Alijah Martin's emphatic impact for Florida in this Final Four comes after 2023 heartbreaker at FAU

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Alijah Martin never really liked talking too much about his first Final Four experience because of the heartbreaking way it ended with Florida Atlantic two years ago.

Now in what will be the graduate transfer guard's only season with Florida, he will get to play in the national championship game. He has already had an emphatic and electrifying impact for the Gators in this Final Four.

“This one means a lot. Because something I hadn’t done before was win a semifinal game in an NCAA Tournament,” Martin said Sunday. “And it was kind of a get-back for the FAU team and how we lost."

In Florida's 79-73 national semifinal victory over Southeastern Conference rival and No. 1 overall seed Auburn, the game was tied midway through the second half Saturday night when Martin beat All-American post Johni Broome to a loose ball for a momentum-turning steal and breakaway one-handed slam.

Martin later added another breakaway rim-rattling dunk, with two Tigers in the air around him. He finished with 17 points.

“The best thing he does for us is just those momentum plays,” Australian post Alex Condon said.

"I was in front of him a little bit, I thought he was going to pass the ball,” Gators guard Will Richard said of the second dunk. “Once I saw him loading up, I was like, let me try to clear a little path for him. ... We've been waiting on him to get a dunk like that all year, so it's good to see him get it in the Final Four.”

The Gators (35-4), in their first NCAA title game since back-to-back national championships in 2006 and 2007, take on Big 12 champion Houston (35-4) on Monday night.

Martin played the past four seasons at FAU, and was part of the Owls' unlikely run to the Final Four in 2023. They had a 14-point lead against fellow mid-major San Diego State before Lamont Butler's buzzer-beating jumper gave the Aztecs a 72-71 semifinal victory. Martin had 26 points and seven rebounds in that game.

When deciding to go into the transfer portal last year, after coach Dusty May left FAU for Michigan, Martin said he “wanted to go somewhere where I felt wanted and needed.”

The 6-foot-2 guard from Mississippi got to stay in Florida. While the Gators had the most returning players among his potential options, Martin had an immediate impact for a team that was coming off a first-round NCAA tourney loss.

“The mentality and the edge that he brought to this team from his first week on campus, I feel like that has risen our level of competitiveness and just the will to win on our team,” Richard said.

Condon, a sophomore, remembers what Martin was telling the team during conditioning work last summer.

“He was talking about, you know, you guys don’t know like what it takes to really get to the Final Four and win games in March,” Condon said. “We all kind of took a step back from that. ... By the end of it, we had a lot of trust that he really knew what he’s talking about and wasn’t going at anyone really. He was just saying, like, you guys need to trust me and just know what it’s going to take for us to get there.”

The national championship will be Martin's 38th game for the Gators, and the 162nd in his college career. His 14.6 points per game trail only All-America guard Walter Clayton Jr. on the team this season. He averages 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.

“Everybody on this team plays a significant role,” Martin said. “So I knew what I was bringing. I knew that I was going to be able to hold guys to a higher standard. and just raise the bar on those expectations.”

That bar gets no higher than a national title.

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Florida guard Alijah Martin scores over Auburn guard Tahaad Pettiford during the second half in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Florida guard Alijah Martin sits on the court after defeating Texas Tech in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Florida's Alijah Martin, center, lands after dunking the ball against Auburn during the second half in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Florida's Alijah Martin (15) dunks the ball as Auburn's Tahaad Pettiford (0) defends during the second half in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Florida's Alijah Martin (15) dunks the ball against Auburn during the second half in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Florida guard Alijah Martin celebrates after scoring against Auburn during the second half in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Florida guard Alijah Martin speaks during a news conference at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — The leader of Hungary's largest opposition party on Sunday told thousands of supporters that he would guide his country out of its international isolation if he defeats Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in elections scheduled for next year.

Péter Magyar, the leader of the Respect and Freedom (Tisza) party, represents the most serious challenge to Orbán's power since the right-wing populist leader took power in 2010. Recent polling suggests that Tisza has overtaken Orbán's Fidesz party as Hungary struggles with a stagnating economy and has been politically sidelined in the European Union over Orbán's policies.

Speaking at a rally in Budapest on Sunday, Magyar said that, if elected, he and his party would restore Hungary's relationships and reputation among its allies that have suffered as Orbán has attacked the European Union and pursued close relationships with autocracies like Russia and China.

“We will finally put our common affairs in order,” Magyar said. "Our homeland, Hungary, will once again be a proud and reliable ally of NATO. Hungary will once again be a full-fledged member of the European Union.”

Orbán, a self-described “illiberal” leader, has been accused by critics of having led Hungary out of the community of European democracies by eroding democratic institutions, violating judicial independence and taking over much of Hungary's media.

Since taking power in 2010, he and his Fidesz party have led the country with a two-thirds majority in parliament, and easily defeated any opposition.

But recent polls suggest that Tisza has pulled ahead of Fidesz in popularity as Magyar's campaign focuses on economic and social issues facing the country like persistent inflation, a poor healthcare system and alleged government corruption.

On Sunday, Magyar said Orbán's system “cannot be reformed, cannot be fixed, cannot be improved. This system can only be replaced, and that is what we will do — lawfully, democratically, but with determination, we will cut down the regime.”

Nóra Farkas, a supporter of Magyar at the rally, said she had hoped for Orbán's defeat in Hungary's last national elections in 2022, but that with around a year to go before the next ballot, she is more confident that change is possible.

“Anyone who thinks things are going well in this country is blind. Orbán and his circle are the main reason for the problems," she said.

Béla Szandelszky in Budapest, Hungary contributed.

Supporters attend a rally for the Hungarian opposition Tisza Party before the results of the party's public survey entitled 'Voice of the Nation' is announced in Budapest, Hungary, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (Zoltan Balogh/MTI via AP)

Leader of the Hungarian opposition Tisza Party Peter Magyar wave a Hungarian flag before the results of the party's public survey entitled 'Voice of the Nation' is announced in Budapest, Hungary, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (Zoltan Balogh/MTI via AP)

Leader of the Hungarian opposition Tisza Party Peter Magyar speaks to supporters before the results of the party's public survey entitled 'Voice of the Nation' is announced in Budapest, Hungary, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (Zoltan Balogh/MTI via AP)

Supporters attend a rally for the Hungarian opposition Tisza Party before the results of the party's public survey entitled 'Voice of the Nation' is announced in Budapest, Hungary, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (Zoltan Balogh/MTI via AP)

Leader of the Hungarian opposition Tisza Party Peter Magyar speaks to supporters before the results of the party's public survey entitled 'Voice of the Nation' is announced in Budapest, Hungary, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (Zoltan Balogh/MTI via AP)

Leader of the Hungarian opposition Tisza Party Peter Magyar speaks to supporters before the results of the party's public survey entitled 'Voice of the Nation' is announced in Budapest, Hungary, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (Zoltan Balogh/MTI via AP)