For 30-plus minutes in Monday’s NCAA title game, Houston’s defense flustered a freewheeling Florida offense into playing its own grinding game.

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.

Houston was in control for much of the game and didn’t allow Florida to take a second-half lead until Alijah Martin hit two free throws with 46.5 remaining after drawing a foul on a drive to the basket. Florida never trailed again.

Houston turned the ball over on its ensuing possession, and Florida answered with a Denzel Aberdeen free throw to extend the lead to 65-63 with 19.7 seconds left. Houston had an opportunity to tie the game or take the lead on the next possession.

But Florida gave Houston a dose of its own defensive medicine with a smothering effort on the final possession of the game.

General Motors is recalling nearly 820,000 pickup trucks over a faulty electronic latch mechanism used to open the trucks’ tailgates, increasing the risk of road hazards and crashes.

Detroit-based GM said the affected vehicles include 570,434 Chevy Silverados and GMC Sierras with model years between 2020 and 2024 in the US, while an additional 249,000 were sold in Canada.

All of the gates on the affected trucks’ beds may short circuit if water gets into the electric tailgate, GM warned, meaning the hinged door could inadvertently fall open and unsecured cargo in the bed may exit the vehicle “if the driver does not manually close the gate before beginning to drive.”

Per GM’s safety notice, it received 136 complaints of the tailgate opening “while driving,” though the gate is only intended to open when the vehicle is parked.

Among the complaints, one customer reported a minor injury and three reported “minor property damage,” GM said, though it didn’t elaborate on the complaints.

NEW YORK — You are invited to Hoops Cabaret New York, often cited as America’s sexiest sports bar, to watch UFC 314, featuring Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes, on Saturday night, April 12.

The fan-favorite Hoops Cabaret, with numerous oversized HD TVs, and its gigantic Mega-Tron Video Wall is the ideal place to watch all sporting events. Every seat has a clear view of all the action.  

Alexander Volkanovski could become UFC featherweight champion again. After Ilia Topuria vacated the featherweight title, Volkanovski returns to reclaim what many still consider his division against the red-hot Diego Lopes, headlining UFC 314 for the vacant belt.

Despite his recent knockout loss to IliaTopuria, the Australian remains one of the most technically sound fighters in UFC history. His opponent Lopes burst onto the scene taking short-notice fights and knocking out ranked opponents. Their styles promise fireworks.

UFC 314’s fight card is incredibly stacked, featuring exciting matchups. The co-main event features the long-awaited Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett bout.

Hoops Cabaret combines the fun of a sports bar with the excitement of a gentlemen’s club. Hoops girl Jessica said, “The girls and I will be performing on stage and up close and personal for you all through the night. And the after-party here will be amazing!” 

Hoops Cabaret for the ultimate fan experience. Check out the Hoops VIP Man Cave, pop some bottles, and make it rain!