What transpired late Monday night was heartbreaking for Houston basketball and those final minutes are going to haunt that program for an eternity. The Cougars were painstakingly close to their first championship in school history and instead watched Florida celebrate as champions after wasted opportunities down the stretch. Kelvin Sampson and his talented roster watched in pain after leading nearly all of that title game.
However, the sun came up and the Cougars have proven they aren’t just some flash in the pan. Sampson’s program has been to at least the Sweet Sixteen in each of the last six NCAA Tournaments and are finding little trouble adjusting to life in the Big 12. That coaching staff has done a masterful job reloading with talent on an annual basis and may have struck gold mere hours after that misery. The Cougars landed a notable name in Pop Isaacs on Tuesday, grabbing the former Creighton forward to boost an already strong lineup for next season.
A Las Vegas native with great potential, Isaacs spent his first two seasons of college ball at Texas Tech and is a former All-Big 12 guard. He averaged 15.8 points and 3.5 assists per game as a sophomore for the Red Raiders, making just under 41% of his 3-pointers. He’d transfer to Creighton last offseason but missed most of the season due to injury, averaging 16.3 points in the eight games in which he was healthy.
Isaacs is a phenomenal offensive weapon but also a strange addition to this Houston program. Sampson and his staff preaches defense, as the Cougars have regularly been one of the nation’s most efficient defensive programs. Isaacs isn’t a defensive liability, but his strengths are certainly more on the offensive end. With the departure of LJ Cryer, the Cougars certainly need a new scoring threat but will also expect him to make a measured step forward on the other end.
What makes Houston a potential favorite isn’t just Isaacs’ addition, but it really is the icing on the cake. We don’t know what moves the current Cougars with eligibility will make in the coming days, but if everyone returns then this roster will be loaded with talent. Both Emanuel Sharp and Milos Uzan emerged as impressive backcourt weapons while Joseph Tugler is one of the best defensive players in the nation.
In addition to those potential returnees, and a number of other names, Houston also boasts one of the top recruiting classes in the nation. Power forward Chris Cenac Jr. and guards Kingston Flemings and Isiah Harwell are considered Top 25 prospects and could all have major roles with the Cougars next season. Altogether, you could make an argument that Houston could have more talent next season, even with Cryer, J’Wan Roberts, and Mylik Wilson out of eligibility.
Anything could happen in the days ahead with the current roster, especially since the Cougars previously added Sam Houston big man Kalifa Sakho into the fold. In its current state, this roster ranks among the best in the nation and puts Houston in a position as potential favorites next season. Seven months of these kinds of expectations is great, though it clearly won’t take away the sting of Monday’s defeat. Regardless, Sampson and company could have another special season starting before you know it.