Which Houston player was cited by Kelvin Sampson as potential X-factor in Final Four?

Much has been made of Houston’s primary starting five.

The Cougars’ starting three guards (LJ Cryer, Emanuel Sharp and Milos Uzan) have all made contributions all season, especially during their run to the Final Four the past couple of weeks. Then frontcourt players J’Wan Roberts and Joseph Tugler have earned recognition - Roberts for his experience and being the winningest athlete in program history - and Tugler for being named the Lefty Driesell Award winner as the top defensive player in the country.

But in Saturday night’s Final Four game against Duke in San Antonio, another Cougar should be one to watch. It’s someone who knows all about playing in the Alamodome.

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That would be sophomore guard Terrance Arceneaux, who was a part of back-to-back University Interscholastic League 5A state title teams at Beaumont (Texas) United High School in 2021 and again in 2022.

Both of those titles were won in the Alamodome, and in the first championship triumph in 2021, Arceneaux forced overtime with a 3-pointer with one second left in regulation; then hit a game-winning 3 as the Timberwolves defeated Dallas Kimball, 71-70. Arceneaux, who had 24 points in that win, was named the MVP.

Insane finish in the Class 5A title game. Our Jack Greene right there for it all as Terrance Arceneaux hits this three at the overtime buzzer to walk it off for Beaumont United!#txhshoops @BUBasketball2 pic.twitter.com/wTKFuqknCK
— Chase Shannon (@chase_shannon) March 13, 2021

Houston coach Kelvin Sampson believes Arceneaux is more than capable of coming up with more heroics this weekend in the Alamodome. The coach was asked about the contributions Arceneaux has been making for the Cougars during a press conference on Friday.

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“There's always one guy I think on your roster that you feel like you could have or probably should have gotten more minutes for,” Sampson said. “As a coach, I needed to have gotten Terrance in there a little more (in each game).

“Like in the Tennessee game (the Cougars’ Midwest Regional title game win last Sunday), (Roberts) picked up two quick (fouls). Terrance goes in and scores eight consecutive points, or thereabouts, but he's capable of that. Terrance is a 6 (foot-6) basketball player; he’s not a four and he's not a three, he's not a two. He's just a really good player. He’s bailed us out a lot of nights.”

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Arceneaux is averaging 6.8 points per game, and had 10 points in the Cougars’ opening-round win against SIU Edwardsville. He also had a career-high 16 points in a December win against Toledo.

“A lot of nights Sharp and Cryer have had it going. I’ve closed games with Mylik Wilson because of his ability to guard multiple positions,” Sampson said. “But Terrance is a huge, huge part of our success this year, for sure.”

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Arceneaux and the Cougars will be taking on Duke at approximately 7:49 p.m. Saturday night at the Alamodome in the national semifinals.