The No. 1-seed Houston Cougars faced the No. 8-seed Gonzaga Bulldogs in the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 and the Zags gave the Cougs a run for their money. However, when all was said and done, Houston walked away with a five-point win to move on to the Sweet Sixteen.
Understandably, the Bulldogs were heartbroken as they failed to secure the upset victory over Houston, despite outscoring the Cougars in the second half.
Gonzaga senior guard Khalif Battle was moved to tears as he realized his collegiate career was, very likely, coming to an end. Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson went up to Battle and showed the country a touch of humanity amidst the madness of March.
Sampson picked Battle's head up and embraced the young athlete as the Bulldog continued to show his emotions, a perfect example that sports are more than just a game.
Houston HC Kelvin Sampson consoled Gonzaga's Khalif Battle after the Zags' close loss ❤️#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/jKhson0qTS
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 23, 2025
Throughout his six-year collegiate career, Battle played for Butler, Temple, Arkansas, and Gonzaga, traveling the country as he pursued the game he loved. It's more than comprehensible that when that journey reaches its end, a player would be emotional.
Sampson, despite his team advancing to the Sweet Sixteen for the sixth consecutive season, decided to take his time to console Battle instead of heading straight into the celebration.
In the Round of 32 matchup, Battle contributed 17 points, six rebounds, one assist, and one steal while checking in for 39 of the 40 minutes. Sadly, Battle's valiant effort to continue his team's postseason dream wasn't quite enough to push Gonzaga onto the next round.
With the win, Houston advanced to face the Purdue Boilermakers in the Sweet Sixteen. The Cougars and the Boilermakers were scheduled to tip off on Friday, March 28. The tip-off time had yet to be announced alongside the network that would broadcast the game by Sunday morning.