In the aftermath of the NCAA Final Four National Championship Game, which will haunt Houston's basketball program seconds away from its first title, specific words that head coach Kelvin Sampson said ahead of the contest against the Florida basketball squad may have proven prophetic—and not in a way the Cougars prefer.

“We're probably more of an offensive rebound and put it in for two than a ‘run the greatest play ever and have everybody go crazy' because you executed something,” Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson said following his team's stunning comeback against the Duke Blue Devils in the national semifinals.

What's the difference? It's two points,” the veteran coach continued.

Turns out, there would prove a big difference for a Cougs squad that didn't even get to attempt a shot on their final two possessions of the loss to the eventual champion Gators.

Lack of offense doomed Kelvin Sampson, Houston

Houston was probably the best defensive team in the country. And you can probably take the word probably out of that previous sentence. They were the best defensive team in San Antonio – which says quite a bit considering all four No. 1 seeds united for college basketball's grandest stage.

So good was their D that the Cougars talked about their modest offense with a badge of honor.

“We could not win this game in the 80's. We couldn't score 80,” Sampson said after his team beat Duke 70-67.

For 38 of the 40 minutes vs. the Blue Devils, their physicality and grit were enough to keep them close, but not enough to put the over the top. As they have all year, though, the Cougars found a way down the stretch. Given their 35-4 record following their victory against one of the great programs in all of college sports, in a sense, it's hard to blame the bravado that came with winning ugly.

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“What's the difference in running the most beautiful play in the world and somebody comes off the screen and you go bravo, great play. It's two points,” Sampson continued. “That's us.”

Duke has three likely lottery picks in the coming NBA Draft. Auburn has a potential first-rounder, and Florida featured the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player, who should also go in the late first/early second round. It's possible that Houston may not have a single player drafted this summer.

“We have to depend on unscripted points a lot of nights,” Sampson said, alluding to his team's lack of offensive firepower. “Unscripted points for us is second chance points.”

Houston didn't get an opportunity for second-chance points on either of their last two possessions of the national championship contest. Trailing by a point, they turned it over with 0:26 remaining. Then, down by two with seconds to go, their shot instead went awry to avoid a block and resulted in a turnover.

It was an ugly end for a team that won that way for most of 2024-2025. It almost proved their superpower. But, not being able to win another way proved their Achilles Heel against the country's best.