Florida is back on the top of men’s college basketball, and it came with a gut-punching ending for Houston.
In the winding seconds of Monday’s NCAA Tournament national championship game, the Gators blitzed multiple Cougars ball-handlers on Houston’s final possession and it led to a costly turnover by Emanuel Sharp at half-court that resulted in a steal by Florida’s Alex Condon.
A swarm of Florida and Houston players went for the ball after Sharp let the ball bounce after attempting a 3-point shot. Condon then gobbled it up and held on for the Gators’ 65-63 victory at the Alamodome in San Antonio.
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Florida caused four turnovers on defense in the last 2:05 of the second half, while holding Houston scoreless in that same span. Like they had in the past two games in the Elite Eight vs. Texas Tech and the Final Four vs. Auburn, the Gators overcame a 12-point deficit in the second half to cut down the nets Monday.
With the win, Florida claimed its third national championship title in program history while Gators coach Todd Golden became the youngest coach since Jim Valvano to lead a team to a national title at 39 years old.
Here’s what you need to know on why Sharp was unable to touch the ball:
Why was Houston’s Emanuel Sharp unable to touch ball in national championship game?
Sharp was unable to touch the ball at the end of the national championship because he violated Rule 9, Section 5 Article 7 of the men’s college basketball rule book as he walked with the ball.
‘It is traveling when a player falls to the playing court while holding the ball without maintaining a pivot foot.’
Since Sharp jumped up in the air on the play on his shot attempt, he had to drop the ball and become essentially a non-existent player on the court for the Cougars. As noted by CBS’ Ian Eagle and Bill Rafferty in the broadcast, Sharp was called for a walk on the court.
‘He walked. He can’t touch it,’ Rafferty said.
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