Kelvin Sampson and the Houston Cougars on Monday came ever so close to winning a national championship. Despite emotions running high, the runner-up coach was both gracious and grateful in defeat.
Houston led Florida for most of this year’s NCAA national championship game at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. The Cougars held a 12-point lead in the second half but crumbled in crunch time as Florida found its footing offensively. Sampson’s squad lost 65-63.
The Cougars were still very much alive in the final minute. But back-to-back turnovers from Houston junior Emanuel Sharp ended the team’s championship hopes.
During his postgame interview, Sampson was asked about what went wrong for Houston down the stretch. Instead of discussing the minutiae on the court, the 69-year-old coach used the opportunity to express his appreciation for his players, staff and the Cougars’ basketball program at large.
“I’m so proud of this team for what they’ve done,” Sampson said. “Winning the Big 12. Winning the Big 12 Tournament. Winning five consecutive games and coming within an eyelash of winning a national championship.
“I love these kids. I love this staff. I love this program. This one hurts. This one stings. But at some point, these guys will realize how special they are.”
"I love these kids. I love this staff. I love this program. This one hurts. This one stings."
An emotional Kelvin Sampson spoke w/ @tracywolfson following Houston's title game loss pic.twitter.com/6JoFHcT9hb
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) April 8, 2025
The heartbreaking contest was Sampson’s first appearance in the national championship game. He had previously led Houston to the Final Four in 2021 and did the same in 2002 with an Oklahoma squad that did not feature any future NBA players.
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