BIG 12 CONFERENCE MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

March 13, 2025

Kelvin Sampson

L.J. Cryer

Emanuel Sharp

T-Mobile Center

Houston Cougars

Postgame Press Conference

Houston 77, Colorado 66

THE MODERATOR: Joining us on the dais is Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson along with L.J. Cryer and Emanuel Sharp. Coach?

KELVIN SAMPSON: Congratulations to Tad and his team for finishing the year off the way they did. I thought they really scrapped and played hard today. When you get to this time of the year it's important not to overanalyze anything, just win and advance. We can certainly play better and I'm sure we will.

Q. Kelvin, you usually dominate possessions. They won that today. What did you like that you guys did today to be able to pull it out when you don't play your best game?

KELVIN SAMPSON: I like that we won. It's really important. It's really important to win the game. That's what I liked.

Q. (No microphone.)

KELVIN SAMPSON: I would have to go back and watch the film. And I probably won't watch it today or tomorrow. But I will try to get back to you on that.

Q. Kelvin, what did you want to try to take away from them?

KELVIN SAMPSON: I thought our defense was good in spots, really good in spots. Just putting them on the free throw line too much. They were great free throw shooters. The Jakimovski kid I thought played really well. He made some big baskets.

We were a little choppy, but I don't -- I have zero interest spending two seconds about the way we play; doesn't matter. We got a game tomorrow at 6:00 and that's really all I care about.

But I was proud of Tad and his kids. They played hard. You know, third game in three days; finished the year on a good note. Tells you a lot about what a great coach Tad Boyle is and what high-character kids that he has. I think that was apparent by how hard they played today.

Q. Coach, you talked about tomorrow night's game. BYU went 18 for 36 today from three-point range today. What do you plan to do to slow that down?

KELVIN SAMPSON: I don't know. I don't know how we're going to play them. We will watch some film tonight and play them tomorrow at 6:00.

Q. Emanuel, you didn't play against CU last time, but you had 19 points today. What did you see today?

EMANUEL SHARP: They played really hard. I think we just did a good job at finishing out the game, winning, like Coach said.

But, you know, hats off to them. You know, we can play better, but that comes. You've just got to move on and get better, watch film and move on to the next game.

Q. L.J., it's been a minute since you guys obviously played BYU. Kind of looking ahead a little bit to the next game. And that team is obviously pretty different than what you guys played them. How is this team different from back in January or so where you guys are peaking at a good time?

L.J. CRYER: Are you asking about us?

Q. Yeah. How are you guys different since then?

L.J. CRYER: I mean, I feel like everybody on our team is playing really confident. We got more trust in each other, we just got good continuity right now so we just gotta keep it up.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Coach.