Throughout the years, head coach Kelvin Sampson has put great emphasis on the importance of defense and rebounding. With this guidance toward a defensive edge, the Cougars claimed the win against Ohio State.
In the first half, the Buckeyes shot a scorching 47 percent from three-point range. In the second half, the Cougars locked in on defense and kept their opponent to just above 16 percent from deep.
UH also got cold in the second half, as it shot a poor 12.5 percent from deep.
The Cougars were also able to force many turnovers. The Buckeyes committed 14 turnovers in the game while UH committed only six.
UH’s defense is becoming a postseason trend. Since the AAC Tournament began, UH has allowed only one of its five opponents to score more than 60 points.
The Cougars will try to carry its defensive success into the Sweet Sixteen when UH faces Kentucky.