LUBBOCK – Expectations can be tricky.
Kelvin Sampson knew Milos Uzan didn’t understand what he was getting into. During last April’s evaluation period, Sampson explained what playing point guard in his program is like. But even with that knowledge, players are never fully aware until they live it. Kelvin knew Milos was not prepared for UH’s summer program, the eight weeks of four-day-a-week of endurance, learning, and teaching.
Playing point guard for Sampson is different—it’s an all-encompassing, day-to-day grind. Sampson’s three other point guards at UH had an understudy year, an acclimation internship before being thrust into the most demanding job of their young lives.
Running the show for Kelvin Sampson.
Milos got his hazing out of the way before fall practice officially began. At Houston, hazing isn’t a ritual prank, but the first time you get injured on an effort play. Going up for a rebound, Uzan broke his nose when he collided with Emanuel Sharp. He wore a mask for a few weeks, including the exhibition game vs. Texas A&M. It was a setback but not an issue.
Predictably, Uzan struggled at the start of the season. He fouled out in early losses to Auburn, Alabama, and San Diego State. After a disappointing week in the Players Era Festival in Las Vegas, many UH fans started to write Milos off. They said he wasn’t as good as Jamal Shead, the four-year Houston PG who served his understudy year behind DeJon Jarreau during a Final Four run. Shead ended his career as a consensus All-American, Big 12 Player of the Year, and National Defensive Player of the Year. No one in the program expected Uzan to compare to Shead. No one expected him to play at his best, either. There are no periods in November, just commas, as Kelvin says.
After Vegas, UH came home for an unusual December. Between November 30 and December 30, just four games specked the schedule. That gave Milos plenty of time to develop. Milos watched film. Milos took thousands of shots. Milos drilled on guarding the point of attack. Milos learned. Milos worked on his aggressiveness. And Milos built trust in and from the guys around him. December was when the light started to flick on.
At the same time, the coaching staff changed their approach to Milos. They had to build his confidence and also work to build his aggression. The other players also did their part – demanding Milos attack more.
By the time Houston traveled to Stillwater to begin Big 12 play, Milos was ready. He scored 12, had six boards, and four assists against Oklahoma State. Uzan drove to the paint and scored three times.
Uzan was gaining confidence and had a breakthrough in the snow-delayed game vs. Utah. He was 6/9 from the floor and had five assists in less than 25 minutes. That set up the Kansas game.
At Allen Fieldhouse, it all came together for Uzan. His shot was falling (6/11) for a season-high 17 points, and he had nine rebounds and nine assists. He scored back-to-back buckets to cut the KU lead to two with 16 seconds left. In the last seven seconds of the first overtime, Uzan had two assists and the crucial steal to get it to Mylik Wilson to tie the game.
Since the UCF game, Uzan has attempted at least nine shots a game. The coaching staff wants to see him find his shots. As he’s done so, his confidence has shot through the roof.
“Milos’ confidence right now is at an all-time high,” Hollis Price said Tuesday. ”He is running with it.”
In a spectacular nine-day stretch that included three games vs. top-13 teams, Uzan was the alpha. He was 23/37 from the floor for 60 total points in the three wins.
Monday, Tech planned to stop LJ Cryer, who went off against Iowa State on Saturday for 28. Big 12 teams have keyed on different UH players all year, giving others an opportunity. The Tech game plan gave Uzan the chance he wanted when he transferred: to win a title. Milos was the breakout star on the Big Monday stage: he was 8/15 from the floor for 22 points, including a late-in-the-shot-clock deep dagger three that sent the rowdy Red Raider student section heading up the stairs.
Uzan’s growth has been exponential, but he’s still in a comma month. Sampson knows Milos can be better in late March than he has been during this dazzling February stretch. Milos’ mad dash through the Big 12 gauntlet is just another Kelvin comma.
While it’s true that UH clinched a share of another Big 12 title, it’s just as sure that no expectations had been met. When the Tech game ended, the Cougars shook hands and immediately filed off the court and down the tunnel. There was a small dance party in the locker room—players, coaches, and staff only—the same that happened after big wins at UCF, Kansas, Arizona, and others. It was a brief moment to smile, then pivot back to the mission.
The season could have been derailed in that nine-day stretch that included six flights, four games, three vs. top-10 teams, with three games on the road. Houston went 4-0, while the other Big 12 heavyweights all stumbled. But each of those four wins and the share of the Big 12 title were commas, not periods. If your goal is Monday night in April, how can expectations be fulfilled in February?
The period is still six weeks away, but these Houston Cougars keep ticking every box to get there.
