This Big 12 Head Coach Believes Houston Cougars Can Reach Final Four
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It’s March, meaning it’s tournament season time in college basketball. The discussions about how far teams will go in the NCAA Tournament are in full swing now.
The No. 7 Houston Cougars are obviously a big part of the conversation once again. While Houston dropped two more spots in the AP poll this week and showed that there is still improvement to be desired in its play, it seems as if the Cougars made some adjustments in their huge 40-point win over Colorado this past Saturday.
The three-game losing streak against top 15 opponents likely prepared and toughened Houston up for a deep tournament run, as the Cougars found out what needs to improve.
Houston just had its incredible run to the Final Four and national championship game last season, the second Final Four appearance in five years under head coach Kelvin Sampson. Houston received another vote of confidence in making back-to-back Final Four appearances.
Houston Impresses Big 12 Coaching
Colorado head coach Tad Boyle is a veteran in this business and has spent 20 seasons as a collegiate head coach, including the last 16 of his career in Boulder. He gave plenty of praise to Houston and its team construction in his post-game press conference at Fertitta Center on Saturday.
“They got a nice team. Those three perimeter guys, and then if they have production off their bench like they did today from Miller and McCarty, holy cow,” Boyle said. “This team, they’re Final Four good. They got a Hall of Fame coach and Kingston Flemings is the real deal.”
Colorado coach Tad Boyle on Houston: "That's a Top 5 team in the country. No doubt about it... They're Final Four good. They've got a Hall of Fame coach. And Kingston Flemings, he's the real deal." Boyle says it struck him how much bigger and built Flemings looks since AAU days. pic.twitter.com/AAU09v2EBN
— Chris Baldwin (@ChrisYBaldwin) February 28, 2026
Boyle was asked further about Flemings, who has been the leading scorer for Houston with 16.4 points per game and is one of the top freshmen in the country.
“He’s explosive. He’s a lot bigger in person than I remember him. He’s a good player who keeps putting pressure on you,” Boyle said. “He’s an NBA player, no question about that.”
The Cougars had seven players in double digits for the first time in 20 years against Colorado, with the bench adding 29 points. Flemings dished out eight assists in this game, and Houston made an emphasis on attacking the paint and scoring quickly. That resulted in 102 points. It was a massive bounce-back.
“I knew they had lost three straight coming in here, but Coach Sampson had their attention. Houston is just so good on both sides of the ball, and it’s a great learning opportunity for our young guys to see what a top-five team looks like,” Boyle said.
Houston is not expected to be a No. 1 seed in March Madness this season, unlike the past three years, but is in the conversation for a two seed. Houston’s path to a third Final Four in six seasons would be much more favorable if the Cougars were placed in the South region, with the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight in Houston.
Maanav Gupta is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He graduated from the University of Houston in the summer of 2025 with his bachelor’s in journalism and a minor in Spanish. Gupta spent three years at the student newspaper, The Daily Cougar, and also covered the 2025 Final Four and National Championship as Houston beat writer for College Basketball Review. He also has his own YouTube channel, Maanav’s Sports Talk, where he has interviewed professional athletes and broadcasters like Jim Nantz, Jose Altuve, J.J. Watt, Rich Eisen, and Alperen Sengun. Gupta was also a contributor to the Houston athletic program as a student. You can find Gupta on X, Instagram and TikTok @MGSportsTalk.