Tuesday, February 19, 2019

A word about UH basketball

I rarely write about UH basketball, but I just wanted to take a moment to acknowledge that they are kicking ass right now. They currently have a 25-1 record, they are ranked in the AP top ten for the first time since the 1984 Phi Slama Jama team, and they are a consensus three seed, and could even get up to a two seed, when the NCAA tournament starts in a few weeks. I've even attended a few games at the magnificently-renovated Fertitta Center this season:


As somebody who has whose childhood memories of the glory of days of UH basketball slowly recede further into memory, this is all a bit surreal. I am enjoying every moment of it. 

And yet... I don't want to enjoy it too much. The Cougars still have several tough games to play, including their conference tournament, and nothing is guaranteed for them in terms of seeding. Furthermore, I don't want the Cougars to be the victims of any spectacular upset that the Big Dance is known for: this team should make it to the Sweet Sixteen and could make it to the Elite Eight or (dare I say it?) even the Final Four, but I don't want to jinx them or get my hopes up too much.

What I will say, however, is that after over three decades, UH basketball is exciting to watch again, and moroever is once again relevant at the national level. A lot of credit goes to coach Kelvin Sampson and his staff for making this happen; he has all the gratitude from a long-suffering UH basketball fanbase.

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