Houston Cougars march to Final Four
HOUSTON (BVM) — After matching up against the Oregon State Beavers, the Houston Cougars are on their way to their first Final Four since 1984.
It will be the first Cougar team in the Final Four since the famous “Phi Slamma Jamma” teams that featured Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler made back-to-back national championships in 1983 and 1984.
After a scare in the second round against Rutgers, the Houston men’s basketball team has been on a good run of late. Peaking at the right time can mean a lot for a team with championship aspirations.
After beating the Scarlet Knights 63-60, the Cougars handed the Syracuse Orange a 16-point loss. The Cougars moved into the Elite Eight and faced another Cinderella team in Oregon State.
The Cougars jumped out to a 34-17 halftime lead and it looked like Houston was going to roll right through Oregon State. It was Oregon State’s lowest first-half score of the entire season. But the Beavers would not go away quietly.
Oregon State used a 17-3 run to tie the game at 55 with 3:48 minutes left. Houston’s defense would ultimately clamp down the Beavers offense, only allowing two more field goals the rest of the way.
“For this team to be 28-3 and going to the Final Four, this is one of the greatest accomplishments I’ve been around,” Houston basketball head coach Kevin Sampson said in the postgame press conference. “I have this group of players, this staff, everyone on this staff, all the players to thank for it. I’m glad they let me [come] along on the ride with them. It’s been a fun ride with this group.”
Houston, we did it #ForTheCity!
For the sixth time in school history, the Cougars are headed to the Final Four!#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/O0ChNxMBqm
— Houston Men's Hoops 🏀 🐾 (@UHCougarMBK) March 30, 2021
