One locker room here Thursday afternoon was the home to big laughs, fun and games, and Keldon Johnson bouncing around with a light-up microphone, serenading teammates and mugging for the cameras.
In another locker room, a few minutes earlier and just a few yards down the hallway at the Sprint Center, there were smiles, sure. Houston’s players are obviously proud of their achievement — getting to this second week of the NCAA Tournament — but the Cougars’ mood was more measured. And the phrase “chip on our shoulder” was the most used of the day.
“Of course, we’re the underdogs and everybody overlooks Houston,” said DeJon Jarreau, one of the team’s leading scorers.