‘CLOSE’ ONLY COUNTS IN HORSESHOES & HAND GRENADES
Be it the regular season, conference championship, or NCAA tournament, the Houston Cougars basketball team has always been considered a “tough out.” In 2021, Houston went 28-4 and made its sixth Final Four appearance (at Indianapolis), bowing to the eventual champion Baylor University Bears in the semifinals.
In 2025, Coach Kelvin Sampson brought a new, robust roster into the San Antonio Alamo Dome for another round of March Madness. Standout guard LJ Cryer had arrived via the transfer portal. As a freshman at Baylor, he had played sparingly and was part of their 2021 national championship team. This would be the third title game for the University of Houston and its first since 1984. Their opponent would be the University of Florida. Florida had an identical record of 35-4; however, the Gators were slight favorites. The Cougars led at the half by a score of 31-28.
On the strength of an 11–2 run immediately after intermission, Houston went up 42-30. But Florida, feisty as ever, began to claw their way back and ultimately tied the game at
60. They remained aggressive and focused after taking the lead 65–63 on a free throw by reserve Denzel Aberdeen as Houston continued to falter.
Florida, in totality, had the lead for only one minute and four seconds of play! The key: they were ahead at the final buzzer. Neither team had shot particularly well (Florida 40% on field goals and 25% on three-point attempts), and Houston (35% on field goals and 24% from three-point range).
A fundamental gap, however, developed at the charity stripe. The Gators shot 81% (17 out of 24) free throws, while the Cougars hit a mediocre 64% (9 out of 14). Ultimately, the game boiled down to Houston’s lack of ball control and untimely turnovers. In the second half, they committed seven turnovers. Four of them were in the final minute and 21 seconds. In the first half, they had only committed two. On their final three consecutive possessions, while many focus on the last one, Houston did not attempt a field goal. These crucial mistakes were the Houston Cougars’ fundamental flaw on the grandest of all stages in college basketball in the eleventh hour.
In Texas, only Baylor University (in 2021) and Texas Western (now UTEP, in 1966) can lay claim to having won a Division-1 NCAA hoops championship as a representative of the state of the Lone Star State. All-American LJ Cryer–seeking his second NCAA title– was the only Houston player in double figures with 19 points but was a tepid 6 of 18 from the field.
Final 5 minutes of chaotic Florida-Houston championship game
“On the final possession, [Emanuel] Sharp collected the ball on the wing and jumped to shoot a 3-pointer. As Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. flew toward Sharp to contest the shot, Sharp let go of the ball to avoid a travel call on the landing. Florida center Alex Condon dove on the floor to collect the loose ball before throwing it to Clayton as the final buzzer sounded.” [9] The score remained 65-63, Florida.
An image at the buzzer was profound. Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr caught between a moment of ecstasy in winning and anguish for his foe, went over with class to attempt to console his opponent, Sharp, before resuming his celebration. Some players will return, and others from the program will take up life’s next scheduled assignment. So be it.
ENDGAME
Key players from Houston’s annals would later capture NBA championships:
1. Don Chaney won over L.A. in his rookie season in ‘69 and again with Boston in ’74 (over Milwaukee).
2. After enduring an NBA Finals upset loss to Golden State in ’75, Elvin Hayes won his only championship ring with Washington in ’78 (besting Seattle). 3. Clyde Drexler: After losing to Detroit in ’90 and being eaten alive by Michael Jordan in ’92 with Portland, he won it all alongside college teammate Olajuwon in ’95 with Houston (over Orlando).
4. Olajuwon garnered a requital for the collegiate loss to Patrick Ewing/Georgetown, winning in 1994 (over Ewing’s New York Knicks) and again in 1995 with the Rockets (over Orlando). Less than 24 hours after the win over New York, Hakeem was asked, “Does this makeup for [the NC State loss in] 1983?” Dream smiled and replied, “Yes.” [8].
Other Cougars (Hayes, Drexler, Olajuwon) reached the pantheon of hoops and were enshrined as Basketball Hall of Famers as players. Perplexingly, the man primarily responsible for integrating D-1 Texas programs (along with Texas Western’s Don Haskins) and amassing a won/loss record of 592-279 (68%) over thirty seasons had to wait decades for his turn. Many Black players voiced their displeasure over the glaring omission of Guy Lewis, none more so than Elvin Hayes. “It wasn’t until 2013, 26 years after he retired and a month after he turned 91, that he got the call for which all of Houston basketball had been waiting. He finally made the Hall. So long was the wait, Hayes, who played for Lewis and made the Hall of Fame in 1990, boycotted the grounds in Springfield, Mass., refusing to attend any ceremonies until his coach got his moment. And when it finally happened?” [10]
“I asked Coach, ‘You love it?’” Hayes later shared.
The 91-year-old Lewis replied: “Yeah, I love it. I knew it would happen,” Lewis added. “I’m just glad I waited, and it’s happening.” [10]
Guy Lewis’ Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Speech
During March Madness, high rankings, number one seeds, round-the-clock media coverage, pomp, and circumstance amount to zilch without procuring that coveted NCAA trophy as the unparalleled harvest. For the participants, win or lose, there will be new worlds to conquer in the aftermath.
For those moving on or whose eligibility has nearly lapsed, most will earn degrees and cultivate extensive networks. A select few will go pro, some will go “portal,” a handful will become coaches, and others will go corporate. Along with the memories, for many of these players, past and present, ingrained deep within their psyche will be echoes (sweet and bitter) on the hardwood and the ethos of society off of it.
For those remaining or arriving, regular season and intraconference success notwithstanding, the Cougars’ most preeminent rosters over the last half-century have come up short. As onerous a task as it may be, the next wave must temper the hype and maintain focus to hurdle Houston’s dyed-in-the-wool cognitive barricade of closing the show, finishing the job, sealing the deal and seeing things through until the final buzzer.
Only then will the enigma be resolved.
REFERENCES
1. Cheatum, Alexis. “Determined: Elvin Hayes.” University of Houston Men’s Basketball. UHcougars.com. February 15, 2021
2. Deford, Frank. “Terror In The Air: Apprehension pervaded the camps of UCLA’s rivals at the NCAA championships. The fear was of Lew Alcindor, and it was justified.” Sports Illustrated. SIVault.com. April 3, 1967
3. Shaw, David. “Wilt: Just Like Any Other 7-foot Black Millionaire Who Lives Next Door.” MacMillan Publishing. New York (1973), p. 137
4. Davis, Seth. “Wooden: A Coach’s Life.” Times Books, Henry Holt & Co. (New York), p. 273
5. MacMullan, Jackie. Bartholomew, R., Klores, D. “Basketball: A Love Story.” Crown Publishing. New York (2018), p. 98
6. Norwood, Robyn. “The Game of the Century Revisited.” LA Times. Jan 20, 1988 7. Friedman, David. “Ollie Taylor Battled All the Giants at Just 6-2.” 20 Second Timeout. 20secondtimeout.blogspot.com. October 9, 2007
8. Fader, Mirin. “Dream: The Life And Legacy of Hakeem Olajuwon.” Hachette Books. New York (2024), pp. 125, 235
9. Baxley, Rod. “What happened on Houston’s final possession in the national championship loss to Florida?” The Gainesville Sun. April 8, 2025
10. Young, Matt. “Guy V. Lewis launched Houston basketball to greatness during the 1968 ‘Game of the Century’ Against UCLA.” The Houston Chronicle. March 31, 2025
