How big was Houston’s NCAA Tournament win on Saturday over Gonzaga? After the game, Cougars coach Kelvin Sampson put it into perspective.
For much of the second half, it looked as though Houston would come away with a relatively easy win, as the Cougars carried an 11-point lead into the final 2:30 of the game. But a late charge brought the Bulldogs to within a point, with 21 seconds remaining. Thanks to some late defense and big free throws down the stretch, Houston prevailed.
During an on-court interview following the game, Sampson put respect for Gonzaga into words.
“Let’s stop and congratulate Mark Few and Gonzaga for what they’ve accomplished,” Sampson said. “They’ve been such a shining light for basketball programs and basketball coaches for a long, long time. There’s nobody I respect more than Mark Few and there’s not a basketball program I respect more than Gonzaga. We beat a hell of a program tonight. That makes it even more significant.”
That came just moments after Sampson, while congratulating all of the Bulldogs on a good season, embraced Gonzaga senior Khalif Battle, who was emotional after the loss.
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