Photo by Kyle O Sullivan / Unsplash
By Charles Collier
On Saturday, April 5, 2025, at 5:09 pm, # 1 seed Florida will play # 1 Auburn. In the second game on April 5, 2025; # 1 seed Houston will face #1 seed Duke at 7:49 pm. The last and only time all four #1 seeds advanced to the final four was in 2008. In 2008, Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks won the title.
The Duke Blue Devils are favored to win their 6th college championship. They won college championships in 1991, 1992, 2001, 2010, and 2015. Freshman sensation Cooper Flagg leads them. He is averaging 19 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists. His court awareness, athletic ability, and will to win will be on display Saturday. He will likely leave Duke after his Freshman year and enter the NBA draft. Most NBA scouts project Flagg to be the first pick in the NBA draft. In addition to Flagg, Wisconsin native guard/forward Kon Knueppel adds much-needed scoring. He was the top-rated high school player in Wisconsin, and he won Mr. Basketball for the 2023-2034 season.
The Florida Gators are expected to advance and play Duke in the NCAA college championship game. Walter Clayton Jr. is the heart and soul of the Gators. Clayton Jr. averaged 18.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and averaged 4.2 steals this season. He has been outstanding in this year’s tournament, and he must play well if Florida is going to win Saturday.
Johni Broome is the best player on the Auburn Tigers. He is a finalist for the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy. He is a complete player and leads the Tigers’ team in rebounds, points, blocks, and assists. Broome will need to take his game to the next level if Auburn has a realistic shot to win.
I opine Duke and Florida will meet Monday, April 7, 2025, at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas to decide this year’s NCAA college championship. Duke is the most complete and best team in college basketball. At the end of the night, Duke will be cutting down the nets and will be crowned champions!