In Memphis, Tennessee, the Houston Cougars celebrated their recent advancement to the Sweet 16, a moment that brought both relief and jubilation to the team and its supporters. What initially seemed like a straightforward victory swiftly transformed into an edge-of-your-seat overtime spectacle within a mere two minutes.
Emanuel Sharp’s three-pointer at the start of overtime propelled Houston into a lead they would maintain, securing their victory over the ninth-seeded Texas A&M with a final score of 100-95 on Sunday night. This victory marked the Cougars’ return to the Sweet 16, a feat achieved in their home state of Texas.
Kelvin Sampson, the Houston coach, attributed their preparedness for the intense game to their inaugural season in the Big 12, which was characterized by numerous closely contested matches. “We’re very fortunate tonight to win. Texas A&M could’ve won that game,” Sampson acknowledged. “But only one team can advance. I’ve learned not to dissect wins at this time of the year. So, we move on.”
The Aggies staged a remarkable comeback, outscoring Houston 17-5 in the final two minutes of regulation. Andersson Garcia’s buzzer-beating three-pointer, his ninth of the season, sent the game into overtime and was met with ecstatic celebration from his teammates.
“Obviously, it’s a shot that will be remembered in Texas A&M history,” said Aggies coach Buzz Williams. “It was to tie. It wasn’t to win, you know?”
Sampson described the final two minutes of regulation as “Murphy’s Law” in action, with missed free throws and the ball seemingly having a mind of its own. “They didn’t miss a three,” Sampson observed. “And they didn’t make an easy one. They were all challenging threes.”
Sharp, after scoring a three-pointer, fouled out with a total of 30 points. His teammates then took charge, outscoring Texas A&M 7-1 at the start of the extra session to clinch the win.
This victory for Houston (32-4) signifies that all eight teams seeded 1 and 2 have advanced to the Sweet 16 for the fifth time since the NCAA tournament began seeding in 1979. The Cougars are set to face Duke, who triumphed over James Madison with a score of 93-55, on Friday in Dallas in the South Region semifinals. This marks Houston’s fifth consecutive Sweet 16 appearance and its 16th overall.
The team also plays in memory of Reggie Chaney, a forward from Houston’s Final Four team in 2021, who passed away in August at the age of 23. Chaney’s No. 32 is commemorated on Houston jerseys, and Sampson shared that he asked his team at halftime what Chaney would do in their situation.
“That was for big Reg,” Sampson stated.
Jamal Shead contributed 21 points and 10 assists for Houston, being one of four Cougars who fouled out. Shead reflected on Sampson’s words about Chaney’s dedication, saying, “We’re built for this. I just miss my dog. On to the Sweet 16.”
Texas A&M (21-15), under coach Buzz Williams, aimed to reach the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2018 in its second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. Despite a strong performance in March, the Aggies reverted to their season-long offensive struggles.
Representing the Big 12 in their first season, the Cougars added to the Southeastern Conference’s challenges, with only Tennessee and Alabama making it to the Sweet 16 out of the SEC’s eight tournament teams.
L.J. Cryer scored 20 points, and J’Wan Roberts, despite a knee issue, contributed 13 points. Wade Taylor, following a scoring spree and a career-high seven three-pointers in the Aggies’ victory over Nebraska, struggled initially but ended the game with 21 points. Tyrece Radford, absent in the December loss to Houston, scored 27 points and secured 15 rebounds, while Manny Obaseki added 15 points before fouling out, and Garcia scored 12.
Houston led 43-38 after a dynamic first half, setting the stage for the dramatic events that followed.