The No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region Houston Cougars(32-4) will face No. 4 seed Purdue Boilermakers(24-11) in the Sweet 16 of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. This game will take place on Friday, March 28, in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The Cougars advanced by squeaking by Gonzaga. Purdue put together a complete game against McNeese State to advance to the Sweet 16. Houston is 1-2 all-time against the Boilermakers. Who will win this game and punch their ticket to the Elite 8?
Houston Survives and Advances
The Cougars struggled against No. 8 seed Gonzaga. They won 81-76. Gonzaga cut the lead to 4 with just over a minute left in the game. Houston was able to hunker down and stave off a sizable upset in the 2nd round. The Cougars are the best defensive team in the nation but had trouble limiting the opponent’s offense. The Zags shot 50% from the field, 45% from three-point range, and 100% from the charity stripe. Head Coach Kelvin Sampson must shore up the team’s defense heading into this Sweet 16 tilt.
Houston’s offense was led by Guard L.J. Cryer. He tied his season high with 30 points in the win. Cryer also tied his season high with six made three-pointers. With a defense that played unlike its normal self, the Cougars needed their offense to carry the load. They were up to the task.
Purdue Coasts Into Sweet 16
The Boilermakers looked strong against McNeese State on Saturday. They defeated them 76-62. Purdue played well on offense and defense to clinch the victory. The Boilermakers shot 45.1% from the field and 42.3% from downtown. The difference in the game was Purdue knocking down 14 more free throws.
Purdue’s offense was led by Forward Trey Kaufman-Renn. He scored a game-high 22 points in the 2nd round victory. McNeese scored 62 points which was their fewest since November 25. The Boilermakers did a great job limiting them on that end of the floor. A strong performance on both ends of the floor will be imperative for Purdue to upset the Cougars.
Final Thoughts
Houston is a 7.5-point favorite in a game expected to be a low-scoring one. The Cougars have been a better team this year even though they struggled in their 2nd round game. Houston has National Championship aspirations. They will not allow them to be upended by the Boilermakers on Friday.
