Why Kelvin Sampson Thinks Houston's Identity is Taking Shape

Anytime a team comes out of a game victorious, it’s a good sign.

Houston continues to trend in the right direction with another dominant win over Cincinnati, where the offense was on a roll, and so was the defense.

Throughout the game, though, one of the guys on the sideline, who knows his players better than any other coach, said the team looked tired and needed rest, even if they were winning.

“On a night that Kingston struggled with fatigue — I don't know if I’ve ever had a team that needs a day off more than this team,” head coach Kelvin Sampson said. "It started really after the Arizona State game. It’s been a while since we’ve been able to rest. It’s been a long seven or eight days.”

Performance

On an afternoon when the Cougars showed the college basketball world they could beat the Bearcats a second time, the offense featured several players who stepped up and played big roles.

A few of the guys Sampson credited with having a solid day on the floor included Milos Uzan, who he acknowledged needed to be discussed more for his 16 points, two rebounds, and five assists.

“What should be mentioned is how well Milos played,” Sampson said. “Milos very rarely takes a difficult shot because his basketball IQ is off the charts.”

Other players that made their way into the rotation were Isiah Harwell, Mercy Miller, and Kalifa Sakho, who don’t typically see as much time as some of their teammates. Sampson answered whether it was part of the game plan to see bench production, and his response was solid and understandable.

“I would say by design,” Sampson said. “Just trying to be better defensively in the second half. None of these guys should be playing 38-39 minutes. We didn’t have any drop off tonight. A lot of times, when I substitute, you guys can’t see it, but I can. There’s a drop off. "

As someone who has brought the Cougars’ program to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances and knows what he is doing and what his team needs to have an identity in, the offense and defense have been good at something notable.

“The keys to our success over the years have always been our discipline on the offense and on the defense," Sampson said. "This team is just getting better.”

Moving to 19-2 with one loss in November and one in January, the difference in the group is noticeable, and it showed on Saturday when the ball was dispersed to multiple players, resulting in success from the field, deep, and at the free-throw line. Even on defense.

“We’re not the same team we were a month ago,” Sampson said. “Teams don’t stay the same. You either get better or worse. There is nothing about the same. We’re improving.”