NCAAB News: Cougars HC Kelvin Sampson issues strong warning ahead of National Championship Game

There was a lot of talk about the Duke Blue Devils being the favorites to win the game against the Houston Cougars. However, coach Kelvin Sampson knew internally that they could pull off the upset in the Final Four, and that’s exactly what happened. Now, they eagerly await the NCAA Tournament final, where they will face the Florida Gators.

The Alamodome will be dressed to impress on Monday, April 7, as it will host the crowning of the new College Basketball champion. Sampson has made it clear on countless occasions that his team didn’t come just to compete; they are truly going all in to win the championship.

“I hear what people say. Duke this, Duke that. Duke’s great. Jon Scheyer is awesome. But don’t sleep on Houston,” the Cougars head coach told CBS Sports’ Tracy Wolfson after an epic comeback win.

Many had predicted a final between Clayton Jr. and Cooper Flagg, undoubtedly two of the best players of the season. However, the Houston Cougars took down one of the top contenders, and now they will be the ones to ultimately decide the tournament against Florida.

J’Wan Roberts #13 of the Houston Cougars celebrates after the second half in the Final Four game of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament against the Duke Blue Devils at the Alamodome on April 05, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas.

The Cougars’ persistence in victory against Duke

Kelvin Sampson anticipated a tight, tough game with little room for error. In fact, the Blue Devils managed to dominate them during several stretches of the game. Despite that, staying focused on the goal was one of the key factors in securing the victory.

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However, the experienced coach made it clear to his players that the only way to lose is when one completely abandons their goals, something the Cougars had no intention of doing whatsoever.

“No one ever loses in anything as long as you don’t quit. If you quit, I don’t care. You’ve lost. But I started thinking in my timeouts we’ve been here before,” Sampson said to the press.

“It’s not like we were down 20,” the head coach Sampson also added. “We felt like if we can get it close enough to get game pressure on them, that something good can happen.”