BRACKET MADNESS
4 critical keys to a deep NCAA Tournament run for the Cougars
Mar 16, 2023, 12:03 pm
Houston plays Northern Kentucky on Thursday night. Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images.
Sampson's Cougars should have high aspirations after 23-1 start
After winning the American Athletic Conference regular-season championship, Houston is heading back to the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament as a No. 1 seed.
The Cougars finished 31-3 overall and had a 17-1 record against conference opponents.
Even though they finished the season with a loss to Memphis, this team is still positioned to make another deep run thanks to some key players and head coach Kelvin Sampson’s excellent system.
Marcus Sasser’s injury status
Senior guard Marcus Sasser had his best season as a Cougar and was named to the Associated Press All-America First Team earlier this week.
The 22-year-old was Houston’s leading scorer averaging a team-high 17.1 points per game and led the team in field goals made, 3-pointers and free throws this season.
Sasser didn’t play in the final game of AAC tournament due to a groin injury he suffered during the team's previous outing against Cincinnati. His absence subsequently factored into Houston losing to Memphis. Without their leading scorer, the Cougars couldn’t seem to find any offensive rhythm, which led Memphis to take control of the game early on and never look back.
Sasser could have played, but was held out for precautionary reasons, so he could have more time to heal and prepare himself for the NCAA Tournament. The overall game was meaningless, for Houston would have been a No.1 seed if they won or lost to Memphis.
The Cougars know they can not win a championship without their star player, so limiting his action early on may be a way to save Sasser for the long haul.
The senior guard did practice on Wednesday but was not at full strength, according to reports. Sasser seemed optimistic whether or not he would be able to play in the Cougars first NCAA Tournament game.
“If I can play, I can play. Even through pain” Sasser said when asked if he could play. “You never know when your last game is. I'm not trying to miss the game for nothing. For the most part, if I can go, I'm going to go.”
As it currently stands, there has been no decision on whether Sasser will play against No. 16 Northern Kentucky. If he were to miss this game, it wouldn’t be detrimental, as the Cougars have a deep roster and can count on others to step up.
“Whether Marcus is here or not, we're still Houston.” coach Sampson said.
The rise of Jarace Walker
Freshman Jarace Walker came to Houston looking to be challenged and because he wanted to learn, develop and become a part of something bigger.
He has more than fulfilled these goals by showcasing his skills multiple times throughout the course of the season.
Walker is a perfect fit on this team as he is defensive-minded, can create his own shots, and excels at securing rebounds.
The 19-year-old has the potential to be one of the best players in this tournament and can take over a game at a moment's notice.
Walker scored double-digit points in half of the games he played, and was one of the nation's best defenders throughout the season.
If Sasser is to miss the first game against Northern Kentucky, look for Walker to become the primary scoring option and lead Houston past the Norse with ease.
Kelvin Sampson’s system
When head coach Kelvin Sampson took over, Houston basketball was an afterthought at best. Since then, he built this program from the ground up, and is on the verge of potentially leading his squad back to the Final Four and beyond.
Coach Sampson has taken the Cougars to five straight NCAA Tournament appearances and has crafted a winning formula that gets the most out of his players every year.
His system works by instilling a defensive first mindset into his players and making sure everyone knows their roles on the team. Take Jamal Shed, J’Wan Roberts and Tramon Mark as examples. All three of them started out as bench players and earned their spots as starters by playing with heart, hustle and becoming great defenders on the court.
Shed has become a great point guard and led the team in both assists and steals this season. Mark is a solid 3-and-D player and Roberts led the team in rebounds.
Coach Sampson always gets the most out of his guys on defense, which makes Houston one of the best teams in the nation.
Looking Ahead
As it currently stands, Houston is the betting favorite (6-1) to win the NCAA Tournament according to Caesars Sportsbook and seem to have a favorable bracket.
As previously mentioned, Houston opens with Northern Kentucky and should win that matchup with ease. They would then face either Auburn or Iowa in the next round.
The Cougars should be favored in those games and could see teams such as Miami or Indiana in the Sweet 16. When the Elite Eight rolls around, there is potential for a Texas-sized matchup between the Cougars and either Texas A&M or UT, which would be a spectacle in of its own.
Houston is a No.1 seed for a reason, they are one of the best teams in the nation and have all the necessary skills to go back to the Final Four and potentially win their first men’s basketball championship.
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It’s May 1, and the Astros are turning heads—but not for the reasons anyone expected. Their resurgence, driven not by stars like Yordan Alvarez or Christian Walker, but by a cast of less-heralded names, is writing a strange and telling early-season story.
Christian Walker, brought in to add middle-of-the-order thump, has yet to resemble the feared hitter he was in Arizona. Forget the narrative of a slow starter—he’s never looked like this in April. Through March and April of 2025, he’s slashing a worrying .196/.277/.355 with a .632 OPS. Compare that to the same stretch in 2024, when he posted a .283 average, .496 slug, and a robust .890 OPS, and it becomes clear: this is something more than rust. Even in 2023, his April numbers (.248/.714 OPS) looked steadier.
What’s more troubling than the overall dip is when it’s happening. Walker is faltering in the biggest moments. With runners in scoring position, he’s hitting just .143 over 33 plate appearances, including 15 strikeouts. The struggles get even more glaring with two outs—.125 average, .188 slugging, and a .451 OPS in 19 such plate appearances. In “late and close” situations, when the pressure’s highest, he’s practically disappeared: 1-for-18 with a .056 average and a .167 OPS.
His patience has waned (only 9 walks so far, compared to 20 by this time last year), and for now, his presence in the lineup feels more like a placeholder than a pillar.
The contrast couldn’t be clearer when you look at José Altuve—long the engine of this franchise—who, in 2024, delivered in the moments Walker is now missing. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Altuve hit .275 with an .888 OPS. In late and close situations, he thrived with a .314 average and .854 OPS. That kind of situational excellence is missing from this 2025 squad—but someone else may yet step into that role.
And yet—the Astros are winning. Not because of Walker, but in spite of him.
Houston’s offense, in general, hasn’t lit up the leaderboard. Their team OPS ranks 23rd (.667), their slugging 25th (.357), and they sit just 22nd in runs scored (117). They’re 26th in doubles, a rare place for a team built on gap-to-gap damage.
But where there’s been light, it hasn’t come from the usual spots. Jeremy Peña, often overshadowed in a lineup full of stars, now boasts the team’s highest OPS at .791 (Isaac Paredes is second in OPS) and is flourishing in his new role as the leadoff hitter. Peña’s balance of speed, contact, aggression, and timely power has given Houston a surprising tone-setter at the top.
Even more surprising: four Astros currently have more home runs than Yordan Alvarez.
And then there’s the pitching—Houston’s anchor. The rotation and bullpen have been elite, ranking 5th in ERA (3.23), 1st in WHIP (1.08), and 4th in batting average against (.212). In a season where offense is lagging and clutch hits are rare, the arms have made all the difference.
For now, it’s the unexpected contributors keeping Houston afloat. Peña’s emergence. A rock-solid pitching staff. Role players stepping up in quiet but crucial ways. They’re not dominating, but they’re grinding—and in a sluggish AL West, that may be enough.
Walker still has time to find his swing. He showed some signs of life against Toronto and Detroit. If he does, the Astros could become dangerous. If he doesn’t, the turnaround we’re witnessing will be credited to a new cast of unlikely faces. And maybe, that’s the story that needed to be written.
We have so much more to discuss. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
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