Greatest Houston Cougars NCAA 'March Madness' Teams

The University of Houston Cougars finally made their return to the NCAA’s National Championship game Monday for the first time in 41 years. The Cougars have become a basketball powerhouse for the last several years under head coach Kelvin Sampson, but have failed to reach the championship game up until this point, their first since 1984. While the Cougars had a strong start, holding the lead for over 30 minutes of game time and a 12-point lead early in the second half, the University of Florida Gators rallied in the final minutes to defeat Houston 65-63. It was the Gator’s first National Championship win since 2007 and their third overall. RELATED: Rodeo Houston Announces Dates for 2026 Rodeo RELATED: Country Stars With April Birthdays Despite the loss, Sampson’s 35-4 squad will go down as one of the most legendary teams in program history. The Coogs gave fans thrilling finishes in games against the Purdue University Boilermakers and Duke University Blue Devils. Junior guard Milos Uzan‘s inbound play that sealed the win against the Boilermakers was unforgettable, outwitting the opposing defenders in dramatic last-minute fashion. Houston’s dismantling of a solid Duke lead in the final minutes of their Final Four matchup, scoring nine points in 33 seconds while preventing freshman forward Cooper Flagg, the AP Player of the Year, from his own possible late-game heroics to get back to the National Championship, won’t be forgotten anytime soon.

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With the Coogs’ deep run in the March Madness tournament, here’s a look back at some great University of Houston teams and the players that led them: The post Greatest Houston Cougars NCAA ‘March Madness’ Tournament Teams appeared first on The Eagle 106.9/107.5.

1. 1982-83 Cougars – Tournament Runner-Up

Defeated Maryland, Memphis State, Villanova and Louisville en route to the championship game. Lost to Thurl Bailey and No. 16 NC State 54-52. The team featured six player that would be drafted into the NBA: Clyde Drexler, Larry Micheaux, Akeem (Hakeem) Olajuwon, Michael Young, Reid Gettys and Alvin Franklin.

2. 1983-84 Cougars – Tournament Runner-Up

Defeated Louisiana Tech, Memphis State, Wake Forest and Virginia en route to the championship game. Lost to Patrick Ewing and Georgetown 84-75. The team featured six players that would be drafted into the NBA: Olajuwon, Young, Gettys, Franklin, Greg Anderson and Rickie Winslow.

3. 2024-25 Cougars – Tournament Runner-Up

Defeated SIU Edwardsville, Gonzaga, Purdue, Tennessee and Duke en route to the school’s first championship game in 41 years. They trailed the No. 1 Blue Devils by seven with less than a 1:30 to go, before pulling off one of the greatest late-game comeback in college basketball history, winning 70-67. Lost to No. 3 Florida in heart-breaking fashion after leading for a vast majority of the game, 65-63.

4. 1966-67 Cougars – Final Four

Defeated New Mexico State, Kansas and SMU en route to the championship game. Lost to Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and No. 1 UCLA in the Final Four, 73-58. Defeated No. 4 North Carolina in the third-place game, 84-62. The team featured four future NBA players: Don Chaney, Elvin Hayes, George Reynolds and Ken Spain.

5. 1967-68 Cougars – Final Four

Defeated Loyola, Louisville and TCU en route to the Final Four. Lost to Alcindor (Abdul-Jabbar) and No. 2 UCLA 101-69. Lost to Bill Hosket and Ohio State in the third-place game, 89-85. The team featured four future NBA players: Chaney, Hayes, Reynolds and Spain.

6. 1981-82 Cougars – Final Four

Defeated Alcorn State, Tulsa, Missouri and Boston College en route to the Final Four. Lost to Michael Jordan and No. 1 North Carolina, 68-63. The team featured seven players drafted to the NBA: Drexler, Gettys, Micheaux, Olajuwon, Young, Lynden Rose and Rob Williams.

7. 2020-21 Cougars – Final Four

Defeated Cleveland State, Rutgers, Syracuse and Oregon State en route to the Final Four. Lost to Davion Mitchell, future Cougar LJ Cryer and No. 3 Baylor, 78-59. The team featured four future NBA players: Quentin Grimes, DeJon Jarreau, Marcus Sasser and Jamal Shead.

8. 2021-22 Cougars – Elite Eight

Defeated UAB, Illinois and Arizona en route to the Elite Eight. Defeated by Collin Gillespie and No. 6 Villanova, 50-44. The team featured three future NBA players: Sasser, Shead and Tazé Moore.

9. 1955-56 Cougars – Sweet 16

Losi to Jim Krebs and No. 7 SMU 89-74. Lost to Jack Parr and Kansas State in the regional third-place game, 89-70.

10. 1960-61 Cougars – Sweet 16

Defeated Marquette, 77-61, en route to the Sweet 16. Lost to Larry Comley and No. 4 Kansas State, 75-64. Lost to Del Ray Mounts and Texas Tech in the regional third-place game, 69-67. The team featured two future NBA players: Ted Luckenbill and Gray Phillips.

11. 1964-65 Cougars – Sweet 16

Defeated Notre Dame, 99-98, en route to the Sweet 16. Lost to James King and Oklahoma State, 75-60. Lost to Carroll Hooser and SMU in the regional third-place game, 89-87. The team featured two future ABA players: Joe Hamood and Leary Lentz.

12. 1965-66 Cougars – Sweet 16

Defeated Colorado State, 82-76, en route to the Sweet 16. Lost to Loy Petersen and Oregon State, 63-60. Defeated Keith Swaggerty and Pacific, 102-91, in the regional third-place game. The team featured four future ABA and NBA players: Chaney, Hamood, Hayes and Lentz.

13. 1969-70 Cougars – Sweet 16

Defeated Dayton, 71-64, en route to the Sweet 16. Lost to Jeff Halliburton and No. 14 Drake, 92-87. Lost to Jeff Webb and Kansas State in the regional third-place game, 107-98. The team featured two future ABA and NBA players: Dwight Davis and Ollie Taylor.

14. 1970-71 Cougars – Sweet 16

Defeated New Mexico State, 72-69, en route to the Sweet 16. Lost to Dave Robisch and No. 4 Kansas, 78-77. Defeated Austin Carr and No. 12 Notre Dame in the regional third-place game, 119-106. The team featured two future NBA players: Davis and Dwight Jones.

15. 2018-19 Cougars – Sweet 16

Defeated Georgia State and Ohio state en route to the Sweet 16, the school’s first appearance since 1984. Lost to Tyler Herro and No. 7 Kentucky, 62-58. The team featured two future NBA players: Jarreau and Armoni Brooks.

16. 2022-23 Cougars – Sweet 16

Defeated Northern Kentucky and Auburn en route to the Sweet 16. Lost to Nijel Pack and No. 16 Miami, 89-75. The team featured three future NBA players: Sasser, Shead and Jarace Walker.

17. 2023-24 Cougars – Sweet 16

Defeated Longwood and Texas A&M en route to the Sweet 16. Defeated by Jared McCain and No. 13 Duke, 54-51. The team featured future NBA player Shead.