Todd Golden has led Florida to the Final Four after knocking off Texas Tech, 84-79, in an instant classic Elite Eight matchup. The Gators were down by double digits in the second half before Walter Clayton Jr. (30 points) and Thomas Haugh (20) caught fire from deep late to help the team get the win.
This is the first Final Four for Florida since 2014, with the Gators getting there in Golden’s third season as the head coach in Gainesville. Before he was the coach at Florida, he was the head coach at the University of San Francisco, and he got to cut the nets down where his coaching career began.
Golden was the coach at San Francisco from 2019-22, finishing with a record of 57-36. His best season was his final year, when he led the Dons to a 24-10 record and a spot in the NCAA Tournament. They lost to Murray State 92-87 in an overtime classic, and then he became the coach at Florida a few days later.
Golden is also a West Coast native after growing up in Phoenix and playing for Saint Mary’s in college. But he’s now taken the SEC by storm and has Florida as a popular pick to cut down the nets as the eventual national champion.
The Gators will be in San Antonio next weekend, and they will take on the winner of the Auburn and Michigan State game that takes place on Saturday.
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