Sampson's Houston Cougars Chase Title

0:00On March 18, the Houston Cougars faced the Idaho Vandals in the first round of the 2026 NCAA men's basketball tournament. Houston head coach Kelvin Samson, now 70 years old, is still chasing his first national title after coming so close last year in the Bang, Championship game. Samson enters his 46th season of coaching, with an impressive 825 wins against 362 losses overall. At Houston, he's posted a strong 327 wins and 90 losses, leading the team to 8 straight NCAA tournaments, and at least the sweet 16 in the past five years. Earlier in his career, Samson took the Oklahoma Sooners to 12 straight post seasons, including a final four in 2002. He also served as an assistant coach for the Milwaukee Bucks and Houston Rockets before returning to college ball with the Cougars in 2014. Idaho's head coach Alex Pribble recently praised Samson as a Hall of Fame coach, and many agree given his four final four trips and 31 wins. Against 21 losses in tournament play. Houston remains

1:06a top favorite this March madness, thanks largely to Samson's steady hand turning the program into a powerhouse with fans hoping. This run finally delivers that elusive title.