Houston Cougars aim for history in Final Four
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
It's almost game time, Houston. Photo: Joe Robbins/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
The Houston Cougars men's basketball team faces a tough challenge against the Duke Blue Devils in the Final Four Saturday night at San Antonio's Alamodome.
Why it matters: A win advances the Coogs to their first national championship game since 1984 when Phi Slama Jama fell to Georgetown.
Driving the news: The Houston-Duke game will follow the Florida- Auburn matchup.
- This is only the second time in the modern March Madness era that all four teams in the Final Four are No. 1 seeds.
Flashback: The Coogs, under the direction of head coach Kelvin Sampson, have made tournament runs each season since 2018 but only landed in the Final Four twice.
Catch up quick: Houston (34-4) cruised through its first four tournament games, topping SIU Edwardsville, Gonzaga, Purdue and Tennessee.
- They're entering Saturday's showdown with a 17-game win streak.
- Duke features the projected No. 1 overall pick in this year's NBA draft, Cooper Flagg, and is favored by 5.5 points.
What they're saying: On "The Herd" this week, Sampson acknowledged the challenge his team faces against a well-funded opponent with a stacked lineup.
- "We played in the Big 12 the last two years, and … there's a lot of really good teams," Sampson said. "Will it be good enough? I don't know. Maybe it will, maybe it won't."
- "At the end of the day, every team has to focus on what they do good and try to be the best version of themselves for that 40 minutes," Sampson said.
My thought bubble: Having fallen to Duke in the Sweet 16 last year, a win Saturday would not only give Houston a historic return to championship hardwood but also a bit of sweet revenge.
- With the stakes this high, I can't wait to find a place to watch with some friends.
Heads up: The University of Houston is hosting its official watch party at Avenida Houston starting at 6:30pm Saturday, but rain is in the forecast.
- If that doesn't sound like your cup of tea, check out KHOU's list of other watch parties around town.
What's next: Tip off is slated for 7:49pm on CBS.
- The winner plays in the national championship Monday.