Big 12 Basketball: Breaking down the 4 reported expansion candidates
With the recent news that Texas and Oklahoma will be heading to the SEC, the state of Big 12 Basketball has never been more uncertain. There have been rumors that some of the remaining Big 12 teams could join a new conference, there was discussion about a possible merger with the PAC 12, and now we’ve learned the Big 12 has zeroed in on four teams to add to the conference.
BYU, Cincinnati, Houston & UCF could receive invitations from Big 12 this month, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ. BYU could join earlier than others & all 4 could join before OU/Texas leave for SEC, source said. Boise, Memphis, SMU & USF also were considered https://t.co/kLJoqNKvvl
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) September 3, 2021
Per multiple reports, the Big 12 would like Houston, BYU, Cincinnati, and UCF to join the conference and invites could reportedly be submitted to each of these universities before the end of September.
With this knowledge now in hand, I will break down each of these universities’ basketball programs and what they bring to the Big 12.
Houston Cougars
Out of all four teams that will be invited to join the Big 12, Houston undeniably has had the best basketball program in recent years. Kelvin Sampson, widely regarded as one of the better coaches in college basketball, has completely reinvigorated the Cougars basketball program and has turned them into a nationally relevant team. Sampson has been able to recruit 3 & 4-star prospects consistently through the years.
They may not land top-25 guys every season but they find players that fit their system and play with grit. He’s also been able to navigate the transfer portal successfully adding guys like Quentin Grimes (Kansas) and Kyler Edwards (Texas Tech) in recent years.
Since Sampson joined the Cougars in 2014, Houston has an overall record of 167-64 (.723%). Houston has also won seven NCAA tournament games dating back to 2018 which is incredibly impressive. Last season, they made a historic Final 4 run that’s given their staff even more momentum and recognition heading into future seasons.
With Kelvin Sampson being 65 years old, the only real question mark surrounding their program is how long he will remain at the helm and if they can continue their program’s success once he retires.
All of this said, the Cougars basketball program brings a ton to the table in the Big 12 and they should finish in the top half of the conference consistently even against better competition.