In a breathtaking display of resilience and determination, Houston’s Cougars pulled off an incredible comeback in the penultimate game of this year’s NCAA Tournament, defeating Duke 70-67 in the Final Four. This victory was nothing short of miraculous, as the Cougars erased a 14-point second-half deficit and closed on a 25-8 run to stun the Blue Devils. This remarkable turnaround ties for the second-largest Final Four comeback in the last decade, showcasing Houston’s unwavering spirit and refusal to give up.
With just 8:17 remaining in the game, Houston found themselves trailing by a daunting 14 points. According to Evan Miyakawa, who runs the college basketball analytics website EvanMiya.com, Duke had a staggering 98.5% win probability at that moment. However, the Cougars were far from defeated. Houston coach Kelvin Sampson’s words of wisdom, “No one ever loses in anything, as long as you don’t quit,” resonated deeply with his team. The Cougars believed that if they could get close enough to put some game pressure on Duke, something good could happen. And that’s exactly what they did.
Houston’s stirring run included a 9-0 stretch over the game’s final 33 seconds, propelling them to victory and securing their place in the national championship game. This was Houston’s third-ever title game appearance and their first since 1984. The final 10:30 of the second half was a testament to Houston’s relentless pursuit of victory. While Duke managed only one field goal, Houston reeled off a 25-9 run. The Cougars took 19 shot attempts to Duke’s nine, spurred by six offensive boards and five Duke turnovers.
Houston forward J’Wan Roberts summed it up perfectly: “Basketball is a game of runs.” With the clock ticking down, the Cougars never lost faith. They knew they could still win the game, and their determination paid off. It was as much a blown lead for Duke as it was a miraculous comeback for Houston. Duke coach Jon Scheyer expressed his disbelief, saying, “It’s still hard to process. I thought our guys did an incredible job. We had some good looks, didn’t finish. And you have to give Houston a ton of credit. Even with that, we had the lead with a minute to go. … In a moment like this, we were this close. We thought we were the best team; the best team tonight was Houston.”
Fittingly, Houston’s comeback sets them up for another thrilling showdown in the national championship game in Florida. Florida has also made a habit of relying on comebacks to advance this postseason. They dug out of a nine-point second-half deficit against Auburn in the Final Four and erased a 10-point second-half deficit in the Elite Eight against Texas Tech. The stage is set for an epic battle between two teams that have proven their ability to rise from the ashes and achieve greatness.
