Houston made a particularly compelling case for the No. 1 seed within the NCAA Males's Event on Saturday.
The No. 1 Cougars knocked off No. 14 Kansas in a 76-46 victory that confirmed why Houston has been the category of the Massive 12 all season. Houston put the sport away within the first half when it jumped out to a 22-7 lead within the first 10 minutes en path to a lead that grew to 32-9 earlier than Kansas reduce its deficit to 19 at halftime.
The win means Houston gained the nation's greatest basketball convention by two video games in its first 12 months within the Massive 12. Perennial champions Kansas, in the meantime, will end the season no higher than fifth within the convention.
4 Cougars completed in double figures on Saturday. Jamal Shead had 13 factors, whereas Damian Dunn had 12 and LJ Cryer had 11. Shead additionally completed with eight assists and 6 rebounds as he solidified his case for the de- 12th participant of the 12 months. Though Shead is averaging simply 13 factors per recreation, he’s third within the convention in assists per recreation and second in steals per recreation and is probably the most beneficial participant on one of the best workforce within the Massive 12.
Why Houston needs to be #1
Whereas the No. 1 seed might not matter as a lot this 12 months because it has in earlier seasons, it's exhausting to argue in opposition to Houston's case as the highest workforce in faculty basketball heading into the NCAA Event.
Houston is No. 1 within the KenPom rankings and is as soon as once more one of the best defensive workforce within the nation. The Cougars are atop KenPom's defensive score and rank because the No. 1 offense. 12. Kansas made simply 33 % of its pictures Saturday and was a depressing Three-of-21 from Three-point vary.
Kansas' porous exterior capturing was an exception, although it was no mistake in opposition to Houston. Coming into Saturday's recreation, opponents have been capturing lower than 31 % from behind the arc in opposition to Kelvin Sampson's workforce. The simplest solution to keep away from an upset within the NCAA Event is to forestall groups from capturing nicely from deep.
Houston additionally doesn't flip the ball over. The Cougars' 10 turnovers in opposition to the Jayhawks have been greater than their season common. Houston averages fewer than 9 turnovers per recreation. Solely three groups flip the ball over much less.
Nobody has misplaced fewer video games than the Cougars have all season. At 28-Three, Houston is tied with UConn and Purdue for the fewest losses within the nation. And none of these groups have needed to undergo the gauntlet that’s the Massive 12. Houston's three losses have all come on the highway, and just one — at Kansas on Feb. Three — has been by double digits.
The current success of the Houston tour
The 2023–24 season is the seventh consecutive season. Houston will end with lower than 10 losses and can nearly actually be the second straight season the Cougars have a No. 1 seed, even when UConn or Purdue usurps them for the No. 1 general decide in Sunday's choice. .
If there's been one knock in opposition to Houston over the previous six seasons, it's that the Cougars have had sturdy seasons in an American Athletic Convention that ranked beneath the Energy 5 conferences. This argument – nevertheless weak it might have been at first – is null and void at this level.
The Cougars have superior to at the very least the Candy 16 in every of the final 4 NCAA Tournaments and reached the Ultimate 4 in 2021. Something lower than a Ultimate 4 run in 2024 will likely be a disappointment. And if Houston makes it to the Ultimate 4, there's a powerful case to be made that that is one of the best workforce of Sampson's tenure.