In a thrilling matchup at Allen Fieldhouse, Houston's head coach Kelvin Sampson may not have secured a win against Kansas, but he certainly earned high praise from Bill Self. Earlier this month, Sampson was named a finalist for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, with the Class of 2026 set to be announced during the Final Four weekend on April 4. Bill Self, Kansas' head coach and a Hall of Famer himself, expressed his support for Sampson's potential induction.
Self remarked, “There’s not a better ball coach in America than Kelvin Sampson. You don’t have to be in the Hall to be one of the best. But, certainly, if he’s a finalist, I hope he gets in because I think he’s terrific.”
Despite Houston's recent 69-56 loss to the No. 14 Jayhawks, Sampson's squad is still ranked No. 4 in the nation according to the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.
This defeat marks their third straight, but the Cougars have faced a particularly tough schedule this season. With their talent and resilience, they remain strong contenders for deep runs in both the Big 12 Conference and NCAA tournaments.
Since joining the Big 12, Sampson's Cougars have posted a 3-2 record against Self’s Jayhawks, with Kansas winning at home twice and Houston clinching victories on their own turf. Last season, Sampson led Houston to the NCAA tournament national championship game, finishing as runners-up.
Looking ahead, Houston will host Colorado and Baylor before hitting the road to face Oklahoma State. Meanwhile, Kansas is set to travel to take on No.
2 Arizona and Arizona State, and will welcome Kansas State at home. Both teams are still very much in the hunt for the Big 12 regular-season title.