Houston Cougars coach Kelvin Sampson paces the bench during the first half of the Big 12 Championship on Saturday Mar. 14, in Kansas City, Missouri. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar
No. 2 Houston basketball ended its run at the Big XII tournament with a loss to the No. 1 Arizona Wildcats in the championship game.
Heading into this game, Houston looked unstoppable as their performance against Kansas showcased their raw talent. But when playing against Arizona, Houston fought hard until the final buzzer rang. They ended their run in an amazing championship game that could’ve gone either way, with a final score of 79-74.
Arizona had recently beaten No. 5 Iowa State in a close game with a game-winning 2-pointer by Arizona senior guard Jaden Bradley to make it to the championship, giving a preview of what to expect against Houston.
Game Recap
The opening tip-off started the game with Arizona giving out the first blows, as they put Houston in a five-point deficit early in the game. Within the next five minutes of the game both teams would trade blows against each other, eager to overtake the other.
When Houston would make a three-pointer, Arizona would make two layups that would give them the lead. This eventually ended with a Bradley three-pointer, but Houston would not be in a deep deficit for long.
Before halftime, Houston had one mission and it was to tie the game before the half. They had successfully done this with a three-pointer from star freshman guard Kingston Flemings, but Arizona would not let them have the spotlight for long.
The efforts that would follow from Arizona led to a score of 44-36 heading into the locker rooms, as early miscommunications and fouls dismantled the once unstoppable Houston offense. Heading out of the locker rooms, Houston was prepared to stand their ground.
Starting the second half of the game, Houston was determined to make a comeback after multiple turnovers and missed shots from Arizona, giving them the upper hand that could change the tide of the game.
After multiple scores from Flemings and junior forward Joseph Tugler, Houston would have a 14-point scoring run that would cut the deficit down to one.
But Arizona quickly rebounded with freshman forward Ivan Karchenkov going on his own eight-point scoring run, which built up another deficit that was too much to handle for the Cougars.
Houston attempted to make a comeback throughout the final minutes of the game, but the damage was already done.
With the clock ticking down to the final seconds of the game, it was Arizona who ended up victorious with a score of 79-74. Their win against Houston secured their spot in March Madness, dethroning the previous champions.
What happens next?
Houston leaves the Big XII tournament with their focus set on the upcoming Selection Sunday, which will tell where the Cougars go in the upcoming March Madness tournament.
“The most important day in college basketball is Selection Sunday and looking forward to seeing what our draw is and where we’ll be playing our first game,” said Head Coach Kelvin Sampson.
Houston may have come out of the tournament with a loss, but the improvements that have been shown throughout the season are substantial and prominent. The hype heading into March Madness is undeniable, and Houston has control over their own destiny.
sports@thedailycougar.com
