Houston Cougars Shock Duke to Reach NCAA Championship Game

San Antonio, Texas — The Houston Cougars have advanced to the NCAA Tournament championship game for the first time in school history, thanks to a remarkable comeback against the Duke Blue Devils on April 5, 2025. The Cougars trailed by 14 points with just over eight minutes left in the game but rallied to secure a 70-67 victory at the Alamodome.

Duke appeared to be in control, maintaining a double-digit lead as time wound down. However, Houston’s tenacity shone through as they chipped away at the deficit, ultimately taking the lead with 19.6 seconds remaining after J’Wan Roberts made two crucial free throws.

In an impressive finish, Houston scored 11 points while limiting Duke to just one point during the final moments of the game, sealing the stunning win. Post-game, Houston coach Kelvin Sampson delivered a pointed message to critics during an interview with CBS’s Tracy Wolfson: “Don’t sleep on Houston.”

Sampson acknowledged the strength of the competition, stating, “I hear what people say. ‘Duke this. Duke that.’ Duke’s great. Jon Scheyer is awesome. But don’t sleep on Houston. Don’t sleep on Houston. We weren’t 34-4 playing in the Toy Poodle League.”

Houston concluded the season with a commanding 19-1 record in the Big 12 Conference, bringing their overall record to 35-4. They will face another formidable opponent in the Florida Gators, who share the same record heading into the championship game.