The University of Houston’s men’s basketball team was celebrated Wednesday night at the Fertitta Center for their performance in the NCAA championship games.
The Cougars’ loss to the Florida Gators by a single basket in the championship game was soul-crushing, nonetheless, the team’s achievement deserved a party.
“S— happens. Ok?,” said the nominee for US Ambassador to Italy, Rocket’s owner and Houston businessman, Tilman Fertitta. “And you know what? S— happened two weeks ago. And I believe we are the best basketball team in the United States of America, but it just didn’t go our way.”
If making it to the NCAA championship game this year was not proof enough, the Cougar’s record is. The men’s basketball program has caught its stride, getting better and better every year.
Under head coach Kelvin Sampson, who came to UH in 2014, the program was brought back to life.
The Cougars have made it to the Sweet 16 for the past six consecutive seasons. This year, they won every one of their away games, a nearly impossible feat, the coach said tonight.
Although fans and students did not fill every seat at the Fertitta Center Wednesday night, they are returning.
The team’s recent performance in the Final Four game against Duke, then the championship game, has forced everyone who hasn’t been watching to take a second look.
The Cougars are back.
“I told the nation, ‘Don’t sleep on Houston,'” head coach Kelvin Sampson said. “And I’ll tell you this: We’ll be back.”
