WATCH: Houston locker room erupts as Kelvin Sampson, Cougars celebrate NCAA championship game qualification

Modified Apr 06, 2025 06:08 GMT

Houston locker room erupts as Kelvin Sampson, Cougars celebrate NCAA championship game qualification. (Image credits: Imagn & NCAA March Madness' X account)

Kelvin Sampson’s Houston Cougars are heading to the national championship, and they did so in unforgettable fashion.

The Cougars pulled off a dramatic 9-0 run in the final 30 seconds to stun Duke in Saturday’s Final Four in San Antonio. The win sent the Houston locker room into an absolute frenzy, with players celebrating around a Coca-Cola machine and a Muscle Milk container in a postgame scene full of joy and disbelief.

Here's the video of Houston's celebration:

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Coach Sampson, who has led the program since 2014, had a priceless reaction when he was informed about the historic comeback. The moment captured just how much the run means to the veteran coach and his team.

With Saturday’s nail-biting finish, college basketball fans can expect fireworks in Monday’s NCAA championship game.

Kelvin Sampson’s squad defense slammed the door on Duke’s title hopes

The Cougars held the Blue Devils to just one field goal over the final 10:30, rallying from 14 points down to pull off a wild 70–67 win at the Alamodome in San Antonio. They closed the game on an 11–1 run, flipping the script with a flurry of clutch plays in the final 74 seconds.

Kelvin Sampson summed up the team’s grit:

"No one ever loses at anything, as long as you don't quit," Sampson said on the CBS broadcast. "If you've quit, you've lost."

Kelvin Sampson reacts after a play - Source: Imagn

With the win, Houston (35–4) extended its national-best winning streak to 18 games. The Cougars move on to face Florida (35–4) in Monday’s national championship game.

Houston struggled early, hitting just 31% of its shots in the first half, but timely 3-point shooting (45.5%) kept them within striking distance.

"It's not like we were playing great, Sampson said. “We felt like if we could get it close enough to put some gang pressure on them, something good could happen."

The Cougars meet the Gators for the national title at 8:50 p.m. ET Monday on CBS.

Also Read: Angel Reese showers heartfelt praise on Kelvin Sampson for orchestrating Cooper Flagg's Duke's downfall: "I love him"

About the author

Mohammad Asif Ansari is a journalist covering college football and basketball at Sportskeeda. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Technology and brings four years of experience as an NFL and EdTech writer.

While acknowledging the dominance of professional leagues like the NBA and NFL, Asif is drawn to the raw energy and unpredictability of college sports, particularly football and basketball.

Jalen Hurts stands out as Asif's all-time favorite college player, celebrated for his remarkable success on the football field and impressive leadership skills.

In his reporting, Asif seeks to capture the essence of college athletics, delving into the human stories behind the game. From the trials and triumphs of student-athletes to the strategic genius of coaches like Nick Saban, he strives to paint a vivid picture of the college sports landscape.

Asif ensures that his reporting is both informative and ethically sound, meticulously verifying sources and facts to provide readers with reliable and trustworthy content.

When not writing, Asif practices basic MMA, hones his biking skills and expands his language proficiency in Urdu and Arabic.

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Edited by Bhargav