Kelvin Sampson on Houston’s 12th straight road win: ‘Unbelievable accomplishment’
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It was literally a big 12 for Houston in Tuesday night’s road win at Arizona State.
With the Cougars’ 80-65 win at Desert Financial Arena, they posted their 12th consecutive road victory, the longest active streak in the nation. It also set a new Big 12 Conference record for the most consecutive road wins, breaking a tie with Kansas, which won 11 straight on two separate occasions.
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Houston also maintains a solid lead for first place in the Big 12, now up by two games on Arizona and three games on Texas Tech with five games remaining.
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Here is what Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said about the team’s 12th straight road win and other things in his postgame comments following Tuesday’s win:
On Houston getting its 12th straight road win, a new Big 12 record
“Unbelievable, unbelievable accomplishment. Being 14-1 (in the league) is awesome, but that’s something that people will remember this program for, and to be able to do that, you’ve got to have tough kids, talented kids, mentally tough kids.
“If you think about all the places that we’ve played, and how many great programs there are in the Big 12, and to win 12 consecutive. … It’s hard to win one, it’s hard to win two, but to win 12, just pretty thankful for the staff I have and the players, and I’m blessed to have high-character kids that believe in each other, love each other and that has so much to do with our success, so hat’s off to these kids and our staff.”
Road Warriors - 1⃣2⃣ in a row❗️
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) February 19, 2025
The new mark in the Big 12.#Big12MBB | @UHCougarMBK pic.twitter.com/Cd4QMOyNzs
On the team’s cohesiveness and their attention to detail
“We’ve always had talented teams, but our kids have great value in being a Houston Cougar. It means something to them. It’s not the fact we’ve been to Final Fours and Elite Eights, five straight Sweet 16’s, Big 12 champs, that’s awesome; it sounds good, doesn’t it?
“But the character of these kids (is impressive). … I have one of the best jobs in America because I get to coach these kids every day, and that is so awesome.”
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On Houston guard Emanuel Sharp bouncing back with 17 points
(Sharp - still battling the effects of a foot injury that enabled Sampson to hold him out for a week - was held scoreless in last Saturday’s win at Arizona but broke loose with 17 points, including making four 3-point baskets.)
“I saw their press as an opportunity to get him going a little bit. Our best team is when Emanuel is playing well. That’s when we’re at our best; we’re not at our best unless Emanuel is out there, we need him. There’s not a player in America that doesn’t have an injury at some point, and sometimes an injury can throw your game off a little bit and he’s been out for a little bit, but he’s a tough kid, he’s a winner.
“He started every game on our Sweet 16 team and Big 12 championship team (last season); he’s that guy. And he was probably pressing a little bit, but that’s all right; Steph Curry presses when things don’t go right with him. There’s never nothing wrong with our kids when they go through something. You know what it means? It means they’re human. Every player goes through something at some point, especially over the course of 30-plus games.
“When they started pressing, usually I have them up to help break the press, but I put him in the corner for a reason. I said, ‘Let’s get the ball up to Emanuel and let him shoot some 3’s against that press.’ Next thing I know, he made (four 3’s), so we just moved him around instead of having him up there throwing it down to J’Wan (Roberts) or Mylik (Wilson), who all they’re going to do is pass it to somebody else. We just started throwing it up to Emanuel and let him shoot 3’s.”
Back on track. #ForTheCity x #GoCoogs pic.twitter.com/8NdPE0HaOE
— Houston Men's Hoops 🏀 🐾 (@UHCougarMBK) February 19, 2025
On if there's any difference coaching in the Big 12 in Houston’s second season in the league
(Houston previously had success in the American Athletic Conference and carried that over in its first season of Big 12 play last year, winning the league in its first endeavor.)
“I’ve coached in the Pac-10 (at Washington State), Big Ten (at Indiana) and two times in the Big 12 (Oklahoma and Houston). I’d say not much, because we don’t change. We were doing really good in the American and then we came in and won the Big 12 the first year, but we didn’t change. … How we do anything is how we do everything.”
