UH is Sweet 16 Bound Again After OT Thrilling Win Over Texas A&M

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – Sophomore guard Emanuel Sharp started overtime with a 3-pointer that put Houston ahead to stay as the top-seeded Cougars advanced to the Sweet 16 back in Texas by topping No. 9 seed Texas A&M 100-95 on Sunday night.

The Aggies (21-15) forced overtime with a furious rally, outscoring Houston 17-5 in the final two minutes of regulation. Andersson Garcia beat the buzzer with his ninth 3-pointer of the season, and then was mobbed by his teammates.

"The last two minutes was Murphy's Law," Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson said. "We kept missing some free throws. The ball was bouncing all over the place. They didn't miss a three. And they didn't make an easy one. They were all hard 3's."

Sharp fouled out after his 3, finishing with 30 points. His teammates outscored Texas A&M 7-1 to start the extra session and close it out.

The win by Houston (32-4) means all eight teams seeded 1 and 2 advanced to the Sweet 16 for the fifth time since the NCAA tourney started seeding in 1979. The top eight seeds also advanced in 2019, 2009, 1995 and 1989.

The Cougars will play Duke, a 93-55 winner over James Madison, on Friday in Dallas in the South Region semifinals. This will be Houston's fifth straight Sweet 16 and 16th all-time.

They are playing in part for Reggie Chaney, a forward who was part of Houston's Final Four team in 2021, who died in August at the age of 23. Chaney's No. 32 is on a patch on Houston jerseys, and Sampson said at halftime he asked his Cougars what would Chaney do in this game.

"That was for big Reg," Sampson said.

Senior guard Jamal Shead had 21 points and 10 assists for Houston. He was one of four Cougars who fouled out. Senior L.J. Cryer added 20 points, and senior J'Wan Roberts fought through a knee issue with 13.

Shead mentioned how Sampson talked about how hard Chaney would have played, pointing to the 32 on his jersey.

"We're built for this," Shead said. "I just miss my dog. On to the Sweet 16."