The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament has reached a remarkable end, and what a run it was! The Florida Gators have won the championship, and they deserve their flowers. Houston, on the other hand, has had a historic run. Although they missed out on the trophy, their records were incredible.
Impressive Regular Season and Early Round Victories for Houston
The Houston Cougars had a dominant regular season, posting a 35-5 record. They also won the Big 12 conference championship with a 19-1 record, early signals of a great season.
The season started with the Midwest Region first-round play-off against the Siu Edwardsville Cougars. Houston Cougars dismantled them with a commanding 78-40 win, with Uzan dropping 16 points and Cryer providing four assists.
Next was the second round against the Gonzaga Bulldogs. It was the perfect match to prepare Houston for what was to come, and they came out victorious with an impressive 81-76 win. This time, Cryer dropped an impressive 30 points, his highest-scoring game of the tournament.
Having made it through the early rounds, it was clear that Houston would be a force to reckon with in the tournament. But more significant tests were to come. The Purdue Boilermakers gave them a run for their money, and it took a late bucket from Uzan to send Houston into the Elite Eight with a 62-60 win.
The Elite Eight match against Tennessee showed how impressive Houston’s defense was. They dismantled Tennessee 69-50 to progress to the Final Four. The Final Four was against the tournament favorites, Duke.
But Houston was up for the battle and came prepared to prove their worthiness for the final.
Houston rallied to beat Duke 70-67 in the Final Four to set up their final against Florida Gators. They were the comeback kings, giving the match their all up to the final minute. They won all five games to reach the final, and the sixth looked possible for the team.
A Narrow, Painful Loss
Having shown their resilience and doggedness throughout the season, Houston ended the season in heartbreak. Houston had the upper hand throughout the game, and although the margins were small, it felt like a walk in the park for Houston.
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Sadly, they wasted a 12-point lead in the first half and went scoreless for over four minutes, contributing to their losing the game 63-65. This defeat is a tough pill to swallow, but what the team has done is remarkable.
They are at the peak of their power, and now is the time for them to focus on the future.
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