HOUSTON – The Cougars' basketball program is historic and will always be recognized for the success of the Phi Slama Jama era, but when Kelvin Sampson took over the program before the 2014 season, it was in a big slump.
He quickly turned the program around, and now, the team is not only playing in the NCAA tournament, it's a No. 6 seed.
In the first round, the Cougars face No. 11 seeded San Diego State.
Some are considering it a bit of a rematch after the UH football team played against the Aztecs in the Las Vegas Bowl in 2017.
Sampson is expecting it to be a tough matchup for his team, and he said the seeds mean nothing.
To get to the tournament was a big accomplishment to begin with, but now, the Cougars want to win.