Kelvin Sampson Explains What Went Wrong At the End Against Iowa State
In this story:
The No. 2 Houston Cougars suffered their third loss of the season against the No. 6 Iowa State Cyclones 70-67 on Monday at the vaunted Hilton Coliseum on the road, and throughout the second half, it seemed like the night was going to end very well for Houston.
This was one of the games of the year in the Big 12 so far, and it lived up to the expectations. Unfortunately, it ended in a hard-fought loss for Houston. It was never going to be easy to win at Iowa State, but the Cougars blew a chance for an extremely high-quality win to boost their resume as a potential No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
Houston was up 63-53 with just over seven minutes left after a 3-pointer from the game’s leading scorer, Kingston Flemings. Iowa State answered with a clutch 17-4 run and somehow pulled out the win. Here’s what coach Kelvin Sampson said postgame about what went wrong during that period.
A Game Thrown Away
The first question was about the last key offensive possession for Houston. The Cougars were down 69-67 and had a chance to tie or take the lead. The ball was predictably put in the hands of the talented freshman guard Flemings, who put up a game-high 22 points. Sampson explained what they were looking for.
“Get in the paint. What we’ve run all game. Same stuff we ran to go up 10. Get in the paint, get an angle, and he just fell down,” Sampson said.
However, there was a sequence of events that ultimately played a big factor in the result of the game. Senior point guard Milos Uzan was fouled and headed to the free throw line for a one-and-one with the score being 65-63 Houston with 2:27 left. He missed. Iowa State immediately answered with a 3-pointer from Jamarion Batemon for the lead.
If Uzan, an 80% free throw shooter this season, had made both attempts, the Cougars would have been up 67-63 and had a much better chance of escaping with the win.
“I thought a big exchange was when we missed the one-and-one and then Heise makes the 3-pointer with two on the clock. We’ve been down that exchange…We played good enough to win, but when you put yourself in this position, it’s disappointing,” Sampson said.
Houston’s head man mentioned some of the little things that can play a huge role in a win or loss, such as free throw blockouts.
“We’ve always been good at free throw blockouts because we really work hard at free throw blockouts. That’s why it’s disappointing. Stepping up and having the courage to make the plays that need to be made. They did tonight and we didn’t, so give them credit,” Sampson said.
Iowa State added a crucial four points due to rebounds off a missed free throw. That typically doesn’t happen for Houston. This third loss of the season against a Final Four-like opponent will ultimately help the Cougars improve come March.
The next test will be just as tough against No. 4 Arizona at home in one of the best games of the college basketball season.
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.