coogs in the sweet 16
5 takeaways from the University of Houston Cougars' sweet victory
The University of Houston Cougars mens's basketball team is going to the Sweet 16 for the first time in 35 years after beating Ohio State 74-59. Here are quick thoughts from Sunday night's game:
1. Defense, again
Ohio State got off to a fast start, hitting 8 of 17 3-pointers in the first half. But the Cougars held Ohio State to just 32 percent shooting in the second half. The Buckeyes would should just 38 percent for the game as the Cougar defense got it done.
2. The veteran
Galen Robinson has been a huge part of UH's turnaround. On Sunday, he played in his school record 135th game as a Cougar. He scored 13 points, and his quickness was a big reason for the victory.
3. Staying on point
The Cougars have faced two subpar teams in the first two rounds, but they have not let up. Georgia State was a cakewalk, and Ohio State barely belonged in the tournament and somehow beat Iowa State. The Cougars kept their foot on the gas and took care of business.
4. Kelvin Sampson is pretty good
Ohio State's one real threat was big man Kaleb Wesson. He did score 15, but was just 3 of 7 from the floor and six of those shots were 3-pointers. The Cougars took him out of his game thanks to Sampson's strategies, and UH was never in danger of losing.
5. Now it gets serious
UH will face the Kentucky Wildcats in the Sweet 16. If they can get by them, North Carolina awaits. This is a death row for the Cougars, but if they play their best, they should have a chance against Kentucky.
---
This story originally appeared on SportsMap. Fred Faour is the editor of SportsMap and hosts The Blitz weekdays on ESPN 97.5 FM.
