Houston Cougars Survive Dramatic Upset Bid from Texas A&M Aggies in Overtime Thriller of March Madness
The No. 1 seeded Houston Cougars managed to hold off a valiant comeback from the No. 9 seed Texas A&M Aggies in an exhilarating overtime contest during the men’s March Madness tournament on Sunday. The tension reached its peak when Andersson Garcia of Texas A&M hit a dramatic fadeaway three-point shot at the buzzer, sending the game into an additional period with the score tied at 86-86.
The final moments of regulation saw the Aggies outscore Houston by a margin of 17-5, sparking wild celebrations among their fans. However, in overtime, the Cougars demonstrated why they are one of the top seeds, outscoring their opponents 14-9 to claim a hard-fought 100-95 victory.
Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson described the closing minutes of the game as “Murphy’s Law,” referencing the adage that “anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” The Cougars experienced a series of unfortunate events, including missed free throws and the Aggies’ unyielding accuracy from beyond the arc. Houston guard Emanuel Sharp, who had a game-high 30 points before fouling out in overtime, was one of four Cougars players to foul out.
The victory by Houston carries added significance following the tragic death of former star Reggie Chaney in August at the age of 23. Chaney was an integral part of Houston’s run to the Final Four in 2021, and his memory served as motivation for the team during their nail-biting overtime triumph. Houston guard Jamal Shead shared how Coach Sampson urged his players to remember Chaney and performance in his memory after the game.
With Houston’s victory, all eight teams seeded 1 and 2 have advanced to the Sweet 16 for the fifth time since the NCAA tournament began seeding in 1979. The round of 16 is now set, with several exciting matchups on the horizon.
Sweet 16 Schedule for the 2024 Men’s March Madness:
Thursday, March 28:
– No. 2 Arizona vs. No. 6 Clemson, 7:09 p.m. on CBS
– No. 1 UConn vs. No. 5 San Diego State, 7:39 p.m. on TBS/truTV
– No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 4 Alabama, 9:39 p.m. on CBS
– No. 2 Iowa State vs. No. 3 Illinois, 10:09 p.m. on TBS/truTV
Friday, March 29:
– No. 2 Marquette vs. No. 11 NC State, 7:09 p.m. on CBS
– No. 1 Purdue vs. No. 5 Gonzaga, 7:39 p.m. on TBS/truTV
– No. 1 Houston vs. No. 4 Duke, 9:39 p.m. on CBS
– No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 3 Creighton, 10:09 p.m. on TBS/truTV
