Congrats to Kelvin!

[NickZepp]

Sweet 16 bound for the Houston Cougars.

 

[Soonerinkc]

glad to see Hollis and Q White on staff...

 

[MsProudSooner]

And that's how you defend that big guy!

 

[WTSooner]

And that's how you defend that big guy!

Yep, I was worried, that dude is a beast. They did a great job. You could see Kelvin's imprint on that game start to finish.

 

[WichitaSooner]

Yep, I was worried, that dude is a beast. They did a great job. You could see Kelvin's imprint on that game start to finish.

Lol so predictable.

 

[oudna]

First trip since 2003

 

[OU92Grad]

About time for the NCAA to be calling

 

[Eielson]

First trip since 2003

It's kinda hard to make the Sweet 16 when you're coaching the Rockets.

 

[OU92Grad]

It's kinda hard to make the Sweet 16 when you're coaching the Rockets.

Or banned from coaching by the NCAA

 

[oudna]

This is his 10th season in college ball since last trip to Sweet 16

 

[WaymanFan]

He exorcised some low-mid seed demons for sure. Before he got to Houston, his NCAA Tournament record was a dismal 2-6 as a #3 - #6 seed (OU and WSU). That's pretty bad by any standard, but he looked like the seasoned coach he is over the weekend...not question about that. I'll be rooting for Houston with my favorite team out of the Tournament.

 

[TulsaWorld]

glad to see Hollis and Q White on staff...

Kellen too

The best father-son narrative in the NCAA Tournament is in Tulsa, where Kellen Sampson coaches under his dad, Kelvin, their 32-3 Houston Cougars prepare for Sunday’s second-round game against Ohio State, and Lauren, Kellen’s sister, stands inside a BOK Center locker room and shares a story that should soften your heart.

“Most kids into basketball dream about taking that last shot,” says Lauren, who is also on her dad’s Houston staff as director of external operations. “Well, when dad was coaching at Washington State, we had one of those walk-in basements. And we would hear Kellen down there yelling.”

It was the early 90s. Kelvin was in his mid 30s, Kellen not yet 10.

“Kellen had drawn a court with blue painter’s tape,” Lauren continues. “He had taken one of dad’s coats and ties, and he was on the sideline and yanking that coat off and yanking that tie off and calling the game. He was coaching. I think he had stuffed animals out there on the court.

“This has always been the plan for him.”

Being a coach, she means, like Kelvin, now 30 years and 615 wins into his college coaching career.

 

[Big Old Booger]

Kellen too

That's awesome. Thanks for sharing.

I can remember when Kellen was a ball boy and wiped up the sweat on the floor. He was always a cute kid.

I'm happy for Kelvin and some of you who are bitter need to get over it. He's a great coach and did great things at OU.

 

[MsProudSooner]

That's awesome. Thanks for sharing.

I can remember when Kellen was a ball boy and wiped up the sweat on the floor. He was always a cute kid.

I'm happy for Kelvin and some of you who are bitter need to get over it. He's a great coach and did great things at OU.

You could tell he took his job very seriously.

 

[Eielson]

This is his 10th season in college ball since last trip to Sweet 16

He woulda taken IU to the Sweet 16 his second year there.

And this is Houston's first Sweet 16 since 1984. Taking 5 years to do what hadn't been done in 30 isn't too bad in my book. In fact, their tournament win last year was their first since 1984 as well, and they had only been to the NCAA tournament once since 1992. Pretty incredible.

 

[hoopsaustin]

He woulda taken IU to the Sweet 16 his second year there.

And this is Houston's first Sweet 16 since 1984. Taking 5 years to do what hadn't been done in 30 isn't too bad in my book. In fact, their tournament win last year was their first since 1984 as well, and they had only been to the NCAA tournament once since 1992. Pretty incredible.

He and buzz at vatech are doing amazing jobs

 

[Eielson]

He and buzz at vatech are doing amazing jobs

Agreed. The schools need to hand their ADs a blank check to retain those guys. In 4-5 years they will have completely changed their reputation.

 

[oudna]

He woulda taken IU to the Sweet 16 his second year there.

Seems unlikely. Big 10 got exposed that year. IU was 25-7 and only awarded an 8th seed. A couple more wins wouldn’t have gotten them to the 4 line.

He’s a winning coach.

Just hasn’t been this far in a while. It’s okay.

 

[Eielson]

Seems unlikely. Big 10 got exposed that year. IU was 25-7 and only awarded an 8th seed. A couple more wins wouldn’t have gotten them to the 4 line.

IU was 22-4 with KS as the coach, and was coming off of a 2 game stretch where they beat top 15 opponents in Purdue and MSU. They were ranked #12, and thus in line for a 3-4 seed. Yes, the wheels came off for IU, but that's because they lost their HC. In KS' second to last game, IU beat MSU by 19. A couple weeks later, without KS, they lost by 29.

 

[WTSooner]

I like his guards at UH. Kelvin never got enamored with the "big" guards. Probably has 2-3 guards at UH right now that were better than any guard OU had this year. Smaller guys, but they can get to the rim, and most can shoot it. And not having big guards doesn't hurt them on defense, as they were top 10 in the country.

I wish OU would move to playing 3 smaller guards like that together. Get rid of the players like Odomes, and ensure a guy like Hill coming in can succeed at the 4 spot.