How do you explain the crazy turn of events in Houston’s incredible comeback win over Duke Saturday night?
The CBS postgame show analysts tried to do just that following the game. They had a tough task. Houston rallied from a 14-point deficit with eight minutes left and the Cougars finished with a 9-0 run in the final 35 seconds to stun Duke with a 70-67 victory.
“I just sat here and watched this happen. Doesn’t make it any more believable,” studio host Ernie Johnson said. “25-to-8 run to finish the game for the Houston Cougars, who were down double digits and suddenly came back as Duke went ice cold.
“You guys have seen a lot, but Jay, I don’t know that you’ve ever seen this,” Johnson said, looking at analyst Jay Wright.
“(Houston coach) Kelvin Sampson wouldn’t want it any other way, he’s going to call that a culture win,” Wright said. Wright praised Houston’s J’Wan Roberts for his defense and rebounding down the stretch.
“That’s how Kelvin wants to win games, get stops and get rebounds,” Wright said.
Kenny Smith recalled his time with the Houston Rockets, who earned the nickname “Clutch City” while winning back-to-back NBA titles in the mid-1990s.
“We were called ‘Clutch City,'” Smith said. “We will bow down and take that off. That was Clutch City. They are the new Clutch City in Houston … I have never seen a college basketball game that was decided in that factor.”
“I had already marked this one over … and Houston said no …” analyst Clark Kellogg said. “Amazing, amazing finish to this game.”
Charles Barkley said what many fans were probably thinking at some point watching Houston’s comeback. The Cougars just seemed to want this game more in crunch time.
“This game to me came down to two words. Skill against will. And will won today,” Barkley said. “This was perfect basketball. They would not give up. Kelvin Sampson, who is one of the toughest men, this team takes on his personality, and even though Duke had more talent, Houston had more will.”