Houston forward J’Wan Roberts speaks with media during the pre-Elite Eight press conference, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Indianapolis, Ind. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar
Forty minutes is all that stands between Houston and its first Final Four appearance since 2021. Those same minutes could also send them home, empty-handed once again.
On Sunday, the top-seeded Cougars face No. 2 seed Tennessee in the Elite Eight at Lucas Oil Stadium, the same venue where their 2021 national championship dreams crumbled.
“Cracking down on details this time of the year is really crucial because there are only so many possessions in the game, so each one is valuable,” redshirt junior guard Emanuel Sharp said.
Don’t change anything
Coach Kelvin Sampson’s team has been around him long enough to know he likes to keep things simple and block out the noise, no matter the narrative surrounding the program.
“I think they would be shocked if I approached this game any different than any other game we play,” Sampson said. “We’ll have a game plan and try to hit as many areas with our plan as we can.”
The only break from routine came after Houston’s 62-60 win over No. 4 seed Purdue in the Sweet 16, which didn’t end until after 1 a.m. Junior guard Milos Uzan scored the game-winning layup with 0.9 seconds left, just moments after inbounding the ball himself, setting up a Sunday afternoon contest for Houston.
“I didn’t prepare last night. I prepared for bed,” Sampson said. “My biggest decision last night was how many melatonin, because it’s hard to sleep when you get out of something like that.”
The Cougars had five days to prepare for the Boilermakers. Now, they have just 36 hours to get ready for No. 2 seed Tennessee, one of the nation’s top defensive teams.
Mirror match
Three of the four finalists for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year will appear in Sunday’s Midwest Regional Championship: Houston’s sophomore forward Joseph Tugler and Tennessee’s senior guards Jahmai Mashack and Zakai Zeigler.
Less than a rebound, a steal and a block stand between the two defensive powerhouses in their respective categories, with Houston being the top-ranked defense in the country, while Tennessee is ranked at No. 3
“It’s just about who is going to play the toughest,” redshirt junior guard Emanuel Sharp said. “As long as we go out and play Cougar basketball, we should be good.”
It’s the deflections, points off turnovers, second-chance points, and strategic plays, what Sampson likes to call unscripted points, that constantly make the difference for Houston.
“If you want to advance, you’ve got to do more,” graduate forward J’Wan Roberts said. “Just find different ways to impact winning that doesn’t show up on the stat sheet.”
Wilson, a game-time decision
One of the strongest Cougars at going off-script is graduate guard Mylik Wilson, who did not practice with the team on Saturday and stayed at the hotel after taking a hard fall in the second half of Friday’s game.
Wilson stayed in the game briefly before going to the locker room and never returning. He is a game-time decision against Tennessee.
“I don’t know if he will play tomorrow, but I do know he will be supporting us,” Roberts said.
Roberts, his roommate, and the man beside him as he crashed into the hardwood was up until nearly 5 a.m. supporting his teammate.
“Just trying to comfort him and let him know we got you. ‘You probably can’t be with us physically, but we know the heart that you have,’” Roberts said.
Wilson averages 17.5 minutes, 4.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals off the bench, creating a hole in Houston’s typical rotation if he doesn’t play.
However, the Cougars have had plenty of practice responding to adversity.
“When a brother’s down, I just feel like the next man is up,” Roberts said.
One thing is undeniable: every single Cougar will need to step up, because after 40 minutes of play starting at 1:30 p.m. CST on Sunday, March 30, one team will earn a ticket to San Antonio, Texas.
“They know what comes next, but whether it’s Houston or Tennessee that advances, I believe a really good team will be moving on,” Sampson said.
spots@thedailycougar.com
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“Forty minutes from the Final Four: Cougars aim to break through Tennessee” was originally posted on The Cougar