Florida basketball proved it could play physical and tough enough on defense, beating Houston at its own game for the national championship. Here's a breakdown:

The Florida Gators won the NCAA men’s basketball championship on Monday, defeating the Houston Cougars in a heart-stopping contest that went all the way down to the final play.

But Florida would not be denied. The Gators looked cooked when Houston opened up a 42-30 second-half lead. But Florida persevered and rallied for a 65-63 win to secure the program's third national championship. The victory denied Houston and head coach Kelvin Sampson each their first.

Here's a look at where USA TODAY Sports ranks the Florida Gators' three NCAA Tournament championship wins during this century.

Last time Florida basketball was at the top of the sport, it won back-to-back titles. Do the Gators have the roster to do it again?

It was fitting that Florida arrived nearly two hours late to its on-campus celebration Tuesday. After all, it was exactly how the Gators played while winning the NCAA Tournament. Coaches and players returned to Gainesville roughly 16 hours after rallying to beat Houston 65-63 in San Antonio to secure the program’s third national title.