| Why You Care: Even though a no. 1 seed has crashed out before the Sweet 16, it's still a pretty chalk heavy tournament so far. Only one double-digit seed has survived, and no.11 Texas isn't exactly an upstart program. Schools more associated with football still remain (Iowa, Nebraska), and 10 of the 16 remaining teams have never won a national championship, but Cinderella didn't exactly show up this year.
After taking in all the action, I can't help but feel like Houston is the big winner from this weekend. The second seed has stomped its first two opponents, winning each game by 31 points. Last season's tournament runner-up, Kelvin Sampson's squad now has its path cleared up the top seed in its region and the team that prevailed in the 2025 national title game with the Florida Gators no longer a threat.
Which isn't to say Houston has it easy. Its next opponent, Illinois, has one of the country's most efficient offenses and is currently sixth in the KenPom ratings. (Houston is fourth.) The Cougars will rely on two things to push them back into the Final Four — sensational backcourt play, led by freshman Kingston Flemings and seniors Milos Uzan and Emanuel Sharp, and hometown cooking. Thursday's game at the Toyota Center is a quick jog from campus, which will give Houston a supportive environment.
We'll see if a run to last season's title game was beneficial to Houston in finally getting over the hump and winning the program's first national championship. Having the region's no. 1 seed knocked out before the Sweet 16 is a nice turn of fortune, and for now, the Cougars are the team to beat in the South. |
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