Kelvin Sampson Reflects on Houston’s Improbable Comeback Victory in the Final Four
Houston erased a 14-point second-half deficit to defeat Duke 70-67 in the Final Four, securing a spot in the national championship game against Florida.
Sampson on Overcoming the 14-Point Deficit
“I knew Duke’s defense would cause problems due to their length. In the second half, we focused on finding the right matchups. When they were up by 14, a few things started going our way. Emanuel (Sharp) hit a big three, we grabbed an offensive rebound, and they missed some tough shots. We managed to hold them to 37% shooting in the second half, and that was a tempo we could handle. We couldn’t win this game in the 80s, but I felt we could win it in the 60s or 70s.”
Sampson on the Importance of Second-Chance Points
“We often rely on unscripted points, and that typically means second-chance points. We scored 19 second-chance points and had 18 offensive rebounds. These points are just as valuable, if not more so, than running a perfect play. We also scored eight points off their turnovers and kept our own turnovers under 10. That’s a big part of how we win.”
Sampson on Defending Duke’s Key Players
“I knew Duke’s discipline would make it hard to force turnovers, but we did a great job on their other guys. (Cooper) Flagg had 27 points, and (Kon) Knueppel made some tough shots, but we focused on denying Tyrese Proctor and not allowing him to get into the paint. We stayed disciplined on shot fakes and made sure the ball didn’t get to Proctor off screens. I believed if we hung in there, even down 14, we’d have a chance.”
Sampson on J’Wan Roberts’ Game-Winning Free Throws
“When we lost to Duke last year in the Sweet 16, I didn’t think it was because of Jamal (Shead) being out, but because we struggled at the free-throw line. This year, I made it a point to emphasize free-throw shooting with our guys. J’Wan worked hard all offseason and improved his free-throw percentage from 66% to 87%. That work paid off when he hit the go-ahead free throws with 20 seconds left.”
Sampson on Halftime Adjustments
“At halftime, we were down by six, and I didn’t feel the need to rant. I was calm because I knew the game wasn’t over. We weren’t down by 16. We had been in similar situations before, so I told the team we were just a stop and a basket away from cutting it to four. In the second half, we made some offensive adjustments, and the key was limiting their second-chance opportunities. Once we tightened up on the boards, I felt confident we could win.”
Sampson’s leadership and the team’s resilience helped Houston bounce back to reach the national championship game, where they’ll face Florida.
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