"H-Town baby" : 15X NBA All Star gets pumped up as Cougars dump NCAA title favorite Duke

Modified Apr 06, 2025 07:27 GMT

Kevin Garnett reacts to Houston's come-from-behind 70-67 win against title favorite Duke in the Final Four on Saturday. [photo: @big12conference/IG, @KG Certified/YT]

NBA legend Kevin Garnett was one of many who predicted Duke would live up to its billing and beat the Houston Cougars on Saturday. The 15x NBA All-Star and his KG Certified co-host, Paul Pierce, saw Cooper Flagg and Co. reach the NCAA men’s championship on Monday. Houston proved Garnett, Pierce, and thousands of doubters wrong with a 70-67 win against the Blue Devils.

After the game, The Big Ticket promptly wrote on Instagram:

“Dammmmnnnn.. ALREADY H-Town babyyyyyyyyy”

Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett reacts to Houston's 70-67 win over NCAA title favorite Duke on Saturday. [photo: @tic_pix/IG]

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Kevin Garnett watched the Cougars smother the Blue Devils to pull off an upset. Houston trailed by 14 points in the final eight minutes before rallying for the come-from-behind win. The Cougars slowed down a roster with likely six players suiting up for NBA teams next season. Houston overcame Flagg’s game-high 27 points to reach its first finals since 1984.

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The Cougars will face the Florida Gators on Monday for the championship. Florida reached the finals by also pulling off an upset against Auburn 79-73. Behind Walter Clayton Jr., who had 34 points, the Gators will appear in the national title game for the first time since 2007.

Former NBA superstar Kevin Garnett predicted Florida would beat Auburn and win the championship

Paul Pierce predicted Duke would win on Saturday and go all the way to lift another championship trophy on Monday. Kevin Garnett had the same opinion as his former teammate for the Duke-Houston game, but saw Florida reaching the finals.

The Gators proved Garnett right by beating Auburn. Like Houston, Florida trailed early before dominating the second half to punch a ticket to the championship game. The 2008 NBA champ with the Boston Celtics predicted the Gators to win the title game.

In the women’s Final Four, the Big Ticket got his prediction right when he claimed Paige Bueckers and UConn would beat UCLA. Garnett does not see South Carolina lifting the championship against the Huskies on Sunday.

About the author

Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael's background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich's genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Understanding the story and details is crucial to Michael's reporting philosophy and he believes overlooking details, particularly when pressed for time, can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate conclusions.

Aside from work, Michael's children are his hobbies, and he also likes to go running, swimming and weightlifting.

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Edited by Vaishnavi Iyer