Houston’s season ends in tears after 65-55 loss to Illinois in NCAA Tournament

HOUSTON (AP) — Playing in the NCAA Tournament just two miles from campus, the stage was set for the Houston Cougars to have an advantage over Illinois on Thursday night.

Problem was, they couldn’t get their shots to fall.

Houston was limited to its lowest point total of the season in a 65-55 loss to Illinois in the South Region semifinals, a gut-wrenching ending for last year’s national runner-up.

“We gave it our all, we played hard, it was just one of those days, nothing was going in the rim,” Houston’s Chris Cenac Jr. said.

Players openly wept in the locker room and at the podium as they discussed the abrupt end to a season that saw the Cougars reach the Sweet 16 for a seventh consecutive time.

“Sometimes it’s not your night on the offensive end,” star freshman Kingston Flemings said. “We were getting good shots, shots that we expect to make… we were getting the shots that we wanted, noncontested, but sometimes it doesn’t swing that way.”

A 3-pointer by Flemings, who is expected to be an NBA lottery pick this summer, got Houston within 2 points at halftime. But things went wrong quickly early in the second half.

The Illini were up by one early in the half when they broke it open with a 17-0 run for a 44-26 lead with about 12 minutes left. Jake Davis scored five points during the burst, including a 3-pointer, and David Mirkovic and Ben Humrichous capped it with consecutive 3s.

The Cougars missed seven consecutive shots as Illinois built its lead. When Milos Uzan finally ended Houston’s drought with a 3-pointer with 11:20 left, it had been almost seven minutes since the team had scored.

While the offensive struggles were Houston's biggest problem, senior Emanuel Sharp was disappointed in the defensive execution, too.

“Our whole defense is based on a good pick-and-roll coverage, so when we don’t get our coverage calls right, our defense kind of breaks down,” he said. “So I think we had a couple of those and they capitalized on each one. I think that really hurt us to start the second half.”

Flemings had 11 points on 4-of-10 shooting and Uzan made just 2 of 11 shots. But they were far from the only Cougars who struggled offensively as the team shot just 34%.

Flemings expected Houston to fare better in the friendly environment. But noted that a great crowd can’t do much if the team isn't having a good night.

“Yeah, it’s in Houston, but at the end of the day it’s hardwood, 94 feet,” he said. “That’s a great team out there. Kudos to them… hopefully they can go win it all, but they were better than us tonight, and that’s all it takes in March Madness.”

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson reacts during the second half against Illinois in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament Friday, March 27, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Houston forward Joseph Tugler (11) is embraced by a teammate Kalifa Sakho after losing to Illinois in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament Friday, March 27, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Illinois guard Keaton Wagler (23) reacts to a score alongside Houston guard Milos Uzan (7) during the second half against Houston in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Houston forward Joseph Tugler (11) and guard Kingston Flemings (4) react after losing to Illinois in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament Friday, March 27, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

SEATTLE (AP) — Cleveland Guardians rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter entered the first regular-season game of his major league career with plenty of high-stakes experience at the sport’s highest level.

The top prospect debuted in the AL Wild Card Series last fall, but that didn’t stop a handful of family members from traveling west to see DeLauter hit two home runs, including one in the first regular-season at-bat of his major league career on Thursday in a 6-4 win over the Seattle Mariners.

“That’s something I’ll never forget,” DeLauter said of his postseason debut last year. “I won’t forget this one either, don’t get me wrong.”

In the first inning, DeLauter turned on a full-count slider by Seattle starter Logan Gilbert and hit it 358 feet to right field. DeLauter, 24, became the fifth player in Cleveland’s 126-year franchise history to hit a home run in his first career regular-season at-bat. He is the first Guardians player to do so since Jhonkensy Noel on June 26, 2024.

The 6-foot-3, 235-pound outfielder got plenty of wood on his first home run, just as he did in the ninth inning against Mariners reliever Cooper Criswell.

DeLauter hit a cutter from Criswell 422 feet, which gave Cleveland’s Cade Smith an insurance run to lock down his first save of the season.

“The last at-bat, just again, looking at another guy that mixes well,” Smith said. “So, just kind of looking for something out over the plate, and got it and a good swing on it.”

DeLauter finished the night 3 for 5, which tied him with veteran slugger Rhys Hoskins for the team-lead in hits. Hoskins was particularly impressed with how unfazed DeLauter was in just his third major league game.

“Maybe he doesn’t know, maybe ignorance is bliss,” Hoskins said. “But, to have that slow of a heartbeat, in a home opener, obviously their crowd is all charged up because of what this team was able to do last year. So yeah, just super cool.”

To Hoskins’ point, a crowd of 44,938 fans in support of the reigning American League West champions did little to slow down DeLauter. On Wednesday, DeLauter told The Associated Press it felt “awesome” just to make Cleveland’s opening day roster after hitting .452 with three home runs and nine RBIs in spring training.

“I mean, just thrilled to be around the guys,” DeLauter said. “Thrilled to be available. Really excited to just play some meaningful baseball again.”

DeLauter said appearing in two postseason games last year made him feel like he belonged in the majors, and that it allowed him to focus on keeping his body in good shape. Manager Stephen Vogt similarly thinks that DeLauter’s postseason experience allowed him to more easily adjust.

“He’s worked extremely hard, and he’s a very talented player,” Vogt said. “So, fun to see him have a night like tonight.”

As effortless as it may have seemed at times for DeLauter, who Cleveland selected 16th overall in the 2022 amateur draft, he admitted to feeling nervous just like anybody else ahead of his first regular-season game. But rather than let those emotions overwhelm him, DeLauter elected to use them as fuel — just as he always does.

“The way I like to put it is I’m ready for it to start when I walk in the building,” DeLauter said. “I don’t feel like I’m nervous for the game. I’m anxious for it to start, and I think a lot of guys can relate that way, and that’s why we came out firing tonight.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Cleveland Guardians right fielder Chase DeLauter (24) watches the solo home run from Seattle Mariners' Brendan Donovan go over the fence during the first inning of an opening-day baseball game, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Cleveland Guardians' Chase DeLauter celebrates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run against Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Logan Gilbert during the first inning of an opening-day baseball game, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Cleveland Guardians' Chase DeLauter jogs the bases after hitting a solo home run against Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Logan Gilbert during the first inning of an opening-day baseball game, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Cleveland Guardians' Chase DeLauter jogs the bases after hitting a solo home run against Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Logan Gilbert during the first inning of an opening-day baseball game, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)