“They had our backs against the wall”: Florida HC Todd Golden reflects on tough matchups vs UConn and Texas Tech on road to the NCAA championship

Todd Golden led Florida to its first national championship in 18 years. The Gators beat Houston 65-63 in the title game to etch their name in NCAA history.

It's been over a month since Florida's triumph, and on Monday, Golden reflected on some of the big hurdles his team overcame during the season.

"Yeah, we definitely had some tough situations," Golden said on 'The Sideline with Andy Kaz (2:16). "You know, the two main ones that stick out to me obviously UConn in the second round. They had their they had our backs against the wall for a majority of that second half. And again, you know, Walter Clayton and his teammates stepped up in the biggest moments to make huge plays. And, a similar situation with the Texas Tech game. You know, they played great, they were putting it on us a little bit down 10 with about four-and-a-half minutes to go.

"But in both those moments, I thought our leadership, you know, our maturity and our experience really stepped up. Walter, obviously, you know, the best player in the tournament and earned every accolade and award that he got across the way. But, it was a collective effort in each game.

Florida beat then-defending champion UConn 77-75 in the second round of March Madness. The Gators then took down Maryland in the second round before earning a hard-fought 84-79 win over Texas Tech in the Elite Eight.

While Golden has put his name into Florida lore, he will aim to build a dynasty at the program after signing a blockbuster extension with the team last week.

Todd Golden agrees six-year, $40.5 million extension at Florida

Florida Gators HC Todd Golden - Source: Getty

Last Tuesday, Todd Golden agreed on a lucrative six-year, $40.5 million contract extension with the Florida Gators. The new deal keeps the coach at the program through the 2030-31 season.

According to reports, Golden becomes one of the top-five highest-paid coaches in college basketball, earning $6.75 million annually. Florida finished with a 36-4 record when Golden led the program to the national title this past season.

Florida hired Golden in 2022. He has compiled a 76–33 record across three seasons.