Is This the Year Houston Finally Wins It All?

The Houston Cougars are a legitimate threat to win the NCAA Tournament.

It’s been another excellent season in the Big 12 for Kelvin Sampson’s group. With a win over Baylor to close out their regular season, Houston finished conference play with a 19-1 record. They’ve won 23 of 24 heading into the Big 12 tournament, and have a ton of momentum going their way. Still, they’re not being placed in the same breath as some of the other top contenders for one reason or another.

Most of the talk around college basketball this season has surrounded the No. 2 ranked Duke Blue Devils and a historically competitive SEC. Duke always dominates headlines — whether they’re good or not — and having the likely Wooden Award winner in freshman Cooper Flagg only increases their overall visibility. The SEC’s dominance in non-conference games was impressive. ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi has 12 SEC schools in the 68-team field plus two others (Oklahoma and Texas) right on the bubble.

Houston ran through the Big 12 all season. Their lone conference loss came in overtime against the No. 9 ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders. They avenged that loss with a 69-61 victory in Lubbock two weeks ago. It’s been a seamless transition for Houston who joined the Big 12 two years ago after previously being a member of the American Athletic Conference. The Cougars are now 35-4 in regular season conference games since joining the Big 12.

Sampson’s team prides itself on the defensive end of the floor. Houston ranks 3rd in defensive efficiency on KenPom. The swarming defense is allowing just 58.0 PPG — best in the nation. They were good defensively last year, too, but this group is better offensively. KenPom has them ranked 10th (up 9 spots from last year) in offensive efficiency.

The biggest difference has been outside shooting. Last year, the Cougars shot 34.8-percent from three — 132nd in the nation. This year, they’re the 3rd best three-point shooting team in the country at 39.6-percent. Houston’s three best shooters — LJ Cryer, Emanuel Sharp, and Milos Uzan — are all well above 40-percent from beyond the arc.

A tenacious defense and knockdown shooting have kept them alive in every game this year. Among Houston’s four losses, three came in overtime and the other was a five-point defeat to the No. 1 ranked Auburn Tigers. No matter the opponent, Houston will keep the game close and have the opportunity to win it in the end.

When tournament play begins, Houston’s experience will showcase itself. The roster is led by several upperclassmen who have played in big games throughout their careers, and Sampson is no stranger to making it far in March. The Cougars have made it past the first weekend in five consecutive NCAA Tournaments. They’ve been bounced from the Sweet 16 in back-to-back years, the Elite Eight in ’22, and were a Final Four team in ’21. Sampson is still waiting for his first NCAA title, but he’s one of the most accomplished coaches in college basketball even without an NCAA title.

Houston has an elite defense, an experienced roster, good shooters, a top coach, and won a very good conference by four games. 2025 might finally be the year Sampson and his group win it all and stake their claim as a national powerhouse.