Houston jumped to a big lead by limiting Tennessee, and the Cougars cruised past the Volunteers to advance to their Final Four since 2021.

Houston’s relentless defense confused and harassed the Volunteers and carried the Cougars into their first Final Four since 2021.

Tennessee veterans Zakai Zeigler and Jahmai Mashack were part of the Volunteers team that lost to Purdue in the Elite Eight last year. They could have left to explore their professional basketball opportunities, but decided to return to Tennessee for another opportunity like the one they have today.

Tennessee lets the clock run down as Houston celebrate reaching their seventh Final Four in program history.

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.

Just as they did in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, Duke and Houston will play in March Madness this season. This time it’s in the Final Four national semifinals at San Antonio.

Houston basketball secured its spot in the Final Four on Saturday with an Elite Eight win vs. Tennessee. Here's the Cougars history in the Final Four:

Final Four in March Madness is nearly set for San Antonio. Here's to know about the games, matchups, TV, channel, streaming and more info.

Houston’s relentless, harassing defense had Tennessee’s shooters dancing around. Now, the Cougars are two-stepping it back to Texas. L.J.