Todd Golden - Gators 'respect' but don't fear Sampson, Houston - ESPN

SAN ANTONIO — At 39 years old, Todd Golden is one of the youngest college basketball coaches to lead a team to a national title game. Kelvin Sampson, who will turn 70 later this year, is one of the oldest.

The Houston leader has been a head coach for more than 40 years and reached the Final Four three times, but Sampson's success and experience do not intimidate the Gators, Golden said.

«I obviously respect everyone that we're playing against,» Golden said. «We don't fear people. We respect them. That goes for the coaches, as well. All these guys that we're competing against at this point are either Hall of Fame coaches or potentially on their way to being Hall of Fame coaches or really, really successful head coaches.

»The fact that we've been able to compete and stay alive through five games in the tournament, [we're] incredibly proud of that. This is a great opportunity again for us [Monday] night. Coach Sampson is a Hall of Fame head coach. If we're able to beat them, it will be a great honor."

On Saturday night, Sampson employed his top-ranked defense to beat Duke in the Final Four, despite being down by nine points with 1:31 to play in the game. After one of the most miraculous comebacks in NCAA tournament history, the Cougars will now play in their third national championship game.

Florida will also play in its third national championship game and its first since winning back-to-back national titles in 2006 and 2007. Golden said his team — ranked second in adjusted offensive efficiency on KenPom — will have to play smart to defeat a Houston squad that has held opponents to an average of 58.5 points per game, the top mark in the country.

«I mean, their defense worries me a lot, absolutely,» he said. «You look at a