HOUSTON – It’s that time of the year again! All eyes are on the college basketball scene at all points across the country. The Field of 68 will shrink quickly in the days ahead and for the University of Houston they hope they are the last team standing holding up the hardware as national champions.
The road to get to Arizona won’t be easy. It’s never easy but it’s a fun ride no player or coach would ever trade for.
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“It’s every kids dream,” UH Head Coach Kelvin Sampson told the media Tuesday morning. “If you play at this level you want the chance to play in March Madness. You want to be with your team with the cameras on you and stand up and give a group cheer capturing that moment and go through that week of preparation and trying to win a game. You had the opportunity to play with your brothers. Guys that you have been with every day since we started back in June.”
“We maintain our same routine but we have more people around, “added Sampson. “These are great memories, the winning and losing. Time cures all of that. You’ll always have that memory of having that opportunity to try versus being at a place where you never get to experience this. Getting the NCAA tournament is a memory they will remember forever.”
Ten years on the job molding his Cougar program and now Sampson has a powerhouse firmly in place. The Cougars sit on another 30-win season as they enter the tournament and if they can add six more to that total Sampson will earn the national title he convinced those that hired him would indeed happen one day.
Sampson believed and there’s no question his players have felt the same way. When you arrived at UH and play for Sampson there is no other mindset.
Play hard, play defense, be a good teammate and buy in to Sampson’s system and culture. The results have been pretty good.
“It’s a fresh feeling and startover, our record is back at zero,” said Emmanuel Sharp. “We can move on from the regular season and tournament and reset on the next six games we want to play.”
The battle in the Big 12 conference race is a great tuneup
“The amount of preparation before each game it feels like a tournament game each time,” added Sharp. “It’s prepared us for this tournament.”
L.J. Cryer knows all about the March Madness moments after his time at Baylor.
“You dream of playing in these types of games,” said Cryer. “Last year was my first time because I was hurt as a sophomore. I’m eager to be out there.”
“We have a great group of guards and best point guard and leader in the country,” said senior Cryer. " We’re confident going against other backcourts in the tournament. We play together so it will take a collective effort.”
As the Cougars prepare for what they hope is a three ride to Arizona fatigue could come into play. These recent days since losing the Big 12 tournament championship the rest has been welcomed.
“It’s important we want to be full strength going into the tournament,” said Cryer. “We have been getting after it though because we need the reps.”
UH opens as #1 seed in South Region Friday vs. Longwood at 8:20 p.m.