The top-seeded Houston Cougars have been knocking on the door in recent seasons and now appear primed to make a championship run. Houston has reached the Sweet 16 the past five times the NCAA Tournament has been played. That includes a Final Four appearance in 2021 and the Elite Eight in 2022. Last season's run was sabotaged when All-America point guard Jamal Shead badly sprained his right ankle and missed the final 26 1/2 minutes of a 54-51 loss to Duke in the Sweet 16. This season, the Cougars feel more battle-tested than ever after going 19-1 in the Big 12 regular season and then winning three more games to claim the conference tournament title.
Midwest Region: Top seed Houston looks primed for Final Four run
