Nine years ago, a relatively unknown Kelvin Sampson asked University of Houston students to come to support their basketball team. “Can I get a fist bump? I’ve got your eyes locked in,” he’d say, trying to breathe life into a program with empty seats and forgotten glory.
Fast forward to April 2025, where that same coach, now 69 years old, leads the Houston Cougars into the national championship game against Florida. The passionate plea that once echoed through the half-empty Hofheinz Pavilion has transformed into the battle cry of a basketball powerhouse, proving how far genuine connection and unwavering vision can take a program.
From Student Outreach to Championship Contender
When Sampson arrived at Houston in 2014, inheriting a 13-19 team, fan support was nearly nonexistent. His solution wasn’t just X’s and O’s. Instead, it was personal outreach. He engaged students directly, connecting with them through fist bumps and his signature phrase, “I’ve got your eyes locked in.”
View this post on Instagram
“Getting people to come to the game. So our first one’s tomorrow night, 7 o’clock,” he’d announce, bringing the energy of a locker room to academic buildings. “Can I get a fist bump? Boom. It’s on, fellas. See you tomorrow night at 7. It is on.”
Those early interactions captured in video resurfaced on social media, showing a coach willing to be vulnerable for his program. Attendance for the 2015-16 season, when Sampson secured a modest 22-10 record and NIT berth, averaged just 3,500 fans, with student sections often barren despite his efforts.
The phrase wasn’t just hype; rather, it was Sampson’s coaching philosophy distilled: Lock eyes, Commit, and Show up. These principles gradually became implicit in Houston’s basketball culture as Sampson’s rebuilding efforts gained traction, first with improved records and then with upgraded facilities.
Nine Years of Building a Championship Program
Nine years ago, Those hallway engagements laid the foundation for the most remarkable program renaissance in college basketball. By 2018, Houston broke through with its first NCAA Tournament win in 34 years. The 2021 Final Four appearance validated Sampson’s vision, but this year’s championship berth completes the circle.
The 2024-25 Cougars embody everything Sampson preached in those hallways nine years ago. Their 35-4 record, built on the nation’s top-ranked defense and a punishing rebounding advantage, reflects a team with eyes permanently locked in.
Houston’s tournament run has showcased their evolution from asking students to attend the games to commanding national attention. After crushing Longwood and outlasting Texas A&M, they defeated Gonzaga in the Sweet 16 and dominated Tennessee in the Elite Eight before their dramatic Final Four comeback against Duke.
Veterans J’Wan Roberts and LJ Cryer lead a roster constructed precisely in Sampson’s image: disciplined, selfless, and mentally tough. These players may not have witnessed those hallway engagements years ago, but they embody the same ethos that drove their coach to recruit fans one fist bump at a time.
Tonight’s championship matchup against Florida presents a stark contrast: Houston’s defensive fortress against the Gators’ high-powered offense. While Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr. and 7-footer Alex Condon present significant challenges, few would bet against Sampson’s defense-first approach, which has produced 14 straight victories.
For Sampson, this game transcends basketball. At 69, a win would make him the oldest coach to win an NCAA title and the first Native American head coach to do so. More significantly, it would end Houston’s 0-6 record in national championship games, finally delivering the title that eluded even the legendary Phi Slama Jama teams.
KEEP READING: Who Are LJ Cryer’s Parents? Meet the Former Grambling State Athletes Behind the Houston Star
Nine years after asking students to show up for support, Sampson has the entire basketball world’s eyes locked in on him. From empty seats to the sport’s biggest stage, his journey proves that sometimes the most excellent coaching isn’t done on the sidelines but in building relationships with students, one fist bump at a time.
Don’t miss a moment of March Madness! Download your 2025 NCAA Tournament printable bracket and stay on top of every game, matchup, and Cinderella story. Get yours now!
