Elvin Hayes, Phi Slama Jama and Houston’s Continuing Chase for an NCAA Title

Kelvin Sampson settles into a chair in his office and offers a succinct review of his Cougars’ 17-point victory against Wichita State the night before. “We played like s---,” he says. There is a scowl on his face, but it’s quickly replaced by a small smile and a brief chuckle.

“We play like s--- a lot,” he adds.The laughter reveals multiple truths: Sampson’s 31–3 team has reached such a stature that winning by 17 can be considered flush-worthy. Sampson doesn’t care if his team plays like poop as long as his team wins—he relishes it, actually, since it meshes with the team ethos; no program in college basketball wins more games in this manner than Sampson’s over the past six seasons.

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