Houston’s Tough Stretch: Sampson’s Perspective on Losses to Iowa State, Arizona, and Kansas
LAWRENCE, Kansas — Kelvin Sampson’s Houston Cougars recently navigated a grueling stretch of games against top competition, facing No. 4 Iowa State, No. 2 Arizona, and No. 14 Kansas in quick succession. The three-game slide, the program’s first since 2017, has raised questions about Houston’s championship aspirations, but Sampson remains optimistic.
A Challenging Week
The Cougars entered the stretch having previously been ranked No. 5, but suffered defeats to Iowa State on February 16th, Arizona on February 21st, and Kansas on February 23rd. The Kansas game, played on Big Monday – a traditionally strong night for head coach Bill Self, who entered the contest with a 40-0 record on that night – proved particularly challenging. Kansas used an 11-0 run to close the first half and a 16-3 surge early in the second to secure a 69-56 victory.
Sampson’s Response
Despite the losses, Sampson emphasized a positive outlook. “We’re not gonna go jump off with the bridge ‘cause we lost this game,” Sampson stated after the Kansas defeat. “I knew what we were walking into, but I was really, really proud of our guys.” He acknowledged the difficulty of the schedule, framing the losses as potential learning experiences. Sampson also noted that the team was experiencing fatigue, with key players like Emanuel Sharp and Milos Uzan battling minor injuries.
Guard Struggles and Offensive Rebounding
Houston’s starting backcourt of Uzan, Sharp, and Kingston Flemings combined for just 28 points on 35 shots against Kansas, their worst performance of the season. Sampson attributed this to fatigue, noting that Sharp had played 35 minutes against Arizona and Uzan 38. A key factor in Houston’s offensive struggles has been their reliance on jump shots – more so than any other high-major team in college basketball. This reliance becomes more problematic when players are fatigued and shots aren’t falling.
Offensive rebounding, typically a strength for Houston, was also hampered by foul trouble for forward JoJo Tugler. When Tugler was on the floor, Houston’s offensive rebounding percentage was 23.6%, ranking No. 3 in the nation. However, when he was off the floor, that percentage dropped to 18.8%, ranking No. 83. Sampson highlighted Tugler’s importance, comparing him to aggressive, high-risk/high-reward quarterbacks of the past.
Looking Ahead
The three-game losing streak has significantly diminished Houston’s chances of winning the Big 12 Championship, and their odds of securing a No. 1 seed in the conference tournament are now less than 0.1%, according to CBB Analytics. However, Sampson remains confident in his team’s potential. He pointed to his coaching ability, the talent of his backcourt – featuring potential lottery pick Flemings and experienced veterans Sharp and Uzan – and the team’s consistent effort as reasons for optimism.
“I reckon these three games, even though we’re disappointed we lost them, it’s not the finish of the world,” Sampson said. “I don’t recognize if anybody had to play three straight games like this. We just ran out of steam.”
Despite questions about depth and offensive consistency, a Final Four appearance remains within reach for the Cougars.