just doesn’t work,” Davis said in February. “It’s not sustainable. It has to build out because there’s so many things in play with NIL, the transfer portal, agents, international players. You just need a bigger staff to be able to maintain things. You need a bigger staff so I can do what I’m supposed to be doing, and that’s coaching basketball.” 

North Carolina will have a slew of new faces in town next season, fueled by the No. 15-ranked recruiting class in the country, according to the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Ranking. Five Star Plus+ forward Caleb Wilson headlines the group as the No. 5 overall player from the 2025 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

On the transfer front, the Tar Heels have five players coming in, led by former Arizona forward Henri Veesaar – the No. 25 overall player in the On3 Industry Transfer Rankings. UNC also recently landed a commitment from touted international guard Luka Bogavac as part of the roster overhaul.

North Carolina is coming off a 23-14 overall record in 2024-25 as it snuck into March Madness as the last team in the bracket. The Tar Heels won their First Four matchup against San Diego State before falling to Ole Miss in the first round.

Over the years, college softball has produced numerous legends that have gone on to make a name for themselves in the sport, from Jennie Finch to Jessica Mendoza and everyone in between. But in recent years, former Stanford star and current Texas Tech standout, NiJaree Canady, has entered the conversation with an impressive 2025 season that included another Pitcher of the Year award win adding to her already strong resume.

However, this week Canady got one step closer to reaching the pinnacle of college softball by leading Texas Tech to its first ever Softball National Championship Final with an upset win over the nation’s top team, Oklahoma. Getting the start, another dominant outing from Canady put the Red Raiders through and only two wins away from capturing the school’s first-ever softball title.

Canady pitched all seven innings, allowing five hits, two runs and a walk as she struck out eight Oklahoma batters. The only runs she gave up came in the seventh inning when she allowed a game-tying two-run home run, but thanks to a sacrifice fly from Texas Tech first baseman Lauren Allred, the Red Raiders regained the lead in the bottom half of the inning and were able take home the win.

Aside from that one homer, Canady was superb and even managed to strike out one of Oklahoma’s best hitters in shortstop Gabbi Garcia, three times. For the game, Canady threw 106 pitches and pitched her fifth consecutive complete game. At the plate though, Canady went 0-for-3 and left two runners on base.

With the Red Raiders are in the championship, Canady is needed now more than ever. Texas, a softball powerhouse, is in its second straight WCWS championship and their third in four years.

Having been one of the top teams in the nation since their first season as a program in 1997, Texas knows what it needs to do to win it all and after experiencing heartbreak during both of their championship appearances, this whole season has been about getting over the hump.

But Canady was brought to Texas Tech for this exact reason. A headlining player at Stanford, Canady received a record-breaking NIL deal for a softball player, ensuring that she would be the focal point for this year’s Texas Tech team.

The Red Raiders have a strong pitching staff that also includes Chloe Riassetto and Samantha Lincoln but when it comes to big game moments, Canady has been relied on to get things done.

The WCWS championship begins on Wednesday, June 4 and will take place at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, ending either on June 5 or June 6 depending on how the first two games play out. Each game will air on ESPN.