The Sweet 16 is just days away, and the Houston Cougars are set to take on the Illinois Fighting Illini at Toyota Center.

We have the Houston Cougars continuing their dynastic March run as a No. 2 seed, a couple of mid-ranking contenders in Texas Tech and TCU, and three double-digit seeds looking to shock the world in Texas A&M, Texas, and SMU.

We have the Houston Cougars continuing their dynastic March run as a No. 2 seed, a couple of mid-ranking contenders in Texas Tech and TCU, and three double-digit seeds looking to shock the world in Texas A&M, Texas, and SMU.

After falling just two points short of claiming the national championship in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, the Houston Cougars are on a mission to finish the job in 2026.

Head Coach Kelvin Sampson is molding his players to his program.

Coogs take down Duke University during nail-biting Final Four in San Antonio 70-67, advance to National Championships.

12-year-old Jace Abarca has been fighting a chronic autoimmune disease, but thanks to the support of the University of Houston team and coaches, he got the surprise of a lifetime: tickets to Saturday night's game!

Are you heading to San Antonio this weekend to support the Houston Coogs?

Conference tournament week and Selection Sunday are in the rearview mirror, and we finally have the field of 68 for the men’s college basketball March Madness tournament.

The Houston Cougars defeated Arizona 72-64 to win the Big 12 Championship, marking their second victory over Arizona this season.

Selection Sunday is just five days away! We’ve entered one of the most fun weeks of the college basketball calendar: conference tournament week.

Basketball Mayhem 2025 is your chance to shine and potentially win a life-changing prize of $1 million!

We’re officially less than two weeks away from Selection Sunday, and the nation’s top teams are doing whatever it takes to bolster their rankings and find their way into the field of 68.

We’re officially less than three weeks away from Selection Sunday, and the outlook for the teams with tournament potential in men’s college basketball is becoming clearer by the day.

Shadow Creek’s Bryce Jackson is not just one of the best players in the city, he’s one of the best players in the state. It’s a big reason why the Houston Cougars picked up him as a commit in the 2025 class.

UH and Texas A&M square off

The Coogs are looking to get into the Elite 8, but before that, they’ll have to get past powerhouse Duke!

It’s not a stretch to say Shead should be high on the list of greatest athletes in Houston sports history, given the traits he has shown.

For the sixth season in a row, the University of Houston Men's Basketball team will compete in the NCAA tournament and as they look to bring home a win, we're compiling a list of places where you can cheer them on!

First up is a Sweet 16 matchup against Duke at roughty 8:40 p.m. Friday night, with the winner playing either Marquette or N.C. State on Sunday for the right to go to the Final Four in Arizona.

The Houston Cougars men’s basketball team boasts a 25-3 record and the top spot in the current AP poll. The squad is projected to be a tough out in the upcoming March Madness tournament, and Mattress Mack has bought in.

After earning unanimous Consensus First-Team All-American status earlier this week, Shead was one of four finalists for the award.

We are eyeing five unique things of the tournament itself aside from just wins, losses and who’ll cut down the nets in Arizona.

As expected following a Big 12 regular season title and advancing to the Big 12 tournament final, the Cougars were chosen as the No. 1 seed in the South Region.

Here's your chance to stand tall and show off your prediction prowess.

Pera had a 96-127 record in seven seasons with the Owls

If the Cougars don’t reach the Big 12 tournament final at all, it won’t be that big of a deal. On the contrary, it might be beneficial for their national title hopes.

Saturday’s 3 p.m. tip should be an electric atmosphere not only because it’s the last home game of the season at Fertitta Center, but because there is plenty more to earn.

The Cougars, winners of seven straight, will obviously remain No. 1 in all three major rankings heading into what could be a championship week.

The Houston Cougars men’s basketball team boasts a 25-3 record and the top spot in the current AP poll. The squad is projected to be a tough out in the upcoming March Madness tournament, and Mattress Mack has bought in.

With UConn’s loss to Creighton last week, the Cougars were named the new No. 1 team in the Associated Press and coaches poll.

Texas entered Tuesday No. 33 in the NET rankings, the metric the selection committee primarily uses to determine seeding.

Here’s a breakdown of Houston's chances and why the No. 1 overall seed can be beneficial.

The Houston Coogs won their first exhibition game during their visit to the Land Down Under on Monday.

The Texas A&M community mourned the loss of sports announcer and media personality Chace Murphy.

Rice University’s all-time leader in three-pointers, Quincy Olivari, has a new home. The sharp-shooter announced that he is heading to the Big East Conference to join the Xavier Musketeers.

Mayor Sylvester Turner will be leading the exciting charge of officially debuting the 24 players who will be a part of the 2023 HBCU All-Star Game.

A brand-new basketball court was revealed Tuesday at the historic Blue Triangle Center in Third Ward by the NCAA Men’s Final Four, Houston Local Organizing Committee (HLOC), and Degree Deodorant.

A University of Memphis basketball player has been charged with assault after punching an opponent after the game while the teams were shaking hands, officials announced Friday.

After a three-day pause, the madness will resume on Thursday with the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA tournament.

It’s been over six months since Houston Christian Huskies basketball standout Darius Lee was shot and killed in his hometown of Harlem, New York, but his former team and family are still grieving.

Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale has dropped another massive bet -- but this time, on the Houston Cougars to win the NCAA tournament at 8-1, according to Caesars Sportsbook.

Cougars roll Northern Colorado in opener as Sampson wins 700th

Although your favorite team may or may not still be dancing, the NCAA Tournament continues on, with Sweet 16 games running through the weekend.

March is one of the best months of the year because we get the Rodeo, our first taste of spring weather, and lots of college basketball!

In case you've ever looked at an NCAA Tournament bracket and wondered, "Where the heck is that school located?," we have just the quiz for you.

It’s tournament time, which, for college basketball fans, is the best time of the year.

The University of Houston will have a gaping hole to fill on their men's basketball team with leading scorer Marcus Sasser announcing on his Instagram that he is done for the season.

15th-ranked Houston never let off the gas after a fast start, passing an early-season non-conference test with a dominating 67-47 win over Virginia.

Rice University and men's basketball head coach Scott Pera have agreed to a contract extension through the end of the 2023-24 season.

According to multiple reports, legendary Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski will be retiring after this coming season.

Shaquille O'Neal's youngest son Shaqir has committed to play his college basketball at Texas Southern University.

Baylor wins first men's basketball national title, ends Gonzaga's bid for perfect season with 86-70 victory.

As Baylor readies to take on Gonzaga in Monday’s NCAA Men’s Championship, here are a few nuggets for you to ready yourself for the big game.

As the doors to Lucas Oil Stadium open and fans trickle inside to take in team workouts Friday morning, University of Houston student Owen Gray sat front and center with a perfect view.

Mattress Mack gives out nearly 20,000 face masks FridayHOUSTON – In true “Mattress Mack” fashion, the business owner will send several University of Houston students to the Final Four game against Baylor this Saturday. Jim McIngvale and Gallery Furniture will also host a Coogs Pep Rally at the Gallery Furniture on North Freeway on Thursday at 11 a.m.During the pep rally, several UH students will win a round-trip charter flight to Indianapolis, tickets to the game and hotel accommodations. The public is welcome to show their Cougar pride in the parking lot of the pep rally. The lucky Final Four trip winners will board a private jet on Friday with the families of the UH coaches to attend the game.

An all-Texas national-semifinal takes over Indianapolis on Saturday. No.1 seed Baylor, the champions of the south region will face the No. 2 seed Houston, the champions of the midwest region.

A Supreme Court case being argued this week amid March Madness could erode the difference between elite college athletes and professional sports stars. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, File)San Antonio is home to the NCAA Women’s Tournament, and three Texas schools were represented in the Sweet 16. Here’s a look at how they did on the second weekend in San Antonio:TEXAS A&MThe Aggies and Gary Blair were the earliest to lose, bowing out in the Sweet 16 to Arizona. 1 seed UConn before DiDi Richards hurt her leg. #ncaaW pic.twitter.com/amSH91IEQV — SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 30, 2021TEXASThe Longhorns pulled two huge upsets in the second round and Sweet 16, beating 3-seed UCLA and 2-seed Maryland on their way to the Elite 8.

(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)INDIANAPOLIS – Baylor had been on the cusp of the Final Four twice before under coach Scott Drew, falling to the eventual champion both times. Baylor is headed there for the first time in 71 years, getting 22 points from MaCio Teague and a dominating defensive performance from Davion Mitchell to beat Arkansas 81-72 on Monday night. The top-seeded Bears (26-2) appeared to be barreling toward ending their Final Four drought with a dominating start. That left the Bears short of the Final Four dating back to when the bracket was only eight teams. He gave Arkansas all kinds of trouble on the pick-and-roll in the second half, finishing with 12 points and six assists.

Baylor reached the Final Four for the first time in 71 years, getting 22 points from MaCio Teague and a dominating defensive performance from Davion Mitchell to beat Arkansas 81-72 on Monday night.

INDIANAPOLIS – Houston overcame a blown 17-point lead to hold off Oregon State 67-61 on Monday night in the NCAA Tournament, reaching the Final Four for the first time in 37 years. Grimes’ 3 from near the top of the arc finally steadied the Cougars, and Houston knocked down enough free throws down the stretch while holding Oregon State without a basket during a critical 3 1/2 minutes. AdMarcus Sasser scored 20 points to lead Houston while Grimes added 18. Fittingly, it was DeJon Jarreau -- the American Athletic Conference’s defensive player of the year who led the effort that stymied Oregon State star Ethan Thompson -- who was named the most outstanding player of the Midwest Region. They held the Beavers to 35% shooting in the first half before Oregon State found some openings.

The Houston Cougars are into the Elite 8, making history Saturday with a 62-46 thrashing of 11th-seed Syracuse. The Cougars are favorites to advance, but this Oregon State team won’t be easy to knock off. Keys for the CougarsDefense is the name of the game for the University of Houston and they’ll need another stellar effort Monday night. UH has the best defensive field-goal percentage in the nation and has held opponents to just under 60 points per game. Ethan Thompson (15 ppg) has dominated on both ends and his physical play will be tested when he faces UH.

Rice (23-4), which won the 2017 WBI, won its first WNIT title. Jasmine Smith added 11 points, nine rebounds and four steals for the Owls. Donetta Johnson made a layup that gave Ole Miss (15-12) its first lead with 6:12 left in the first quarter but Schwartz answered with a layup on the other end just 18 seconds later and Rice led the rest of the way. The rest of the Ole Miss team combined to make 11 of 45 (24.4%) from the field. The previous two WNIT champions, Arizona and Indiana, are in the Elite 8 of the 2021 Women's NCAA Tournament.

6 seed Texas, and had an emphatic response on the court to some derisive chants from the stands. Collier had 23 points and 15 rebounds for the Longhorns in an 81-62 win over Bradley in the first round of the women's NCAA Tournament on Monday night. And when some chants of “overrated!” were directed in the fourth quarter at the 6-foot-5 junior projected to be the No. After a layup, Warren missed a 3-pointer and Petree had another layup before a fast-break 3-pointer following a turnover by Warren. UP NEXTThe Longhorns play their second-round game on Wednesday against third-seeded UCLA or 14th-seeded Wyoming, who played later Monday night.

(AP Photo/Ben McKeown)HOUSTON – Texas, Texas A&M, Baylor, and Stephen F. Austin got four of the spots in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament hosted entirely in Texas. Similar to how the men’s tournament will be played entirely in Indiana this year due to COVID-19 concerns, the women’s tournament will be held entirely in Texas. 1 seed for the women’s NCAA Tournament. 1 seed is a is a great honor, obviously,” N.C. State coach Wes Moore said. Tennessee continued its streak of making the NCAA Tournament all 39 years.

Head coach Kelvin Sampson of the Houston Cougars looks on during a semifinal game of the 2018 AAC Basketball Championship against the Wichita State Shockers at Amway Center on March 10, 2018 in Orlando, Florida. HOUSTON – Kelvin Sampson isn’t leaving Houston anytime soon. Sampson, who is coming off his sixth consecutive 20-win season, has signed a contract extension with the University of Houston through the 2026-2027 season. “Kelvin is a great ambassador for our university and the city of Houston,” University of Houston Board of Regents Chairman and Rockets owner Tilman J. Fertitta said. Sampson and the Coogs are hoping for a deep run in the upcoming NCAA tournament.

Houston's Caleb Mills (2) drives the ball against East Carolina during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Greenville, N.C., Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)HOUSTON – University of Houston sophomore guard Caleb Mills has chosen to transfer for personal reasons and will no longer compete with the Cougars. Head coach Kelvin Sampson made the announcement prior to Wednesday’s game against American Athletic Conference rival Wichita State in Houston. “I am grateful to coach Sampson, my coaches and teammates for the opportunities in Houston,” Mills said. In 2020-21, Mills averaged 9.8 points and 1.3 rebounds in four games.

HOUSTON – The Houston Cougars have missed multiple games this season due to COVID-19. According to head coach Kelvin Sampson, all 15 players and some coaches have tested positive for COVID-19 at some point. “Most of them have already tested positive and gone through isolation,” said Sampson. “They’ve passed all the tests and have had consecutive negative tests after that.”According to Sampson, none of the players are currently positive and coming back out of quarantine protocol. Sampson said Houston will use eight to nine players Sunday against Alcorn University.

8 in the USA Today Coaches’ poll. This is the highest Houston has been ranked in the AP poll since finishing the 1983-84 season at No. It is the highest ranking for the Cougars in the USA Today Coaches’ poll since checking in at No. During the 2018-19 season, the Cougars appeared in the AP Top 10 for three straight weeks, eventually finishing at No. Prior to the 2020-21 season, the Cougars stood in both national preseason polls for the first time since November 1983.

HOUSTON – Several national sporting events are making their way to the city of Houston over the next several years. Here are all the national sporting events coming to Space City over the next six years:The Division III Championships at Bay Oaks Country Club in 2022. The 2025 Women’s Division III Golf Championships. "Once again, Houston proves that we are a great city to host major sports events,'' said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner in a written statement. I thank the NCAA for selecting Houston as a host city for the 2026 Regional, the 2024 Stagg Bowl and another Division III Women’s Golf Championship.”

But while the world is sad over Thompson’s passing, he at least had 19 more years of living after nearly dying during the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. But Rome’s producer, Danny Schwartz, asked that he fly out a day later to accommodate the show’s schedule. Thompson told Schwartz that wouldn’t work and he was unhappy at the suggestion, but after Schwartz insisted, Thompson changed his flight. Ten years after that day, Thompson went on Rome’s radio show to reminisce, starting with a message Thompson’s assistant relayed to him. “Let me tell you something, if you’re ever in Washington, D.C., you look me up,” Thompson told Schwartz.

HOUSTON Houston Rockets forward P.J. Tucker has been inducted into the Texas Longhorns Hall of Honor, according to an announcement from the university. Congratulations to our latest inductees into the Texas Athletics Hall of Honor! https://t.co/5BxNdzgEat pic.twitter.com/Vxuad3K87u Texas Longhorns (@TexasLonghorns) August 26, 2020Tucker played for the Longhorns from 2003-2006, averaging 13.4 points per game and 8.2 rebounds per game for the Longhorns. Tucker signed a 4-year, $32 million contract with the Houston Rockets in 2017, and has started 32 playoff games for Houston.

With one unexpected sentence, Emoni Bates set the basketball world and Twitter on fire Monday afternoon. 1 high school basketball player in the Class of 2022, set off a national reaction of various emotions. Bates played his first two years of high school at Ypsilanti Lincoln High School. Another feeling was elation, particularly for fans of Michigan State basketball, who were understandably jumping for joy over Bates choosing to play for their school/team. pic.twitter.com/WdrG7R5tpc — SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 29, 2020Why Emoni Bates is a big dealMany pundits have called Bates the best basketball prodigy to come out of high school since LeBron James.

(CNN) Several universities this week joined a growing list of schools reporting coronavirus cases within their athletic programs. Arkansas State reported that seven athletes from three sports programs tested positive last Wednesday. Three football players from Auburn University in Alabama tested positive, an Auburn athletics spokesperson confirmed to CNN. The Texas Tech athletic department on Monday confirmed recent positive tests for Covid-19 within the men's basketball program. "After attending a protest in Tulsa AND being well protective of myself, I have tested positive for COVID-19.

By VYPE U Keion CageWhat if I told you that the 2018 Texas high school state runner-up Katy Tompkins boys basketball team was able to reunite again? The Tompkins Falcons former trio of Jamal Bieniemy, Kristian Sjolund and Emmanuel White are getting back together, but this time the show will be El Paso, Texas with Miners across their chest. It has been over two years since Bieniemy, Sjolund, and White played together at Tompkins. Bieniemy, Sjolund and White friendship goes beyond the game of basketball. Their friendship played a key role that helped lead the Falcons to become the first Katy ISD boys basketball team to reach the state tournament.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kansas and Missouri are resuming their bitter Border War in football after the former Big 12 rivals agreed to a four-game series in which each school will play two home games beginning in September 2025. The fourth-longest rivalry in college football dates to 1891, but it has been on hiatus since Missouri departed for the Southeastern Conference. The schools recently announced a six-game series in men's basketball beginning with the upcoming season that includes two games on each campus and two in Kansas City, Missouri. Missouri leads the series 56-55-9 after winning the most recent matchup at Arrowhead Stadium on Nov. 25, 2011.

MINNEAPOLIS – Texas Tech and Virginia have reached the national championship game by leaning on stingy defenses, overlooked and underappreciated stars, and no shortage of nail-biting NCAA Tournament wins. So, what will it take for the Red Raiders to hoist their first basketball trophy -- and second NCAA title trophy in any sport? Backcourt mate Davide Moretti, who was downright heroic in their tournament win over Gonzaga, only had five points against Michigan State. Despite all those hiccups, the Red Raiders still turned back the Big Ten champs. Texas Tech's defense is not only the best Virginia has faced this season it is one of the best in recent college basketball history, according to KenPom metrics.

Here are five reasons why Texas Tech can win the national championship as it prepares for its semifinal game against Michigan State on Saturday. Texas Tech has suffocated good offensive teams all year and has the top defensive efficiency in the country, according to kenpom.com. Good defense always travels for teams, and with the best defense in the country, it’s a big reason why it’s taken Texas Tech to the Final Four. Perimeter shootingIn this era, every championship team needs it, and the Red Raiders have sharpshooters from the outside. Texas Tech will head to Minneapolis knowing it has as good of a shot as anybody.

The University of Houston beat Ohio State 74-59 and clinched a spot in the Sweet 16. The last time the Houston Cougars men’s basketball team went to the Sweet 16 was in the Phi Slama Jama days back in 1984. 1, 2 and 3 seed will reach the Sweet 16 for the first time in a decade. But when you’re 33 and 3 , you’re really good at one thing and that’s winning,” said Coach Kelvin Sampson. Every 1-, 2- and 3-seed also reached the Sweet 16 in 2009, which was the first time that had happened since the bracket expanded to 64 teams in 1985.

Three teams from Texas made the NCAA Tournament, with Texas and TCU just missing out. Here’s a breakdown of the draw for each team, with happiness meter of the draw being on a scale of 1-10 (10 being happiest). 3 seed)First round opponent: Georgia StateDraw happiness meter: 5Breakdown: Talk about being in a bracket with blue bloods. Northern Kentucky is a seasoned NCAA tournament team that qualified last year and won the Horizon League. Abilene Christian knew it would likely play a powerhouse, and the experience of playing in the NCAA Tournament will be a dream come true.

Sunday evening will bring one of the most anticipated hours of the entire sports year, as the 68-team field will be announced for the upcoming NCAA men’s basketball tournament. An appointed 10-member committee is tasked with determining the teams and matchups for the tournament. Not only does the committee determine which teams make the field, but also their seeding, which can create favorable matchups. Teams are placed in four regions, with two regions having 16 teams and two having 18 teams. Why is there a selection committee?

Longtime collegiate coach Johnny Jones will be introduced as the new head coach at a Wednesday press conference. But Davis left following the season to become the head coach at Detroit Mercy. The Tigers have found their replacement with Jones, the former North Texas and Louisiana State head coachMost recently, Jones was the associate head coach at Nevada. Jones has been coaching at the collegiate level since 1984, with head coaching stints at Memphis, North Texas and LSU. Prior to that in 11 seasons at North Texas, Jones' teams went 190-146 and made two NCAA tournament appearances.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Just 48 hours after securing the first NCAA Tournament win in program history, the Texas Southern University men’s basketball team will try to again make history, as the No. 16 seed Tigers face No. 1 seed Xavier at 6:20 p.m. Friday at Bridgestone Arena. Xavier (28-5) won the Big East Conference regular-season title and is ranked seventh in the country in offense -- per KenPom’s adjusted rankings. The Musketeers are led by their senior backcourt of Trevon Bluiett (19.5 ppg) and J.P. Macura (12.2 ppg).

Cincinnati (30-4) earned the AAC's automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament with its first conference tournament championship since the Bearcats won Conference USA in 2004. Corey Davis Jr., who had 15 points for Houston, went scoreless after helping the Cougars to a 37-35 halftime lead. Houston becomes the fourth team coach Kelvin Sampson has led to the NCAA Tournament, joining Washington State, Oklahoma and Indiana. That could make them dangerous entering the NCAA Tournament. Houston Cougars will play San Diego State on Thursday at 6:20 p.m. on TBS.

For the first time in the school's history, both the men's and women's basketball teams are going to the NCAA Tournament. The women are staying in Texas to take on Baylor in Waco on Saturday. TSU's Student Government Association President Justin Lee is proud to be a Tiger. A 16 seed has never beat a 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament but TSU fans have confidence in their Tigers. The president of the TSU National Alumni Association has a message for all the doubters: "We're coming to get you!

HOUSTON – Houston Baptist University basketball's point guard Braxton Bonds is leading the team in assists and averaging almost 10 points per game. Braxton says the Bonds family's primary sport was baseball, but he was a fan of basketball. "My family was pretty much baseball all the way, but I was like, I can't do this, this sport's too boring for me." Very different than what you would perceive Braxton to be as being Barry Bonds' nephew," Cottrell said. Braxton enjoys, and takes to heart, the advice he gets from his Uncle Barry.

HOUSTON – DraftKings and FanDuel are stopping fantasy contests on college sports indefinitely across the U.S. as part of a deal with the NCAA, according to an ESPN report. Earlier this month, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced the state reached a settlement with online daily fantasy sports site FanDuel, under which the company will stop accepting paid entries for cash prizes in the state on May 2. We'll post more details here as we get them.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M University filed a lawsuit Thursday against the NFL's Indianapolis Colts seeking to protect its 12th Man trademark rights, according to university officials. "Texas A&M University is the Home of the 12th Man which has brought our fan base national renown," said Texas A&M University President Michael K. Young. "We bear no ill will toward the Indianapolis Colts," said Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp. Texas A&M defeated Centre College 22-14, and the 12TH MAN mark was adopted to identify and distinguish the Texas A&M spirit evidenced by E. King Gill at that game. Federal trademark registrations by Texas A&M for the 12th Man trademark date back to 1990.

HOUSTON – In the next couple of years, NRG Stadium will be host to two of the biggest sporting events in the country. Although the NCAA Men's Final Four isn't until April 2016, the planning has already begun. I think that's why the NCAA basketball committee wants to come back to Houston," said Hall. With Houston hosting for the second time in five years, the planning committee is preparing to make the changes necessary this time around. It's a very unique event.

HOUSTON – Texas Southern University's athletic director, Charles McClelland, is calling a fight that broke out Saturday at a women's basketball game "a tremendous mistake." Texas Southern announced Monday night the women's basketball team will not participate in the upcoming Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament taking place this weekend at the Toyota Center. The players have also reached out to Southern University and apologized for the behavior. It appears that a player from Southern University committed a charging foul that caused a player from TSU to fall. The women's basketball team from Texas Southern University was playing Southern University from Louisiana for the Southwestern Athletic Conference women's basketball regular-season title when the bench-clearing fight broke out midway through the second half.