AP Photo/Nate Billings
Houston guard Emanuel Sharp (21) shoots over Texas A&M guard Pop Isaacs (2) as Texas A&M head coach Bucky McMillan, right, watches during the first half in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament Saturday, March 21, 2026, in Oklahoma City.
It’s 2.4 miles from the Fertitta Center to the Toyota Center.
That’s an 8-minute car drive (no traffic, of course), 17 minutes by bicycle, 35 minutes on a METRO bus (one transfer in the East End required) and a 56-minute walk.
So yes, this part of the road to the Final Four is an extremely short one for the University of Houston Cougars, who play at 9:05 p.m. Thursday night at the Toyota Center against the University of Illinois in the Sweet 16.
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A win against the Illini and a win in the South Region final on Saturday would send Houston back to the Final Four, where last year the program fell just short of its first national championship.
UH has sold out its allotment and social media is filled with fans trying to get their hands on tickets in the resale market to fill the arena with Cougar red-clad fans.
But head coach Kelvin Sampson pointed to tournament victories by Houston in recent seasons in hostile environments, like the Cougars’ two-point win over Purdue in Indianapolis last year, when asked by reporters about playing at the Toyota Center.
“Just because you have home court advantage doesn’t guarantee success, because we proved you can go on the road in those environments,” Sampson said.
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The surprise elimination of defending national champion Florida last weekend in the round of 32 means the South regional will have a decidedly midwestern flavor. The other three teams are all from the Big Ten – Illinois, Iowa (which upset Florida) and Nebraska.
“There’s four teams that are good enough to win this thing,” Sampson said.
All three of the Big Ten teams represent large state schools that have sizeable followings. Most notably, Huskers fans took over their first-round site in Oklahoma City and are expected to travel well to Houston. They witnessed Nebraska winning its first- and second-ever NCAA Tournament games.
But Sampson says Houston fans are good at supporting their school, too.
“One of my biggest thrills, one of the things that makes my heart burst with pride and happiness, has been the growth of our fan base and how excited they are to support this program,” Sampson said.
The coach described Cougar fans as “awesome” and “loud.”
“I’m sure that they’re going to be a tremendous help for us this weekend because, you know, they could be the deciding factor,” Sampson said.
No. 2 Houston (30-6) vs. No. 3 Illinois (26-8)
Expected tip: Thursday, 9:05 p.m. CT
How to watch: TBS, truTV, MarchMadness Live App
Odds: Houston -3.5
Sweet 16 facts: This is Houston’s seventh straight appearance in the Sweet 16, which is the longest such active streak in men’s college basketball. Illinois is making its second Sweet 16 appearance in three seasons.
Size and shooting: Illinois has four players who are at least 6-foot-9 and get regular minutes, making the Illini one of the tallest teams left in the tournament. Illinois has a high-powered offense that is fueled by the 3-pointer, averaging nearly 85 points per game.
Stingy defense: Houston gives up just 62.3 points per game on average, the best in the Big 12 this season and would be the best in the Big Ten.
Fabulous freshmen: Kingston Flemings of Houston and Keaton Wagler of Illinois are worth watching. Wagler averages 17.8 points per game and 4.4 assists, while Flemings averages 16.2 points per game and 5.2 assists.
Disclosure: Houston Public Media is licensed to the University of Houston System. The university does not play a role in Houston Public Media’s editorial decisions. Read our statement of ethics and standards here.