Houston men’s basketball coach Kelvin Sampson draws out the next play during the second half of an NCAA men’s basketball game, Saturday, March 1, 2025, in Houston, Texas. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar
No.1 seed Houston Cougars and No. 2 ranked team in the nation are set to begin their March Madness campaign against No.16 seed SIU Edwardsville Cougars in their opening match-up in the NCAA Tournament’s Midwest Region.
Houston is coming off a high after beating Arizona 72-64 in the Big 12 tournament championship, securing their first-ever Big 12 title. Junior guard Milos Uzan played a crucial role in this win, leading the team to victory with a career-high 25 points, four rebounds and four assists.
Houston now enters the NCAA Tournament as a top seed for the third consecutive year. They finished with a 30-4 overall record, concluding Big 12 conference play 19-1.
SIUE’S historical NCAA tourney appearance
SIUE is making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since becoming a Division I program in 2008.
The SIUE Cougars finished their season with a 22-11 overall record, going 13-7 in conference play.
The Cougars beat the Southeast Missouri Redhawks 69-48 in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) to claim their ticket into March Madness. The team was led by graduate guard Ray’Sean Taylor, who put up 20 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
“He’s the best player for SIUE,” coach Sampson said about Taylor before heading into open practice on Wednesday “I think his story is what’s special about him. Overcoming two ACL surgeries…a lot of guys wouldn’t come back from one, very few would come back from two.”
Both teams enter the matchup with relatively healthy rosters.
SIUE has no reported injuries, while Houston is expected to welcome graduate forward J’Wan Roberts back
“I’m doing pretty good, being in a lot of treatment,” Roberts said. “Just taking it day by day so I can be 100% for tomorrow.”
His return adds another layer of experience and leadership to a Cougar squad aiming for a deep tournament run.
Keys to the match-up
The SIUE Cougars will undoubtedly show out on the hardwood to put up points against Houston’s top-notch defense.
“They kind of push the pace a little bit on offense, and they’re a pretty good rebounding team,” graduate guard L.J. Cryer said.
“I think their greatest strength is playing with each other, trusting each other, and making the right play,” Roberts added.
SIUE will likely try to challenge Houston’s defensive pressure, while Houston will likely aim to impose dominance early.
UH currently leads the nation in defensive play allowing their opponents an average of 58.5 points per game (PPG). While the squads are evenly sized, Houston typically holds their opponents to 38.3% from the field, limiting teams to 30.9% from the arc.
Houston holds an optimistic and focused mindset headed into the tournament.
“We’re grateful to be put in this position every year,” junior guard Emmanual Sharp said. “As long as we go out there and do what we’re supposed to do, we’re able to play freely and with a free mind.”
Making NCAA Tournament history
This will be Houston’s 26th NCAA Tournament appearance. The team qualified for the tournament seven consecutive years in a row; which is a program first.
The Cougars aim to advance to the round of 32 to gain the chance to extend their streak of five back-to-back Sweet Sixteen showdowns, the second-longest active streak in the nation behind Gonzaga.
Up Next
The Cougars will tip off on March 20 at 1:00 p.m. inside INTRUST Bank Arena. A win would send Houston to the round of 32, where they would face the winner of No. 8 seed Gonzaga and No. 9 seed Georgia on Saturday, March 22.
