No. 1 seed Houston is headed to the Final Four for the second time in the past five seasons after imposing its will on No. 2 seed Tennessee for a 69-50 win in the Elite Eight on Sunday. The Cougars used a masterful defensive effort to build a 22-point first half lead and then held on late for their 17th consecutive victory.

The Florida Gators and Houston Cougars will collide in San Antonio’s Alamodome for the men’s national title on Monday after a Final Four that was simply magical.

This ending was gritty and ugly, just the way Houston usually likes games. Except it was Florida forcing bad shots and turnovers against the Cougars to finish off the national championship game Monday night.