HOUSTON – The Cougars are heading to Pittsburgh to compete in March Madness for yet another year.
The University of Houston’s men’s basketball team is hoping to turn PPG Paints Arena into the Coogs’ house on Friday. On Wednesday morning, dozens of fans wearing red shirts, some holding signs and other shaking pom-poms, went to the campus to see the #5 seed team in the South Region off to the NCAA Tournament. The parents of, Fabian White Jr., the team’s forward, were among the crowd cheering the men on.
“It’s awesome. It’s awesome because last year, they missed this due to COVID,” said Aundrea White.
The Coogs go up against the University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers, #12 seed, Friday night. Coach Kelvin Sampson said he’s proud of his team for getting this far.
“The thing about last season, everybody that played in that Final Four game that impacted us are all gone,” said the veteran coach. “It’s a brand-new team. So, for these kids to come in and accomplish what they’ve accomplished, my hats off to them.”
Sampson, who is the second most-winningest in the program’s history, said the team plans to head into the game the tournament with the same strategy they take for every game.
Two charter buses took the team and coaches to an airport where they’ll head to Pittsburgh by plane to try to bring a championship home.
Houston First is hosting the official March Madness Watch Party at Avenida Houston Friday night at 8:20 p.m. The event is free.