KELVIN SAMPSON

Houston and Texas remain firmly entrenched atop The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll, while preseason No. 1 North Carolina has dropped out entirely after a fourth straight loss.

Houston and Texas remain firmly entrenched atop The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll.

J’Wan Roberts scored 15 points, Marcus Sasser added 13 and top-ranked Houston held on to beat Saint Mary’s 53-48.

North Carolina had been No. 1 all season, but the Tar Heels lost to Iowa State and Alabama at the Phil Knight Invitational to cede the top spot to Houston.

For the first time since Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler roamed the hardwood for Phi Slama Jama, Houston is ranked No. 1.

Houston is the No. 1 team in the AP men's college basketball poll.

Michigan State was underrated, Houston is stacked and Texas is a contender. All this and more in Andy Katz's weekly college hoops notebook.

Cougars roll Northern Colorado in opener as Sampson wins 700th

The Houston Cougars are talented, tough and steeped in Kelvin Sampson's culture. They're also No. 3 in our preseason countdown.

The Houston Cougars are a potential Final Four team next season, and their program just got much better.

The Cougars are nationally ranked and receive millions in university support—so why does UH consistently play in a half-empty home stadium?

Guard Marcus Sasser will withdraw from NBA draft consideration and return to UH.

The college basketball season just ended, but it’s never too early to dream about next season’s possibilities, especially with such a bright future expected for University of Houston men’s basketball!

Here are things to know for Monday, March 28:

KPRC 2 Sports Director Randy McIlvoy has final thoughts and observations from the Elite Eight.

Houston is out of the NCAA Tournament, yet the Cougars look built to stay around as a power program for a long time.

The Cougars are a win away from getting to the NCAA Final Four for the second year in a row.

Insiders, here’s your chance to win free tickets to the University of Houston's Sweet 16 game against Arizona.

As the University of Houston men's basketball team prepares for the Sweet 16, there will also be an official watch party for Cougars fans to watch the big game.

Taze Moore scored 21 points, Jamal Shead added 18 and Houston, a Final Four team last season, advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament with a 68-53 win over Illinois.

The Cougars are heading to Pittsburgh to compete in March Madness for yet another year.

Kyler Edwards had 20 points with six 3-pointers and 18th-ranked Houston advanced to its fourth consecutive American Athletic Conference championship game with an 86-66 semifinal win over Tulane.

University of Houston men’s basketball head coach Kelvin Sampson has been named a semifinalist for college basketball’s Naismith Coach of the Year award.

Kelvin Sampson won AAC Coach of the Year for the third time for good reason.

The American Athletic Conference has named University of Houston men’s basketball head coach Kelvin Sampson as its Coach of the Year.

J’Wan Roberts’ dunk with 1.3 seconds remaining in double overtime gave No. 14 Houston a stirring 76-74 victory over Wichita State.

University of Houston men's basketball head coach Kelvin Sampson has been named to the watch list for college basketball's Naismith Coach of the Year award.

Taze Moore had 14 points and seven rebounds, Fabian White Jr. added 12 points, and No. 14 Houston snapped a two-game losing streak with a 70-52 win over Central Florida.

Fabian White Jr. scored 16 of his career high-tying 21 points in the first half and No. 6 Houston beat Tulane 73-62 on Wednesday night for its 11th straight victory.

Auburn remains No. 1 in The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll for the second straight week.

Kyler Edwards scored 13 of his 17 points in the first half and Josh Carlton added 13 points and 15 rebounds as No. 7 Houston beat UCF 63-49 on Saturday night for its 10th straight victory.

Kyler Edwards had 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists and No. 10 Houston used a big first half to defeat East Carolina, 79-36.

Preseason No. 1 Gonzaga has climbed back to the top of The Associated Press men’s basketball poll, ending Baylor’s five-week run.

Kyler Edwards made seven 3-pointers as part of his 29 points, and No. 11 Houston held off several rallies by Tulsa for a 66-64 win on Saturday night.

Josh Carlton had 22 points and 12 rebounds as No. 12 Houston beat Wichita State 76-66.

Josh Carlton had a career-high 30 points with 11 rebounds and No. 12 Houston beat South Florida 83-66.

Fabian White Jr. had 15 points and 14 rebounds, and Jamal Shead scored 14 points to lead depleted No. 12 Houston past Temple 66-61 on Sunday night.

Jamal Shead scored 18 points and Fabian White had 15 points and 10 rebounds as No. 14 Houston beat Oklahoma State 72-61 on Saturday in the lone game of the scheduled Hoop Hype XL College Basketball Showcase doubleheader at Dickies Arena.

Josh Carlton had 17 points and nine rebounds, Jamal Shead added 16 points and No. 14 Houston beat Louisiana-Lafayette 71-56 on Tuesday night.

JD Davison’s putback dunk with 33 seconds left and a final defensive stop gave No. 9 Alabama a 83-82 victory over 14th-ranked Houston on Saturday night.

Tramon Mark tied a career high with 22 points, Josh Carlton added 17 and No. 15 Houston won its third straight, beating Bryant 111-44.

Fabian White Jr. scored 21 points and No. 12 Houston rode a dominating first half to a 70-52 win over Butler in the opening round of the Maui Invitational.

With six top-25 teams among the state's men's and women's programs, there's never been a better time to be a basketball fan in Texas.

Marcus Sasser scored 26 points, Kyler Edwards added 18 points and six rebounds, and No. 15 Houston routed Rice 79-45.

Marcus Sasser scored 25 points, Taze Moore added 12 and No. 15 Houston rallied from a 13-point deficit in the second half to defeat Hofstra 83-75 in overtime.

Houston had reached the program's first Final Four in nearly four decades through tough defense and relentless rebounding. But the Cougars struggled with both areas in Saturday's 78-59 loss to Baylor in the national semifinals.

Jared Butler scored 17 points to lead five Baylor players in double figures, and the Bears roared to a 78-59 victory over Houston in the Final Four.

Gonzaga has given fans the NCAA championship game they wanted with a shot for the ages.

As he prepares for the Final Four game against Baylor, Houston coach Kelvin Sampson grew emotional talking about his father.

Coach Kelvin Sampson leads the Cougars to their first NCAA Final Four appearance in 37 years, and Sampson’s second time advancing to the Final Four since leading Oklahoma in 2001.

Somebody will be doing a joyful Texas two-step after Baylor and Houston meet Saturday night in the Final Four.

Bonnie Bishop and Trevor Daniel are just two of the best concerts this week.

Gonzaga (30-0) has been an offensive juggernaut rarely seen in college basketball. Ad“Everyone wants us to keep moving forward, but that’s not how we roll,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. That doesn’t lessen our desire to win this game, the next game or win two more games.”The next one won't be easy. The Bears were embroiled in one of the darkest scandals in college basketball history, when Patrick Dennehy was murdered by teammate Carlton Dotson in 2003. They played in the Final Four.”___More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/College-basketball and http://www.twitter.com/AP_Top25

Houston overcame a blown 17-point lead to hold off Oregon State 67-61 in the NCAA Tournament and reach the Final Four for the first time in 37 years.

Yes, Houston is going back to the Final Four for the first time since the famed “Phi Slama Jama” era after Monday night's 67-61 win against Oregon State. And Houston knocked down enough free throws late while holding Oregon State without a basket during a critical 3 1/2 minutes. Fittingly, it was DeJon Jarreau — the American Athletic Conference's defensive player of the year who led the effort that stymied Oregon State star Ethan Thompson — who was named the most outstanding player of the Midwest Region. “It was right there within our grasp with the effort we showed in the second half,” Oregon State coach Wayne Tinkle said. They held the Beavers to 35% shooting in the first half before Oregon State found some openings.

INDIANAPOLIS – Houston overcame a blown 17-point lead to hold off Oregon State 67-61 on Monday night in the NCAA Tournament, reaching the Final Four for the first time in 37 years. Grimes’ 3 from near the top of the arc finally steadied the Cougars, and Houston knocked down enough free throws down the stretch while holding Oregon State without a basket during a critical 3 1/2 minutes. AdMarcus Sasser scored 20 points to lead Houston while Grimes added 18. Fittingly, it was DeJon Jarreau -- the American Athletic Conference’s defensive player of the year who led the effort that stymied Oregon State star Ethan Thompson -- who was named the most outstanding player of the Midwest Region. They held the Beavers to 35% shooting in the first half before Oregon State found some openings.

... Oregon State opponents are shooting just 31.3% overall and 23.1% from 3-point range in the NCAA Tournament. That Missouri squad lost a regional final to an Oklahoma team coached by Kelvin Sampson, who’s now at Houston. … Arkansas is in a regional final for the first time since 1995, when it lost to UCLA in the championship game. … Arkansas’ Justin Smith is averaging 20.3 points and 11 rebounds in three NCAA Tournament games. Arizona and Indiana are both in an NCAA regional final for the first time.

Quentin Grimes scored 14 points to help Houston beat Syracuse 62-46 in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. That sent the second-seeded Cougars through to their first regional final in 37 years, earning a matchup with No. Houston (27-3) came in holding opponents to a national-low 37.3% shooting, and then harassed Syracuse (18-10) into just 28% (14 for 50). "It's the best defense that that we've seen this year and they deserved to win," coach Jim Boeheim said. Subscribe to Today in Houston Fill out the form below to subscribe our new daily editorial newsletter from the HPM Newsroom.

Now it's taken coach Kelvin Sampson's team somewhere new: the program's deepest NCAA Tournament run since the days of Olajuwon, Drexler and the famed “Phi Slama Jama." Quentin Grimes scored 14 points and Houston's defense locked down on surging Buddy Boeheim, helping the Cougars beat Syracuse 62-46 on Saturday night in the Sweet 16 while holding the Orange to their lowest point total in an NCAA Tournament game. That sent the second-seeded Cougars through to their first regional final in 37 years, earning a matchup with No. “It’s the best defense that that we’ve seen this year and they deserved to win,” coach Jim Boeheim said. Syracuse had shot at least 52% each time while making 29 3-pointers — but there would be no repeat of that unexpected 2016 Final Four run thanks to Houston's defense.

UH is here and two wins from a return trip to the Final Four that would end a 37 year drought. HOUSTON COUGARS ( 26-3)Last meeting against Syracuse: 1982, lost at Syracuse in the regular season 92-87. Any player entering this program and who wants to play for Coach Sampson better embrace defense. SYRACUSE ORANGEMEN ( 18-9)Head Coach: Jim Boeheim has his team in the Sweet 16 for a 20th time. Randy’s Prediction: UH wins 74-67 to advance to the Elite 8

The University of Houston's men's basketball team will compete in its second straight Sweet 16 appearance Saturday, facing No. Coach Sampson has also emphasized defensive drills since day one, Jarreau said, which has contributed to the successful culture of the program. While admitting the team realizes the pressure going into the first game, Jarreau said they are focused on each game individually, and limiting their mistakes on the court. Disclosure: Houston Public Media is licensed to the University of Houston. Subscribe to Today in Houston Fill out the form below to subscribe our new daily editorial newsletter from the HPM Newsroom.

The Cougars play No. By the time the first half ended, and the Scarlet Knights had forged a 30-27 lead, Rutgers and Houston each had two regulars mired in foul trouble. AdChaney took a seat with his fourth with 15:45 left and the Scarlet Knights went on the attack. And by the time there was 10 minutes to go, the Scarlet Knights had meticulously built a 50-40 lead. UP NEXTThe Cougars play the Orange next weekend for a spot in the Elite Eight.

(AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)(AP) – Quentin Grimes scored 18 points and Houston coach Kelvin Sampson tied John Wooden on the career victories list as the Cougars beat 15th-seeded Cleveland State 87-56 in the NCAA Tournament on Friday night. 2 seed Houston has won eight straight and will face seventh-seeded Clemson or 10th-seeded Rutgers in the Midwest Region's second round on Sunday. AdD'Moi Hodge scored 11 points and Torrey Patton had eight points and eight rebounds for the Vikings (19-9). Cleveland State had won at least one game in each of its two previous tourney appearances, beating Indiana (1986) and Wake Forest (2009). “That’s a one seed, I'm telling you,” Vikings coach Dennis Gates said.

(Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson celebrates with the team following Houston's win over Cincinnati an NCAA college basketball game in the final round of the American Athletic Conference men's tournament Sunday, March 14, 2021, in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/Ron Jenkins)This weekend, the University of Houston, Texas Southern University, and the University of Texas won their respective conference tournament championships. But those were not the only Texas teams headed to the 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Here’s a look at which teams in Texas officially punched their tickets to the Big Dance Sunday.

HOUSTON University of Houston senior forward Fabian White Jr. will miss the 2020-21 season after suffering a knee injury, Head Coach Kelvin Sampson announced Wednesday evening. Practicing in a recent workout on his own, White tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which was confirmed by an MRI on Tuesday. I feel badly for Fabian. He had worked really hard to have a great senior season, Sampson said. White was one of only two Cougars to start all 31 games in 2019-20, averaging 9.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.

HOUSTON Nate Hinton knows that forgoing his final two seasons of eligibility is a leap of faith. I believe you have to be confident in yourself and abilities, said the former Univerisity of Houston Cougars guard. However, Hinton said head coach Kelvin Sampson gave him the nudge to go pro. It just says the type of coach that he is and the type of program that he established at Houston, said Hinton. Attitude and effort as Coach Sampson says," he said.

HOUSTON Top University of Houston officials are taking a voluntary pay cut to help ease the financial pressures of the coronavirus pandemic, the school confirmed to KPRC 2. President Renu Khator, Athletic Director Chris Pezman, head football coach Dana Holgorsen and head basketball coach Kelvin Sampson will all take a 10% salary cut for the next six months, UH officials said. Khator has appointed a Financial Task Force to continue to assess other options at the universitys disposal to reduce the financial impact of COVID-19. While all summer classes will be online only, the school aims to resume face-to-face classes in the fall, according to this reopening plan. UH officials are planning for three scenarios with classes fully online, classes fully face-to-face or a hybrid.

Max Faulkner/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/MCT via Getty ImagesHouston - City bragging rights are on the line tonight as the University of Houston takes on Rice inside Tudor Fieldhouse. While the short five- mile drive from the UH campus to Rice's base on South Main, it is technically considered a road trip for the Cougars. Then again, they've done these short trips before. "It's a 5- mile trip for us but remember not long ago before Fertitta Center opened, we had 19 two mile trips," said UH Head Coach Kelvin Sampson referencing UH's former temporary home at Texas Southern. Rice's last win over UH: January 30, 2013 ( 79-69)Coogs leadersFreshman Caleb Mills and Jr.

Last season Houston reached the Sweet 16, making the NCAA tournament for the second consecutive year. Sophomore guard Nate Hinton, also 6 feet 5 inches tall, will assume a much bigger role for Houston this season. Quentin Grimes another 6-foot 5-inch tall guard, has plenty to improve on after deciding to remove his name from the 2019 NBA draft. Both Fabian White Jr., and Cedrick Alley return at the power forward spot. This season Houston will fully establish themselves with such highly successful programs like Kentucky, Duke, Virginia, with another deep run in the NCAA tournament.

KPRC2HOUSTON - The University of Houston is hosting the NCAA Basketball Academy July 22-28. Plenty of high-level Division I head coaches could be found at the Fertitta Center, including hosting coach Kelvin Sampson. Talked to Kelvin Sampson - who coached against Russell Westbrook & James Harden - on the fit for them. High, high character kid. At the end of the games, it was James, Russell, Kevin (Durant), Nick Collison and (Serge) Ibaka.

(Photo byHOUSTON - Former College Park high school basketball star Quentin Grimes had already posted on social media last week that he was coming back home to Houston to play with the Cougars. On Friday, the University of Houston made it official, announcing Grimes will transfer from Kansas to UH to play for head coach Kelvin Sampson. As an NCAA Division I transfer, Grimes will sit out the 2019-20 season, but practice daily with the Cougars. "One of the things I have always liked about Quentin is his basketball IQ and his ability to make plays. As a senior in 2017-18, he averaged 29.5 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game in leading College Park to the District 12-6A title.