Kansas fans got flashbacks from Houston game after unreal Final Four comeback

Kansas basketball fans have seen a lot of wild games over the years, but nothing quite like what went down in Allen Fieldhouse this past season against Houston. Well, until they watched the Cougars do it again, this time on the biggest stage of them all.

For a fanbase still trying to block out memories of the 2024-25 season, Saturday’s Final Four thriller between Houston and Duke felt a little too familiar. The chaotic matchup in January still lives rent-free in every KU fan's head, and now it has company.

Kansas fans had déjà vu while watching Houston in the Final Four

Back in that game, Kansas had Houston beat twice. The Jayhawks let it slip away in regulation, then again in the first overtime. Dajuan Harris missed two free throws that could have sealed it, and Zeke Mayo had a key turnover on an inbound play. Houston had a 0.4% chance of winning at one point, yet it pulled off the most unlikely win in over 1,400 Top 25 matchups in the last 15 years. It was absolutely jaw-dropping.

Fast forward to the Final Four and Houston pulled off the same magic. Down as many as 14 to Cooper Flagg and Duke, Kelvin Sampson’s squad chipped away, played suffocating defense, and once again turned a sliver of hope into an improbable win. They forced key turnovers and dominated the boards with 18 offensive rebounds.

Even Houston guard LJ Cryer admitted the two contests felt alike postgame. “We had a game like this earlier,” he said. “The Kansas game reminded me of this game.”

If that did not sting enough for the Jayhawk faithful, Hunter Dickinson, who just wrapped up his college career, chimed in with a tweet: “That ending just gave me some terrible flashbacks.”

As painful as it might be, it is hard not to admire Houston. They scrap for everything and believe they are never out of a game. That gritty mindset is exactly why the Cougars have taken the Big 12 by storm in two years.