On Saturday night, two of the top teams in men’s college basketball clashed in a high-stakes battle with a trip to the national championship on the line. One team moved a step closer to glory, while the other was left heartbroken.
In a surprising turn of events, No. 1 seed Duke was upset by fellow No. 1 seed Houston in the Final Four at the Alamodome in San Antonio. Under head coach Kelvin Sampson, the Cougars closed the game on an 11-1 run, holding the Blue Devils to just one field goal in the final 10 and a half minutes to pull off a thrilling 70-67 win.
Despite Cooper Flagg’s standout performance, which included 27 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals, and three blocks, Duke couldn’t seal the deal. Flagg had a chance to give his team the lead with a midrange jumper in the final seconds, but the shot came up short.
L.J. Cryer led Houston with 26 points, supported by Emanuel Sharp’s 16. The Cougars, who trailed for most of the game and were down by nine with just over two minutes remaining, mounted a furious comeback and took the lead with under 20 seconds left.
Now, Houston will face Florida in the national title game on Monday after the Gators defeated Auburn in the other semifinal.
After years of climbing the ladder, this Houston squad is on the brink of making history. In their seventh Final Four and third national championship appearance, they’re aiming for their first-ever title. Under Sampson’s leadership over the past decade, Houston has transformed from a forgotten program into a national powerhouse. Now, just one game stands between them and a championship banner.
On Saturday night, two of the top teams in men’s college basketball clashed in a high-stakes battle with a trip to the national championship on the line. One team moved a step closer to glory, while the other was left heartbroken.
In a surprising turn of events, No. 1 seed Duke was upset by fellow No. 1 seed Houston in the Final Four at the Alamodome in San Antonio. Under head coach Kelvin Sampson, the Cougars closed the game on an 11-1 run, holding the Blue Devils to just one field goal in the final 10 and a half minutes to pull off a thrilling 70-67 win.
Despite Cooper Flagg’s standout performance, which included 27 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals, and three blocks, Duke couldn’t seal the deal. Flagg had a chance to give his team the lead with a midrange jumper in the final seconds, but the shot came up short.
L.J. Cryer led Houston with 26 points, supported by Emanuel Sharp’s 16. The Cougars, who trailed for most of the game and were down by nine with just over two minutes remaining, mounted a furious comeback and took the lead with under 20 seconds left.
Now, Houston will face Florida in the national title game on Monday after the Gators defeated Auburn in the other semifinal.
After years of climbing the ladder, this Houston squad is on the brink of making history. In their seventh Final Four and third national championship appearance, they’re aiming for their first-ever title. Under Sampson’s leadership over the past decade, Houston has transformed from a forgotten program into a national powerhouse. Now, just one game stands between them and a championship banner.