Houston Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson was spotted going wild on the sidelines as his team reached the NCAA Championship Final for the first time since 1984.
The Cougars had to pull off an upset, mounting an unbelievable comeback against Cooper Flagg’s Duke squad by outscoring the Blue Devils 9-0 in the final 35 seconds to win 70–67.
Kelvin Sampson’s Game-Winning Reaction Goes Viral
It’s safe to say this is one of the more passionate moments we’ve seen from Sampson during his time with the Cougars.
Kelvin Sampson is fired up
— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) April 6, 2025
Houston’s comeback efforts pushed them into the title game, and Sampson was clearly fired up.
How Kelvin Sampson Transformed the Cougars
When Sampson joined the Cougars, he inherited a broken team—one that hadn’t won an NCAA Tournament game since 1984—and a program suffering from neglect off the court.
“None of those places looked like this. So my first reaction was the administration doesn’t care,” Sampson said, referring to the state of the stadium during his first visit.
The Cougars’ head coach knew that championships were won with top-down support. From the start, he pushed Board of Regents Chairman Tilman Fertitta and President Renu Khator to back his vision.
“Tilman and President Khator, once I got my spiel out, once I told them where it was and what needed to be done, they were on board,” he said. “This does not happen without President Khator and Tilman.”
Under Sampson, Houston has reached two Final Fours and won nine conference championships—something few could have imagined when he first arrived.
And now, in the Alamodome on Monday, Sampson has a chance to make history as his team prepares to face the Florida Gators for its first NCAA title.
Kelvin Sampson Reacted To Heroic Comeback.
Following Houston’s dramatic comeback, Sampson was seen courtside celebrating wildly—firing up the crowd before hugging Hakeem Olajuwon and Jim Nantz, both alumni of the University of Houston.
The Cougars’ coach also addressed the media courtside after the game, calling out the lack of respect for his team while praising his veteran players as the foundation of the win.
“I hear what people say. ‘Duke this. Duke that.’ Duke’s great. Jon Scheyer is awesome. But don’t sleep on Houston. Don’t sleep on Houston. We weren’t 34-4 playing in the Toy Poodle League.”
Kelvin Sampson after Houston’s come-from-behind win over Duke. pic.twitter.com/vTfBA372qg
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 6, 2025
“I hear what people say. ‘Duke this. Duke that.’ Duke’s great. Jon Scheyer is awesome. But don’t sleep on Houston. Don’t sleep on Houston. We weren’t 34-4 playing in the Toy Poodle League,” Sampson said, referencing his team’s record in the Big 12.
“Well, it’s lucky to have them, but it’s not luck in that they do what they do, because that’s work. They trust their work. They trust their teammates,” he added, crediting his players’ effort and chemistry.
KEEP READING: NCAA Final Four Draws Huge Crowd: Fans Pack Stadium for a Historic Night in College Hoops
Sampson and the Cougars are set for a massive showdown with the Florida Gators in San Antonio’s Alamodome in just over 24 hours.
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