What was the overriding factor for Kelvin Sampson to take the University of Houston job? “The only reason I took the Houston job was to get my family back together,” Sampson said Thursday’s Final Four press conference.

When Kelvin Sampson took Houston to its last Final Four, it was a much different experience. That was in 2021, the year after COVID wiped out the entire NCAA Tournament, and things still hadn’t quite returned to normal.

Houston has been to seven Final Fours, but is still in search of the first national championship in program history.