The Houston Cougars are headed to the Final Four for the first time in 37 years, as their Cinderella run in the tournament continues after beating the Oregon State Beavers, 67-61.
According to ESPN Stats and Info, the team also moved to 6-0 all-time in the Elite 8. It is the most wins by a program since the said round was instituted in 1951.
The Cougars were led by guards Marcus Sasser and Quentin Grimes, with the former recording a team-high of 20 points. Meanwhile, Grimes scored 18 points to lift propel Houston into the Final Four. The Beavers' comeback in the second half was just not enough, and their season, unfortunately, came to an end on Monday night.
Houston knew that it would take a lot for them to beat the Oregon State, as they could not let the 12th seed deceive them. Coach Kelvin Sampson understood well they would have to work hard to reach the Final Four, with the Beavers consistently proving that they had the drive and mentality to go as far as possible in the tournament.
“We know how good Oregon State is,” Sampson said Sunday, per ABC 13. “So we're going to have to play good. They're a lot more like us in that they get on the boards with athleticism and they play physical – should be a very good ballgame. We're looking forward to it.”
Now that Houston has come out of the Midwest victorious, their mission is not complete. Coach Sampson knew what it would take to win the Elite 8 matchup, but the Final Four game will bring new challenges that the Cougars need to adapt to if they want to go any further.