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#1/2 Men’s Hoops Invited to Sixth Straight NCAA Tournament
3/17/2024 3:49:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Cougars to play as No. 1 seed in South Region, opens against (16) Longwood in FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn.
HOUSTON – For a school-record sixth straight season, the University of Houston Men's Basketball program will compete in the NCAA Tournament and, for the second consecutive year, the Cougars will do so as a No. 1 seed.
#1/2 Houston earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament South Region and opens the NCAA postseason Friday inside FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn. The Cougars will face No. 16 seed Longwood at 8:20 p.m., Friday, in a game televised on TNT.
Under the leadership of Head Coach Kelvin Sampson, the Cougars captured the Big 12 regular-season championship with a 15-3 mark during its first year in the league. It was the program's fifth conference regular-season title in the last six seasons.
Known as one of the nation's elite defensive programs, the Cougars top the country in scoring defense (57.0 ppg), field goal percentage defense (37.9) and turnover margin (+7.1) and stand among the Top 10 in scoring margin (+16.1, 3rd), winning percentage (88.2), steals per game (10.0, 7th), offensive rebounds per game (13.7, 10th),
Houston has been ranked among the Top-Seven in both the Associated Press and USA TODAY Sports Coaches polls throughout the season and will have been ranked for 84 consecutive weeks on Monday, the nation's longest active streak.
The 2023-24 Cougars are the seventh team in school history to reach 30 wins in a single season and the fourth under Sampson. With three straight 30-win season, Houston also owns the nation's longest active streak in that category.
TUNE IN
• Fans can see Friday's game on TNT with Spero Dedes (play-by-play), Jim Spanarkel (analyst) and Jon Rothstein (reporter) calling the action.
• Fans can hear Friday's game on 950 AM KPRC and the Varsity Network app with Jeremy Branham (play-by-play) and Hall of Famer Elvin Hayes calling the action. The pregame show begins 15 minutes before tipoff.
NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
• The Cougars are competing in the 25th NCAA Tournament in school history in 2024.
• This marks the first time in school history that Houston will compete in six consecutive NCAA Tournaments.
The 1981-84 teams and the 1965-68 squads were the only teams to play in four straight NCAA Tournaments.
• Houston is 38-29 all-time at the NCAA Tournament with Final Four appearances in 1967, 1968, 1982, 1983, 1984 and 2021.
• The Cougars advanced to the NCAA National Championship Game in 1983 before bowing out to NC State (in one of the most memorable games in NCAA Tournament history) and in 1984 against Georgetown, respectively.
NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY by SEEDING
as. No. 1 – This marks the second straight season and the third time in school history in which Houston will compete as the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
• The 2022-23 squad play as the No. 1 seed in the Midwest West with wins over Northern Kentucky and Auburn before falling in the NCAA Sweet 16.
• The 1982-83 Houston team competed as the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region, posting a 4-1 record on the way to the NCAA Tournament National Championship Game against NC State.
SERIES HISTORY vs. LONGWOOD
Friday's game will be the first time Houston has faced Longwood in Men's Basketball.
UP NEXT
• With a win against (16) Longwood on Friday, the Cougars will advance to the Round of 32 to face the winner of (8) Nebraska-(9) Texas A&M on Sunday
• Game time and broadcasting network for a Round of 32 contest would be announced later this week.
• All Houston Men's Basketball games can be heard on 950 AM KPRC and the Varsity Network app.
SUPPORT YOUR COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Men's Basketball by supporting Linking Coogs – UH's NIL collective – and by joining the 50-50 Club, which provides financial support directly to Houston Men's Basketball for needs beyond its operating budget.
Fans who join the 50-50 Club will receive embroidered Jordan Brand team apparel, invitations to exclusive events, regular updates about the program and much more.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarMBK on X, formerly known as Twitter, and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at UHCougarMBK or by visiting the team's Instagram page at UHCougarMBK.
#1/2 Houston earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament South Region and opens the NCAA postseason Friday inside FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn. The Cougars will face No. 16 seed Longwood at 8:20 p.m., Friday, in a game televised on TNT.
Under the leadership of Head Coach Kelvin Sampson, the Cougars captured the Big 12 regular-season championship with a 15-3 mark during its first year in the league. It was the program's fifth conference regular-season title in the last six seasons.
Known as one of the nation's elite defensive programs, the Cougars top the country in scoring defense (57.0 ppg), field goal percentage defense (37.9) and turnover margin (+7.1) and stand among the Top 10 in scoring margin (+16.1, 3rd), winning percentage (88.2), steals per game (10.0, 7th), offensive rebounds per game (13.7, 10th),
Houston has been ranked among the Top-Seven in both the Associated Press and USA TODAY Sports Coaches polls throughout the season and will have been ranked for 84 consecutive weeks on Monday, the nation's longest active streak.
The 2023-24 Cougars are the seventh team in school history to reach 30 wins in a single season and the fourth under Sampson. With three straight 30-win season, Houston also owns the nation's longest active streak in that category.
TUNE IN
• Fans can see Friday's game on TNT with Spero Dedes (play-by-play), Jim Spanarkel (analyst) and Jon Rothstein (reporter) calling the action.
• Fans can hear Friday's game on 950 AM KPRC and the Varsity Network app with Jeremy Branham (play-by-play) and Hall of Famer Elvin Hayes calling the action. The pregame show begins 15 minutes before tipoff.
NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
• The Cougars are competing in the 25th NCAA Tournament in school history in 2024.
• This marks the first time in school history that Houston will compete in six consecutive NCAA Tournaments.
The 1981-84 teams and the 1965-68 squads were the only teams to play in four straight NCAA Tournaments.
• Houston is 38-29 all-time at the NCAA Tournament with Final Four appearances in 1967, 1968, 1982, 1983, 1984 and 2021.
• The Cougars advanced to the NCAA National Championship Game in 1983 before bowing out to NC State (in one of the most memorable games in NCAA Tournament history) and in 1984 against Georgetown, respectively.
NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY by SEEDING
as. No. 1 – This marks the second straight season and the third time in school history in which Houston will compete as the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
• The 2022-23 squad play as the No. 1 seed in the Midwest West with wins over Northern Kentucky and Auburn before falling in the NCAA Sweet 16.
• The 1982-83 Houston team competed as the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region, posting a 4-1 record on the way to the NCAA Tournament National Championship Game against NC State.
SERIES HISTORY vs. LONGWOOD
Friday's game will be the first time Houston has faced Longwood in Men's Basketball.
UP NEXT
• With a win against (16) Longwood on Friday, the Cougars will advance to the Round of 32 to face the winner of (8) Nebraska-(9) Texas A&M on Sunday
• Game time and broadcasting network for a Round of 32 contest would be announced later this week.
• All Houston Men's Basketball games can be heard on 950 AM KPRC and the Varsity Network app.
SUPPORT YOUR COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Men's Basketball by supporting Linking Coogs – UH's NIL collective – and by joining the 50-50 Club, which provides financial support directly to Houston Men's Basketball for needs beyond its operating budget.
Fans who join the 50-50 Club will receive embroidered Jordan Brand team apparel, invitations to exclusive events, regular updates about the program and much more.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarMBK on X, formerly known as Twitter, and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at UHCougarMBK or by visiting the team's Instagram page at UHCougarMBK.
– UHCougars.com –
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