Houston didn't need anyone to catch fire, they just adjusted the defense and locked in. I think Ohio State went like ten minutes without an actual basket (just free throws). Having the leadership of Davis and Robinson in the backcourt really sets Houston apart from most teams in the tournament.
Coach Sampson and the staff have really done a great job of scouting opponents and creating good gameplans. Can't wait to see what they come up with to handle Kentucky.
UH vs UK Friday @ 8:59PM on TBS. I am sure media will make UK the favorite but I really think this is a game we will win. Then more than likely our next stop will be against North Carolina. It's getting exciting. Two more wins gets us to final four. Nobody gives us much of a chance but I think our team can do this.
yeah they do a great job of taking away strengths and just making other teams go to plan B and so on. And of course credit goes to the players for actually buying into that
Agreed...and Ohio State was not gonna keep shooting like that regardless. When the Coogs never trailed by more than 2 while the Buckeyes were making everything they threw up there, I felt pretty confident.
What the country was like the last time UH made the Sweet 16 It's been 35 years since the University of Houston reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA men's basketball tournament. A look at what was going on – and the cost of some things – in 1984: Van Halen's 'Jump' was the No. 1 song on the music charts. Ronald Reagan was U.S. president. The first Macintosh personal computer hit the market. Price: $2,500. Gallon of gas: $1.10. Miss America: Vanessa Williams. 'Splash," starring Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah, hits movie theaters. Alex Trebek debuts as host of 'Jeopardy.' Average cost of a new house: $86,730. Michael Jackson wins eight Grammy Awards. Just a month earlier, the King of Pop's hair catches fire while filming a Pepsi commercial.
Creech: UH's identity on full display at NCAA Tournament Kelvin Sampson and his coaching staff didn't watch Ohio State much during the regular season. They were focused on their schedule, on the Cougars' conference opponents, on winning the games ahead of them. But by halftime on Sunday night, Sampson had the Buckeyes figured out. Defense. Rebounding. Playing hard. It sounds easy enough. It's a typical laundry list for a college hoops team. But over the last couple weeks, it's crystal clear that UH is focused on those three things and the Cougars have them down. Ohio State is making a boatload of 3-pointers? Adjust on defense. Check. Get a hand in every shooter's face. Check. Grab more defensive rebounds. Check. Dive for every loose ball. Check. Before they knew it, the Cougars were back in charge. Some teams search for identity all season, every season. Players in college come and go and teams' styles adjust accordingly. Sampson does not. His style, his checklist, his identity never changes. And the Cougars follow suit. Win or lose, UH is bringing its identity to every court the team steps on. And this identity is tough one. It won't be easy to beat.
When you think of it, these post-game pressers are so stupid. "How does it feel to win?" "Great!" "How does it feel to lose?" "Terrible" Thanks.
maybe some of the questions can be, but I wouldn't say the pressers are stupid. this tourney is a rare experience for alot of these guys. im sure they're loving it and taking it all in.
Solomon: Cougars carry champion's aura It takes a lot more than a hot shooting stretch to beat the University of Houston Cougars. Ohio State was out of its mind and statistical norm for half of Sunday's game. Houston was what it is. A strong-minded team and one of the best defensive teams in the country. That's the winning combination. They haven't talked about a championship as a goal much, but they carry themselves like champions. They believe. Kelvin Sampson has molded this squad into a unit that is balanced on one end of the court and nasty on the other. All of that was on display against Ohio State on Sunday. Four Cougars scored in double figures and another added nine points, with Corey Davis' Jr. leading the way with 21. The defensive effort kept Ohio State under 60 points, making the Buckeyes the 17th UH foe (in 36 games) to be held under 60 points. So, it's back to the Sweet 16: First time in 15 years for Sampson, first time in 35 years for UH. This combination will be hard to beat.
Bringing some memories, good and bad. Three straight trips to the Final Four. Came up empty. The last one was devastating with a last second tip dunk by Lorenzo White, who never made it to the NBA. But those were the glory days of UH basketball.
Old man's memories. Should have Googled before I wrote. Yes, very briefly, now that after I have checked. Didn't remember him playing.
Everybody remembers the Lorenzo Charles dunk (unfortunately...), but Derek Whittenburg (on NC State) was also a key reason that Phi Slamma Jamma lost that game. He played well in that game. Whittenburg went onto have an ok/journeyman NBA career, including a stint with hated and reviled Utah Jazz. Edit: Whittenburg was the one that did the shot/pass that Charles slammed home. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dereck_Whittenburg Further edit: *&^%$ It was Thurl Bailey that was on the Jazz, that had an Ok journeyman NBA career. But Thurl Bailey was another reason the Coogs lost that game. Man, there is some dust on those 30-year old memories.....
