Houston basketball came into this season with high expectations after deep runs in back-to-back years in the NCAA Tournament and needless to say, they've lived up to the hype so far. The Cougars are a perfect 6-0 and on Monday, they were named the new #1 team in the nation in AP's Top 25 rankings. It's the first time since 1983 Houston has been ranked as the top program in the country and to head coach Kelvin Sampson, it was a special moment.
In fact, he was informed by his daughter.
“Houston basketball coach Kelvin Sampson says his daughter Lauren Sampson informed him the Cougars were No. 1 in the poll. “That's pretty cool, isn't it?” she told him.”
Sampson isn't ready to jump for joy after being #1 either though because he knows things can change in a hurry.
“Kelvin Sampson mentions Texas, UConn and Purdue as teams that are also deserving of a No. 1 ranking.”
“It will be musical chairs … you rent these things, you don't own it.”
It's so early in the season, so this doesn't mean a lot at the moment. But it's definitely a confidence-booster for a team that knows just how good they are. Houston basketball was in the Final Four in 2021, ultimately losing to eventual champs, Baylor. Then back in March, they were in the Elite Eight before falling to Villanova.
With a fantastic defense and a special trio in Marcus Sasser, Tramon Mark, and Jarace Walker who all bring experience to the table, the sky is the limit for the Cougars. They're one of the programs expected to be left standing when the Big Dance rolls around next year and at this rate, that could very well be the case.
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