- Great chance to be in the final four.

Kelvin Sampson is the coach.

Kelvin is an alum of this university.

His wife Karen is likewise an alum.

Karen and I went from first grade to 12th grade together in each class so Karen and I are dear lifelong friends, but Kelvin is the coach.

Kelvin is a genius at coaching.

Everywhere he's gone, he's taken a team from one level into the next level, and so Houston, the whole city of Houston is on fire and they are in love with Kelvin Sampson and what he's doing.

And Kelvin told me once that he credits the fact that he grew up in rural North Carolina here in Pembroke with his success as a coach.

Now, there's a lot more to it than that, but his ability to relate to his players is because he grew up in an area where relating to people of different levels in life was important, was very important and he learned that.

So, he can go into a home and talk to a mother and a father and say, "I'm gonna take care of your son.

Trust me."

His wife, who is a trustee, by the way, on our board here, told me a lot not long ago that Kelvin has reached that point where mothers and fathers want their son to train under him, to train under him.

Now, this is a day of NIL and you know, folks getting on the internet and switching from school to school.

Kelvin builds loyalty in his players.

I watched them beat Kansas the other night.

What a great game.

Kansas is a magnificent school, storied history, and here is Houston beating them and setting so many records.

Very proud of Kelvin.