Comparison may be the thief of joy, but somehow I find myself overjoyed comparing the two chapters of my life. Back in India, I played basketball through school and college. I was a starter, won a few trophies, and loved the game. But the court was outdoors, tucked into a corner of a park, baking …
Read MoreBy Joshua Miranda Sports Capital Journalism Program SAN ANTONIO – The taste of victory is sweet, but defeat is bitter. The closer defeat is to victory, the more the bitterness intensifies. Tonight, the Houston Cougars left the Alamodome in San Antonio not just with a loss, but with a bitter memory, a bitter anger and …
Read MoreBy Alec Millender Sports Capital Journalism Program SAN ANTONIO — In a gritty, back-and-forth national championship game, the Florida Gators rallied from a 12-point second-half deficit to defeat the Houston Cougars 65-63 on Monday night, earning their third NCAA men’s national basketball championship and depriving the Cougars of the school’s first title. Florida (36-4) tied …
Read MoreBy Alec Millender Sports Capital Journalism Program SAN ANTONIO — Eighteen hours after the fifth-largest comeback in Final Four history, the emotions were still intense inside the Houston Cougars locker room on Sunday. A 36-3 season has brought them within one win of a national championship, and for head coach Kelvin Sampson, within reach of …
Read MoreBy Joshua Miranda Sports Capital Journalism Program SAN ANTONIO – There was no place where heartbreak felt more real than in the Duke locker room late Saturday night. The Duke Blue Devils had just lost in agonizing fashion to the Houston Cougars, 70-67, in a national semifinal of the NCAA men’s tournament. The Cougars, staying …
Read MoreBy Alec Millender Sports Capital Journalism Program SAN ANTONIO — Houston didn’t just survive. Houston believed. Trailing Duke by 14 points with 8:17 remaining, the Cougars roared back with an unforgettable 11-1 run in the last 74 seconds, stunning the Blue Devils 70–67 in a national semifinal in the Alamodome. The comeback was the fifth-largest …
Read MoreBy Alec Millender Sports Capital Journalism Program SAN ANTONIO – The Houston Cougars do not just rely on talent. Their success in a 35-3 season has been built upon culture, a relentless, all-encompassing standard that defines their program from top to bottom. At the heart of that culture is head coach Kelvin Sampson, a man …
Read MoreBy Alec Millender Sports Capital Journalism Program SAN ANTONIO — Teams always talk about being connected, about playing for each other. But the Duke Blue Devils truly live that message. Ask any player on the roster who the unsung hero is, and you’ll get a different answer every time. That’s not just a testament to …
Read MoreBy Alec Millender Sports Capital Journalism Program INDIANAPOLIS — In a dominant performance that showcased why they’ve been one of the nation’s toughest teams all year, the Houston Cougars advanced to the Final Four for the first time in four years and the seventh in school history with a 69-50 win over the Tennessee Volunteers. …
Read MoreBy Chris Schumerth | @ChrisSchumerth Sports Capital Journalism Program INDIANAPOLIS — It is not an exaggeration to say that if Milos Uzan had not shot 6-for-9 from the 3-point line against Purdue in the Sweet 16, the University of Houston men’s basketball team would probably be home by now, ready to watch the Elite Eight …
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