It was Thanksgiving week, and the University of Houston men’s basketball team had little to be thankful after losing two of three games at the Players Era Festival. One of the headliners in the NIL-backed event,

"We go to practice every day with a plan," Kelvin Sampson said, emphasizing the team's disciplined approach. This year's UH team is the 20th team he's taken to the NCAA Tournament.

Houston knew it was going to be a top seed in the NCAA Tournament on Selection Sunday. But now, the Cougars know for sure which region they are headed to later on in the week. Houston was named the No.