SAN ANTONIO – After 41 years, the opportunity has once again arrived for the University of Houston. The Cougars are in the national championship for the first time since 1984 and Houston basketball is 40 minutes away from achieving immortality in 3rd ward.
This program has never won a national championship — despite its rich history, from winning ‘The Game of the Century’ in 1968 with Elvin Hayes and Don Chaney, to the high-flying Phi Slama Jama era led by Houston legends Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler.
Now, with the most famous alumni in the Alamodome Monday night, Olajuwon, Drexler and legendary sportscaster Jim Nantz have a chance to see their beloved Cougars win a national title in 2025.
“Now playing for the national championship, you can see on their face that they’re especially happy knowing they went to the University of Houston, for us to be back at the top from where they was at,” graduate forward J’Wan Roberts said.
It is a very quick turnaround, especially after winning the way Houston did vs an overwhelming favorite in Duke with player of the year Cooper Flagg. It was a 14-point comeback on the biggest stage vs the most talented team, and excellent defensive execution down the stretch that powered the offense back to life.
Now just under 48 hours later, the Cougars will take on a great Florida Gators team for a chance to achieve history.
Game information: National Championship
Teams: Houston (35-4) and Florida (35-4)
Tip-off: 7:50 p.m.
Watch: CBS
Listen: KPRC 950, Westwood one
Late Game Situations
Both Florida and Houston have played in some really close contests so far, and have come out on top. These teams have that clutch ability to take over late.
Florida presents a different challenge in senior guard Walter Clayton Jr. Many compare him to the likes of Stephen Curry with the way he can shoot the ball off the dribble. His 3-point shots are seemingly automatic down the stretch. Clayton Jr has two straight games of scoring 30+ points, and saving the Gators vs Auburn in the Final Four.
Before that, Texas Tech had Florida on the ropes, down nine with around three minutes to go. Clayton Jr turned on the heat from outside the arc and willed Florida to San Antonio with 30 points. It will be a challenge guarding Clayton just like it was for Flagg, but Houston will be ready and the no.1 defense knows what is coming.
“You should read the room and see who’s going to get the ball and what type of play is about to be ran so you can be in positions to be prepared. If the game is close, we know who’s getting the ball,” Roberts said.
Roberts mentioned how in the semifinal vs Duke, all their minds went to Flagg, but trying to make it a hard contest. The team is mentally prepared for anything, and after Saturday it shows.
Grateful for the opportunity
“I’m glad last night was not our last game, that we do have a next game. That’s a good thing for this group, because I’ve enjoyed coaching this team,” Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson said.
Sampson and the athletes spoke on Sunday, and many felt grateful to have the chance they have to play in a national championship and potentially win a title for Houston.
“It’s a lot of gratitude, a lot of appreciation for having this opportunity,” Sampson said.
Junior point guard Milos Uzan transferred to Houston this season and has now reached the big game, after constantly improving and letting the program develop him.
“You pray for times like this. That’s a big reason why I came here to win the whole thing,” Uzan said.
For Roberts and graduate guard LJ Cryer, it is the last game of their collegiate careers. They want to head out on top of the sport.
“Definitely means a lot to be able to continue putting this jersey on, playing with our brothers. I’m enjoying it. Just living in the moment,” Cryer said.
Latest on Florida
The Gators won the SEC tournament championship this season and are on an 11 game win streak. Clayton Jr’s 34 points and five threes led the way along with graduate guard Alijah Martin’s 17. Martin played for FAU when the Owls made a final four run in 2023, but lost to San Diego State in the semifinals.
Clayton leads Florida with 18.5 PPG and Martin is second with 14.6 PPG. Just like Houston with Emanuel Sharp and LJ Cryer, the guard play scoring is big-time. Sophomore forward Thomas Haugh has also showed up for Florida when they need it, even from three.
Florida head coach Todd Golden gave credit to Houston and their in his Sunday press conference.
“They’re the best defensive team in America. They have just a great identity as a program of just being both physically and mentally tough,” Golden said.
Golden added more about the matchup and the contrasting styles of the teams.
“We’re an elite offensive team, a top 10 defensive team. They’re a top 10 offensive team and elite defensive team. Their defense worries me a lot, absolutely,” Golden said.
While Florida may be slightly taller, it doesn’t matter when playing Houston. That was seen vs a much larger Duke team where the Cougars’ defense made an impact with sophomore forward Joseph Tugler.
“I was so proud of JoJo because we worked so hard on staying down on shot fakes,” Sampson said.
Tugler won multiple defensive player of the year awards this season and his 7’6 wingspan makes him a unique player with his jumps.
“Everybody’s tall. Central Florida is much taller than we were. What’s that got to do with anything? If you can score, you can score,” Sampson said.
Houston’s and Florida’s guards are similar height, and it will come down to who can make those big shots from beyond the arc. Cryer, at 6’1, still put up 26 points over much taller Blue Devils defenders, a lot of those very difficult makes.
“We have to find different ways to impact winning and find ways to get second shots when the first shots ain’t falling,” Roberts said. “When you get offensive rebounds, second-chance points, points off turnovers, I feel like that can get you back in the flow of the game if you’re having a bad shooting night.”
Florida has the no. 2 ranked offense in the country and the Cougars will need to bring that same level of intensity they brought in the last eight minutes vs Duke.
This game could be something that Houston remembers forever. An opportunity to make history. UH already became the first Texas school to reach a Texas national championship. They could win it all in their home state, built on the culture that Houston has developed with Sampson at the helm.
“We standing on those guys’ shoulders, everyone who came before us. It would mean a lot to get this done, not only for us, but for them,” Cryer said.