With 2.8 seconds on the clock in a 60-60 tie, Kelvin Sampson went to his play sheet to call “51.” Purdue covered the first one, but the second option was open, and it was a fitting one for Houston to advance to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2022.
After Milos Uzan delivered an entry pass to Joseph Tugler, the junior got both of his feet in-bounds and laid in a go-ahead bucket with 0.9 seconds left to put the Cougars up, 62-60. A Braden Smith heave at the horn was off, Lucas Oil Stadium was mostly silenced, and the class of the Big 12 found a way in an instant classic Friday night in Indianapolis.
After Houston lost a 10-point lead due to Smith’s heroics and a Camden Heide game-tying triple with 35 seconds left, the Cougars had the ball with a 3.7-second difference between shot and game clock. After two missed shots resulted in a Boilers deflection out of bounds, it gave Sampson the ability to call the game-winning play, and it was executed to perfection.
It’s only fitting that it was Uzan, who was brought in to help offset the loss of star guard Jamal Shead. On Friday night, Houston needed the Oklahoma transfer in every way, as LJ Cryer shot 2-of-13 from the field and had just five points. Cryer did hit a huge 3 with under four minutes remaining in the game, but the fifth-year senior was off for the majority of the night, while Smith was commanding the game, finishing with 15 assists and only three turnovers. But it was just shy of being enough, as the Boilers were outscored by Houston 27-15 in the first 12 minutes of the second half.
Following the game, Sampson was quick to credit Uzan, who he said embodies what the program is about and battled through a broken nose injury during October practice when he collided with Emanuel Sharp. He has fought through it and is now 40 minutes away from the goal he set when coming to Houston.
“His growth has mirrored our growth,” Sampson said of Uzan during a postgame interview. “As he’s gotten better, we’ve gotten better.”
And the Cougars will meet Tennessee on Sunday for a trip to San Antonio.
John Fanta is a national college basketball broadcaster and writer for FOX Sports. He covers the sport in a variety of capacities, from calling games on FS1 to serving as lead host on the BIG EAST Digital Network to providing commentary on The Field of 68 Media Network. Follow him at @John_Fanta.
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