"Kelvin Sampson; The Houston redemption!" - College basketball insider praises Sampson as Houston beats #1-seeded Arizona to qualify for Elite 8
The Houston Cougars sent the college basketball world into a frenzy with their upset win over the No. 1-seeded Arizona Wildcats on Thursday.
Houston reached its second consecutive Elite Eight with a 72-60 victory on Thursday night in San Antonio, Texas. The 15th-ranked Cougars (32-5) will face No. 2 seed Villanova (29-7), ranked sixth, in the South regional final on Saturday. the Villanova Wildcats topped No. 11 seed Michigan 63-55 earlier Thursday.
The winner advances to the Final Four in New Orleans.
It was a massive win for Houston and coach Kelvin Sampson, one of college basketball's top coaches. Sampson resigned from powerhouse Indiana in February 2008, and the NCAA handed him a five-year show-cause penalty as a result of serious recruiting allegations. He spent six seasons as an assistant coach in the NBA before being hired by midmajor Houston in 2014.
It seems as if every year in the NCAA Tournament, Sampson gets his players to take their abilities to another level. This year was no different, as the Cougars dominated the game against the second-ranked Wildcats (33-4) from start to finish.
After a losing first season under Sampson, the Cougars have had six straight winning seasons, going 199-69. Sampson led UH to the Final Four last season and the Sweet 16 in 2019. They've never had a first-round exit in four tournament appearances.
College basketball analyst Jon Rothstein praised Sampson and the Cougars after their eye-opening performance.
"Kelvin Sampson. The Houston Redemption," Rothstein tweeted.
Kelvin Sampson. The Houston Redemption.
Houston thriving after upset victory against Arizona
Coming into the Sweet 16 game, the matchup was expected to be close. Instead, the Cougars took control early and never looked back. Each time Arizona seemed to make a run, Kelvin Sampson's team answered.
The Cougars next face a brutal challenge against the Villanova Wildcats.
FINAL: No. 5 Houston 72, No. 1 Arizona 60
Tough ending for the Wildcats' impressive season -- but Houston is peaking at the right time. The Cougars were dominant.
Sampson remains as one of college basketball's most impressive coaches. He led Oklahoma to the Final Four in 2002 and the Sweet 16 in 1999 before landing the Indiana job in 2006.
With Sampson's team oozing confidence, it's going to be fascinating to see if the team can continue to shock the world as they get ready for Villanova.
With Houston's gritty roster that loves to run in the open court, fans will be watching to see how far the Cougars can go.