INDIANAPOLIS—In Saturday’s media availability before the Houston Cougars faced the Tennessee Volunteers for a spot in the Final Four, a reporter asked Cougars coach Kelvin Sampson a question that started: “You guys haven’t been to a Final Four since 2021.

No. 1 seed Houston is headed to the Final Four for the second time in the past five seasons after imposing its will on No. 2 seed Tennessee for a 69-50 win in the Elite Eight on Sunday. The Cougars used a masterful defensive effort to build a 22-point first half lead and then held on late for their 17th consecutive victory.

The nation’s stingiest defense held the Volunteers, who've never made a Final Four, to 15 first-half points, the fewest in an Elite Eight game since 1979.