Houston

Heartbreak#2338.7

Big 12 · Houston, Houston, Texas

RivalriesHouston–Rice rivalryvs Riceone-way Houston–SMU rivalryvs SMUone-way

The Heartbreak Index8.7 · #233

The Tortured · Never won it, waiting since 1951

8.7

Heartbreak

#233

of 1,138 clubs

in CBB

8.7

agony

The clocks

First CBB title since 195111.8

Heaviest wounds

lost the final, 2025 · fell one round short, 2021 · lost the final, 1984 · lost the final, 1983

One formula, every club the site covers. See the whole board →

1437-854

All-time

0.627

Win %

NCAA titles

Final Fours

Tourney apps

#1 seeds

Weeks at #1

All-Americans

Greatest tournament games

Houston’s top NCAA tournament games of all time by Game Score.

Sort by

#1 Houston 52-54 #16 North Carolina State

University Arena, Albuquerque, New Mexico

National Title

1983 · Apr 4, 1983 · Championship Game

2.51

Game Score

#2 Houston 70-67 #1 Duke

Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas

Final Four

2025 · Apr 5, 2025 · Final Four

2.29

Game Score

#2 Houston 63-65 #3 Florida

Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas

National Title

2025 · Apr 7, 2025 · Championship Game

2.17

Game Score

#1 Houston 69-101 #2 UCLA

Los Angeles Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California

Final Four

1968 · Mar 22, 1968 · Final Four

2.14

Game Score

#1 Houston 85-89 Ohio State

Los Angeles Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California

1968 · Mar 23, 1968 · Third Place Game

2.11

Game Score

#2 Houston 81-76 #24 Gonzaga

Intrust Bank Arena, Wichita, Kansas

2025 · Mar 22, 2025 · Second Round

2.03

Game Score

#2 Houston 51-54 #13 Duke

American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas

Sweet 16

2024 · Mar 29, 2024 · Regional Semifinals

1.95

Game Score

#5 Houston 75-84 #2 Georgetown

Kingdome, Seattle, Washington

National Title

1984 · Apr 2, 1984 · Championship Game

1.85

Game Score

#15 Houston 44-50 #6 Villanova

AT&T Center, San Antonio, Texas

Elite Eight

2022 · Mar 26, 2022 · Regional Finals

1.79

Game Score

#11 Houston 58-62 #7 Kentucky

Sprint Center, Kansas City, Missouri

Sweet 16

2019 · Mar 29, 2019 · Regional Semifinals

1.78

Game Score

#			Round	Match
1	Apr 4, 1983	1983	Championship Game	#1 Houston 52-54 #16 North Carolina State University Arena, Albuquerque, New Mexico National Title	2.51
2	Apr 5, 2025	2025	Final Four	#2 Houston 70-67 #1 Duke Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas Final Four	2.29
3	Apr 7, 2025	2025	Championship Game	#2 Houston 63-65 #3 Florida Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas National Title	2.17
4	Mar 22, 1968	1968	Final Four	#1 Houston 69-101 #2 UCLA Los Angeles Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California Final Four	2.14
5	Mar 23, 1968	1968	Third Place Game	#1 Houston 85-89 Ohio State Los Angeles Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California	2.11
6	Mar 22, 2025	2025	Second Round	#2 Houston 81-76 #24 Gonzaga Intrust Bank Arena, Wichita, Kansas	2.03
7	Mar 29, 2024	2024	Regional Semifinals	#2 Houston 51-54 #13 Duke American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas Sweet 16	1.95
8	Apr 2, 1984	1984	Championship Game	#5 Houston 75-84 #2 Georgetown Kingdome, Seattle, Washington National Title	1.85
9	Mar 26, 2022	2022	Regional Finals	#15 Houston 44-50 #6 Villanova AT&T Center, San Antonio, Texas Elite Eight	1.79
10	Mar 29, 2019	2019	Regional Semifinals	#11 Houston 58-62 #7 Kentucky Sprint Center, Kansas City, Missouri Sweet 16	1.78

Season by season

2027 · Houston

Big 12

Record

0-0

Conf record

—

SRS

—

Seed

—

Tournament

—

2026 · Houston

Big 12

Record

30-7

Conf record

14-4

SRS

Seed

Tournament

Sweet 16

2025 · Houston

Big 12 ★ ◆

Record

35-5

Conf record

19-1

SRS

Seed

Tournament

Final Four

2024 · Houston

Big 12 ★

Record

32-5

Conf record

15-3

SRS

Seed

Tournament

Sweet 16

2023 · Houston

American Athletic ★

Record

33-4

Conf record

17-1

SRS

Seed

Tournament

Sweet 16

2022 · Houston

American Athletic ★ ◆

Record

32-6

Conf record

15-3

#15

SRS

Seed

Tournament

Elite Eight

2021 · Houston

American Athletic ◆

Record

28-4

Conf record

14-3

SRS

Seed

Tournament

Final Four

2020 · Houston

American Athletic ★

Record

23-8

Conf record

13-5

#22

SRS

#21

Seed

—

Tournament

—

2019 · Houston

American Athletic ★

Record

33-4

Conf record

16-2

#11

SRS

#13

Seed

Tournament

Sweet 16

2018 · Houston

American Athletic

Record

27-8

Conf record

14-4

#21

SRS

#23

Seed

Tournament

NCAA tournament

2017 · Houston

American Athletic

Record

21-11

Conf record

12-6

—

SRS

#49

Seed

—

Tournament

NIT

2016 · Houston

American Athletic

Record

22-10

Conf record

12-6

—

SRS

#61

Seed

—

Tournament

NIT

Year	School	Record	Conference	Conf	AP	SRS	Seed	Tournament
2027	Houston	0-0	Big 12
2026	Houston	30-7	Big 12	14-4	#5	#7	2	Sweet 16
2025	Houston	35-5	Big 12 ★ ◆	19-1	#2	#3	1	Final Four
2024	Houston	32-5	Big 12 ★	15-3	#2	#2	1	Sweet 16
2023	Houston	33-4	American Athletic ★	17-1	#2	#3	1	Sweet 16
2022	Houston	32-6	American Athletic ★ ◆	15-3	#15	#3	5	Elite Eight
2021	Houston	28-4	American Athletic ◆	14-3	#6	#5	2	Final Four
2020	Houston	23-8	American Athletic ★	13-5	#22	#21
2019	Houston	33-4	American Athletic ★	16-2	#11	#13	3	Sweet 16
2018	Houston	27-8	American Athletic	14-4	#21	#23	6	NCAA tournament
2017	Houston	21-11	American Athletic	12-6		#49		NIT
2016	Houston	22-10	American Athletic	12-6		#61		NIT
2015	Houston	13-19	American Athletic	4-14		#179
2014	Houston	17-16	American Athletic	8-10		#127
2013	Houston	20-13	Conference USA	7-9		#156
2012	Houston	15-15	Conference USA	7-9		#156
2011	Houston	12-18	Conference USA	4-12		#192
2010	Houston	19-16	Conference USA ◆	7-9		#86	13	NCAA tournament
2009	Houston	21-12	Conference USA	10-6		#69
2008	Houston	24-10	Conference USA	11-5		#68
2007	Houston	18-15	Conference USA	10-6		#83
2006	Houston	21-10	Conference USA	9-5		#77		NIT
2005	Houston	18-14	Conference USA	9-7		#103		NIT
2004	Houston	9-18	Conference USA	3-13		#170
2003	Houston	8-20	Conference USA	6-10		#191
2002	Houston	18-15	Conference USA	9-7		#96		NIT
2001	Houston	9-20	Conference USA	6-10		#160
2000	Houston	9-22	Conference USA	2-14		#134
1999	Houston	10-17	Conference USA	5-11		#167
1998	Houston	9-20	Conference USA	2-14		#220
1997	Houston	11-16	Conference USA	3-11		#139
1996	Houston	17-10	Southwest	11-3		#107
1995	Houston	9-19	Southwest	5-9		#189
1994	Houston	8-19	Southwest	5-9		#183
1993	Houston	21-9	Southwest	9-5		#55		NIT
1992	Houston	25-6	Southwest ★ ◆	11-3		#40	10	NCAA tournament
1991	Houston	18-11	Southwest	10-6		#45		NIT
1990	Houston	25-8	Southwest	13-3		#46	8	NCAA tournament
1989	Houston	17-14	Southwest	8-8		#96
1988	Houston	18-13	Southwest	10-6		#83		NIT
1987	Houston	18-12	Southwest	9-7		#31	12	NCAA tournament
1986	Houston	14-14	Southwest	8-8		#89
1985	Houston	16-14	Southwest	8-8		#76		NIT
1984	Houston	32-5	Southwest ★ ◆	15-1	#5	#12	2	Final Four
1983	Houston	31-3	Southwest ★ ◆	16-0	#1	#1	1	Final Four
1982	Houston	25-8	Southwest	11-5		#20	6	Final Four
1981	Houston	21-9	Southwest ◆	10-6		#37	8	NCAA tournament
1980	Houston	14-14	Southwest	8-8		#96
1979	Houston	16-15	Southwest	6-10		#98
1978	Houston	25-8	Southwest ◆	11-5		#10		NCAA tournament
1977	Houston	29-8	Southwest	13-3		#23		NIT
1976	Houston	17-11	Southwest	7-9		#116
1975	Houston	16-10	Independent			#48
1974	Houston	17-9	Independent			#46
1973	Houston	23-4	Independent		#13	#15		NCAA tournament
1972	Houston	20-7	Independent			#13		NCAA tournament
1971	Houston	22-7	Independent		#14	#17		Sweet 16
1970	Houston	25-5	Independent		#12	#25		Sweet 16
1969	Houston	16-10	Independent			#49
1968	Houston	31-2	Independent		#1	#2		Final Four
1967	Houston	27-4	Independent		#7	#10		Final Four
1966	Houston	23-6	Independent			#20		Sweet 16
1965	Houston	19-10	Independent			#71		Sweet 16
1964	Houston	16-10	Independent			#82
1963	Houston	15-11	Independent			#59
1962	Houston	21-6	Independent			#26		NIT
1961	Houston	17-11	Independent			#18		Sweet 16
1960	Houston	13-12	Missouri Valley	6-8		#42
1959	Houston	12-14	Missouri Valley	6-8		#41
1958	Houston	9-16	Missouri Valley	6-8		#125
1957	Houston	10-16	Missouri Valley	5-9		#105
1956	Houston	19-7	Missouri Valley ★	9-3	#17	#22		Sweet 16
1955	Houston	15-10	Missouri Valley	3-7		#50
1954	Houston	11-15	Missouri Valley	3-7		#78
1953	Houston	9-13	Missouri Valley	5-5		#111
1952	Houston	7-14	Missouri Valley	3-7		#104
1951	Houston	11-17	Missouri Valley	2-12		#102

Consensus All-Americans

13 AP All-American selections.

Kingston Flemings2026

LJ Cryer2025

Jamal Shead2024

Marcus Sasser2023

Quentin Grimes2021

Hakeem Olajuwon1984

Michael Young1984

Clyde Drexler1983

Rob Williams1981

Otis Birdsong1977

Dwight Davis1972

Elvin Hayes1968

Year	Player
2026	Kingston Flemings
2025	LJ Cryer
2024	Jamal Shead
2023	Marcus Sasser
2021	Quentin Grimes
1984	Hakeem Olajuwon
1984	Michael Young
1983	Clyde Drexler
1981	Rob Williams
1977	Otis Birdsong
1972	Dwight Davis
1968	Elvin Hayes
1967	Elvin Hayes

NBA first-round picks

45 first-round NBA draft selections from this program.

Kingston Flemings2026

Last college yr: 2026

Chris Cenac Jr.2026

Last college yr: 2026

Marcus Sasser2023

Last college yr: 2023

Jarace Walker2023

Last college yr: 2023

Marcus Sasser2023

Last college yr: 2022

Quentin Grimes2021

Last college yr: 2021

Marcus Sasser2023

Last college yr: 2021

Quentin Grimes2021

Last college yr: 2020

Marcus Sasser2023

Last college yr: 2020

Greg Anderson1987

Last college yr: 1987

Greg Anderson1987

Last college yr: 1986

Greg Anderson1987

Last college yr: 1985

Draft	Player	Last college yr
2026	Kingston Flemings	2026
2026	Chris Cenac Jr.	2026
2023	Marcus Sasser	2023
2023	Jarace Walker	2023
2023	Marcus Sasser	2022
2021	Quentin Grimes	2021
2023	Marcus Sasser	2021
2021	Quentin Grimes	2020
2023	Marcus Sasser	2020
1987	Greg Anderson	1987
1987	Greg Anderson	1986
1987	Greg Anderson	1985
1984	Hakeem Olajuwon	1984
1984	Michael Young	1984
1987	Greg Anderson	1984
1983	Clyde Drexler	1983
1984	Hakeem Olajuwon	1983
1984	Michael Young	1983
1982	Rob Williams	1982
1983	Clyde Drexler	1982
1984	Hakeem Olajuwon	1982
1984	Michael Young	1982
1982	Rob Williams	1981
1983	Clyde Drexler	1981
1984	Michael Young	1981
1982	Rob Williams	1980
1977	Otis Birdsong	1977
1977	Otis Birdsong	1976
1977	Otis Birdsong	1975
1977	Otis Birdsong	1974
1973	Dwight Jones	1973
1972	Dwight Davis	1972
1973	Dwight Jones	1972
1972	Dwight Davis	1971
1973	Dwight Jones	1971
1972	Dwight Davis	1970
1968	Elvin Hayes	1968
1968	Don Chaney	1968
1968	Elvin Hayes	1967
1968	Don Chaney	1967
1968	Elvin Hayes	1966
1968	Don Chaney	1966
1961	Gary Phillips	1961
1961	Gary Phillips	1960
1961	Gary Phillips	1959

The Heartbreak Index8.7 · #233▸

Greatest tournament games

Season by season

Consensus All-Americans

NBA first-round picks

The Heartbreak Index8.7 · #233