The Houston Cougars are Final Four-bound after a dominant 69-50 victory over Tennessee, locking in their seventh trip in program history. Up next, they face Duke at the Alamodome.
With a 69–50 win over Tennessee in the Midwest Region final on Sunday, the Houston Cougars are back in the Final Four. Coach Kelvin Sampson and his team applauded at Lucas Oil Stadium as red and white confetti fell. Houston had made it to the Final Four for the seventh time in the program's history and the second time in four years.
Houston (34-4) played great defense right from the start, smothering Tennessee's offense and making the Volunteers have one of their worst shooting games in NCAA Tournament history. Tennessee missed 15 for 52 shots from the field (28.8%) and 5 for 29 shots from beyond the line.
Houston stifled Tennessee's offensive plans early on, which made it hard for them to make shots from the outside. Houston's defense was so strong that even star guard Zakai Zeigler, known for being able to attack the basket, had trouble getting through. Tennessee scored 50 points, which was their second-lowest total of the season. This shows how brutal and disciplined the Cougars are.
Houston made sure there was no suspense in this game with great play from J'Wan Roberts and Mylik Wilson and a strong, battle-tested roster. The Cougars easily beat Tennessee, unlike their close wins over Gonzaga and Purdue in the tournament. What was supposed to be a defensive fight turned into a lopsided game.
Now, Houston turns its attention to a highly anticipated Final Four matchup at the Alamodome on Saturday at 7:49 p.m. against Duke (35-3). With their current form, the Cougars only need two more wins to win their first national title.
