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Edwards was a double-figure scorer at Texas Tech and Carlton is an elite offensive rebounder. The Cougars had one of the more underrated spring transfer classes of anyone in the country this year, landing Edwards, Josh Carlton and Taze Moore. I think Sampson has done a good job balancing some under-the-radar recruits with transfers that fit Houston's style of play. So he's not exactly walking into an unprecedented situation. Moreover, this will be the third straight season that Sampson has had to replace four starters. If Jordan Poole hadn't made the desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer to beat Houston in the second round back in 2018, we would be talking about a program that had been to three straight Sweet 16s. Says a lot about the Cougars' standing and their potential to extend their success.Д«orzello: I think Houston is pretty nationally relevant as is, and the Cougars have consistently rebuilt and reloaded over the last few years to remain that way. But, at this point with Houston, a 20-win season is a down year.

And I think non-Power 5 teams will feel that more than the rest of the field. But the transfer exemption and name, image and likeness rules will make it more difficult for everyone to sustain any momentum. He's benefited from Quentin Grimes and other transfers. Sampson's biggest challenge to maintaining that consistency will be the fluidity within the game. But I think consistency is always the most important factor to relevance.

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Villanova has two championships since 2016 and it's definitely a major brand in the game, but you could make the case that Jay Wright's squad still hasn't received the full attention it deserves. I think true national relevance will always be difficult to achieve outside the Power 5 leagues. Medcalf: I think the Final Four run introduced the world to what college basketball fans had known in recent years: Sampson is one of the game's top coaches and his program is legit.

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It's easier said than done, of course, but the surefire pro (or more.) has been pretty much a constant on all recent national champions. Think Gonzaga's Jalen Suggs as a freshman or Baylor's Davion Mitchell as a transfer.

He needs the lottery pick, the early-entry NBA star or another comparable talent to lift the Cougars to the highest level of the sport.

To take the next step - to play and win on the first Monday night in April - Sampson will likely need the one piece that has eluded him to this point. Sampson has delivered one of each in the last two NCAA tournaments. A Sweet 16 appearance, much less a Final Four berth, is something for the American to truly celebrate. Lunardi: Sampson is the best thing to happen to the AAC since UConn won its 'rollover' national championship in 2014, the league's first season. What do you view as Sampson's biggest challenge in constructing more nationally relevant Cougars rosters in the coming years? Kelvin Sampson has the Houston program rolling again. After seeing the results of our survey, 's writing team of Myron Medcalf, Jeff Borzello, John Gasaway and Joe Lunardi debated some of the finer details within the AAC recruiting landscape, including what Houston needs to do to continue its Final Four momentum, the toughest and easiest places to recruit within the conference, and the lower-tier school that has the best chance to make a name for itself on the hardwood.ДЇollow this link to read what anonymous coaches said about recruiting in the ACC,В the Big East,В the Big Ten, the Pac-12,В the SECВ and the AAC.

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Men's College Basketball, Men Basketball Recruiting, Wichita State Shockers, Tulane Green Wave, SMU Mustangs, Tulsa Golden Hurricane, Memphis Tigers, Houston Cougars, Cincinnati Bearcats, Temple Owls, East Carolina Pirates, UCF Knights, South Florida BullsД®SPN continued itsВ Sales Pitch (ESPN+) series this week, examining the men's college basketball programs in the American Athletic Conference that have the most and fewest advantages in enticing recruits and transfers to campus. Sales Pitch discussion - How does Houston keep it rolling in the AAC, nationally?

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