Jago Times "English Edition" Best Online Newspaper
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — The University of Houston men’s basketball team isn’t content with second place, especially when the season’s final whistle blows.
However, following a significant loss to the nation’s top-ranked team on Tuesday night, the UH Cougars might be poised to claim the throne, at least for a week.
The No. 1 UConn Huskies, reigning national champions, suffered their third defeat in their 27th game of the season against the No. 15 Creighton Blue Jays. This 19-point loss came just a day after both the Associated Press Top 25 and Coaches polls unanimously named UConn as the No. 1 team, a first for any team this season.
So, how does this affect head coach Kelvin Sampson and his team? Houston, currently sitting at No. 2, has a chance to move up after the previous second-best team, Purdue, was upset by the Ohio State Buckeyes last week.
UH is scheduled to play one more game before the new polls are released the following Monday. No. 11 Baylor will host Houston in Waco on Saturday for an early 11 a.m. matchup.
ESPN Analytics gives Houston a 73% chance of securing victory in this significant contest.
By the way, Baylor also suffered a loss on Tuesday against No. 25 BYU, adding more intrigue to the situation.
If Houston clears this hurdle, they could likely claim the No. 1 spot in the nation, a first since Week 18 last season. This season has seen four different teams holding onto the No. 1 rank.
But why does it matter if Houston secures the No. 1 spot? Isn’t it a week-by-week sport?
Certainly, but momentum is crucial. Six consecutive victories from the round of 64 onward have historically led to winning the national title in March Madness.
Fortunately for UH fans, Houston has been consistent in winning late in the season while securing significant victories against ranked teams. Their recent win over No. 6 Iowa State holds considerable weight with the tournament selection committee, potentially positioning Houston as a No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.
ESPN Bet favors the Coogs, giving them the best odds of winning the Big 12 and the third-best chance of clinching the national championship in March.
It’s worth noting that this marks Houston’s first year in the esteemed Big 12 Conference.
Remaining UH schedule:
– Feb. 24: at Baylor
– Feb. 27: Cincinnati
– March 2: at Oklahoma, airing on ESPN2
– March 6: at UCF
– March 9: Kansas, airing on ESPN