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University of Houston students, fans, and staff members bid farewell to Jamal Shead, L.J. Cryer, head coach Kelvin Sampson, and the rest of the March Madness-bound Cougars on Wednesday as they set off for their first-round matchup against Longwood University.
As the top seed in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament’s South Region, Houston is poised to make a historic run for their first-ever national championship, boasting a remarkable 30-4 record this season, setting them up for a favorable path to potential victory in Arizona.
Should the Cougars prevail against the No. 16-seeded Longwood Lancers and navigate past either No. 8 Nebraska or No. 9 Texas A&M in Memphis, they will have the chance to secure their spot in the Final Four with two wins in Dallas, the host city for the region’s Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight rounds.
This opportunity is not lost on Cryer, a standout senior guard, who expressed his anticipation of potentially reaching Dallas and benefiting from the support of local fans. He emphasized the significance of having a homecourt advantage in such a crucial tournament.
Reflecting on past tournaments, the 2022 Houston team, seeded No. 5, notably upset the South Region’s No. 1 seed, Arizona, in the Sweet Sixteen held in San Antonio. However, their momentum was halted by No. 2 Villanova in the subsequent Elite Eight matchup.
Despite falling short in the Big 12 tournament championship, the Coogs’ impressive regular-season performance secured them a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, marking the second consecutive year they’ve earned such recognition.
Looking at historical trends, three No. 2 seeds have claimed the national championship since 2004, including North Carolina in 2005, Villanova in 2018, and Baylor in 2021. Notably, only one top overall seed emerged victorious in the last two decades.
Houston’s journey begins with their matchup against Longwood on Friday at 8:20 p.m. CT at Memphis’ FedEx Forum. The winner will advance to face either Nebraska or Texas A&M on Sunday.