The NCAA Men’s Final Four is an all-out extravaganza. Everything about it screams top dollar. The motto, “The Road Ends Here,” is brought to life in every detail, from the star-studded hallways to the treatment of the players and even the media. But the real MVPs aren’t the media, the players, or the programs. It’s… Read more »
Tag: Houston Cougars
Late Turnovers End Houston’s Championship Hopes
By Joshua Miranda Sports Capital Journalism Program SAN ANTONIO – The taste of victory is sweet, but defeat is bitter. The closer defeat is to victory, the more the bitterness intensifies. Tonight, the Houston Cougars left the Alamodome in San Antonio not just with a loss, but with a bitter memory, a bitter anger and… Read more »
Florida Overcomes 12-Point Deficit to Defeat Houston for National Championship
By Alec Millender Sports Capital Journalism Program SAN ANTONIO — In a gritty, back-and-forth national championship game, the Florida Gators rallied from a 12-point second-half deficit to defeat the Houston Cougars 65-63 on Monday night, earning their third NCAA men’s national basketball championship and depriving the Cougars of the school’s first title. Florida (36-4) tied… Read more »
Sampson Weighs the Impact of a First National Title; Cryer Looks Toward a First-Ever Double
By Alec Millender Sports Capital Journalism Program SAN ANTONIO — Eighteen hours after the fifth-largest comeback in Final Four history, the emotions were still intense inside the Houston Cougars locker room on Sunday. A 36-3 season has brought them within one win of a national championship, and for head coach Kelvin Sampson, within reach of… Read more »
Inside the Duke Locker Room At The Sudden, Painful End Of A Season
By Joshua Miranda Sports Capital Journalism Program SAN ANTONIO – There was no place where heartbreak felt more real than in the Duke locker room late Saturday night. The Duke Blue Devils had just lost in agonizing fashion to the Houston Cougars, 70-67, in a national semifinal of the NCAA men’s tournament. The Cougars, staying… Read more »
Houston Stuns Duke, Reaches First National Championship Game Since 1984
By Alec Millender Sports Capital Journalism Program SAN ANTONIO — Houston didn’t just survive. Houston believed. Trailing Duke by 14 points with 8:17 remaining, the Cougars roared back with an unforgettable 11-1 run in the last 74 seconds, stunning the Blue Devils 70–67 in a national semifinal in the Alamodome. The comeback was the fifth-largest… Read more »
Sampson’s Influence on Houston’s Success: ‘We Develop Guys Into Five Stars’
By Alec Millender Sports Capital Journalism Program SAN ANTONIO – The Houston Cougars do not just rely on talent. Their success in a 35-3 season has been built upon culture, a relentless, all-encompassing standard that defines their program from top to bottom. At the heart of that culture is head coach Kelvin Sampson, a man… Read more »
The Unsung Heroes Behind Duke’s Final Four Run
By Alec Millender Sports Capital Journalism Program SAN ANTONIO — Teams always talk about being connected, about playing for each other. But the Duke Blue Devils truly live that message. Ask any player on the roster who the unsung hero is, and you’ll get a different answer every time. That’s not just a testament to… Read more »
Houston’s Defensive Dominance Carries the Cougars to the Final Four
By Alec Millender Sports Capital Journalism Program INDIANAPOLIS — In a dominant performance that showcased why they’ve been one of the nation’s toughest teams all year, the Houston Cougars advanced to the Final Four for the first time in four years and the seventh in school history with a 69-50 win over the Tennessee Volunteers…. Read more »
Uzan’s Last-Second Heroics Help Houston Reach Midwest Regional Final
By Chris Schumerth | @ChrisSchumerth Sports Capital Journalism Program INDIANAPOLIS — It is not an exaggeration to say that if Milos Uzan had not shot 6-for-9 from the 3-point line against Purdue in the Sweet 16, the University of Houston men’s basketball team would probably be home by now, ready to watch the Elite Eight… Read more »