It’s not often that a Kelvin Sampson-coached team is not the toughest on the court, but that was the case on Saturday afternoon.
While No. 2 Houston entered as 19-point favorites, it was Kent State that landed the first punch — a blow that was much-needed for the Cougars, according to Sampson.
“This was a day for growth,” Sampson said after the game. “We needed this. We needed to get popped in the mouth.”
If there weren’t names on the jerseys, people might have confused the Golden Flames with the Cougars based on the type of toughness Kent State displayed from the jump.