Houston’s relentless defense confused and harassed the Volunteers and carried the Cougars into their first Final Four since 2021.

The No. 1 Cougars beat the No. 2 Volunteers 69-50 in the Elite Eight on Sunday after amassing a 34-15 halftime lead. Tennessee’s fourth basket of the game came on its 23rd shot attempt. And that shot by Jordan Gainey simply cut a 21-point lead into a 29-10 advantage for Houston with 3:37 to play before the break.

What you need to know about the Houston Cougars' Final Four semifinal against Duke, a rematch of last year's Sweet 16.