Indianapolis, IN – Two spots remain in the 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, with the Duke Blue Devils and Florida Gators already securing their places.
Today’s action will determine the remaining participants. In the Midwest Regional Final, the Tennessee Volunteers take on the Houston Cougars at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Meanwhile, the South Regional Final in Atlanta features a showdown between the Michigan State Spartans and Auburn Tigers.
HOUSTON’S DEFENSIVE PRESSURE STIFLES TENNESSEE
Tennessee fans packed Lucas Oil Stadium, hoping to rally their Volunteers, but Houston’s suffocating defense gave them little to cheer about in the first half.
The Cougars, boasting the nation’s top-ranked defense, set the tone early, forcing Tennessee into a sluggish start—hitting just 1 of their first 5 shots while missing both free-throw attempts and committing two turnovers in the opening five minutes. Meanwhile, Houston’s balanced attack saw seven different players contribute offensively, capitalizing on nine second-chance points and dominating the paint with twelve points, to open a 22-8 lead.
Tennessee’s offensive struggles continued throughout the half. The Volunteers managed to convert on just 6 of 28 attempts from the field (21.4%) while connecting on just 1 of 15 three-point attempts (6.7%).
The Cougars had seven players that contributed to the scoring, led by L.J. Cryer with 10 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists. They shot 41.7% from the field (15 of 36) and 30% from deep (3 of 10) as a team.
Houston heads into halftime with a commanding 34-15 lead.
TENNESSEE’S SECOND-HALF SURGE FALLS SHORT AS HOUSTON ADVANCES
Tennessee came out in the second half determined to disrupt Houston’s rhythm—and, for a time, they succeeded. Their bench provided an 11-point boost, and their defense disrupted the Cougars flow, holding them to just 13% shooting over the first 15 minutes. Implementing a full-court press also threw Houston off balance offensively.
With under six minutes to play, Tennessee had cut the deficit to just 10 points at 50-40, fueled by Jordan Gainey’s 11 points and Chaz Lanier’s seven.
But just as the Volunteers gained momentum, Houston responded with a knockout blow. The Cougars drilled three consecutive three-pointers—two from Emanuel Sharp and one from Mylik Wilson—pushing the lead back to 17.
Despite Tennessee’s relentless effort in the second half, the gap proved insurmountable. Houston claimed the Midwest Regional title with a commanding 69-50 victory, punching their ticket to the Final Four in San Antonio.
For head coach Kelvin Sampson, this marks his third career Final Four appearance—his second with Houston (2021) and one with Oklahoma (2002).
STATISTICAL SUMMARY
Tennessee concludes its season with a 30-8 record. Jordan Gainey and Chaz Lanier led the Volunteers in scoring with 17 points each, while Felix Okpara contributed 9 assists. However, Tennessee struggled offensively, shooting just 29% from the field and 17% from three-point range. One bright spot for the Volunteers was their bench, which outscored Houston’s reserves 18-15.
Houston improves to 34-4 and advances to San Antonio. L.J. Cryer led the Cougars with 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Emanuel Sharp added 16 points, including 14 in the second half. Houston was more efficient, shooting 42% from the field and 36% from beyond the arc. The Cougars also dominated in key statistical categories, holding advantages in rebounding (42-35), second-chance points (19-8), points in the paint (30-14), blocks (4-2), steals (7-3), and assists (15-12). Houston never trailed in the game.
2025 MIDWEST REGIONAL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Braden Smith-Purdue
Jordan Gainey-Tennessee
L.J. Cryer-Houston
Emanuel Sharp-Houston
Milos Uzan-Houston
