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INDIANAPOLIS — There was very little that Houston basketball coach Kelvin Sampson wanted to talk about before his Cougars took the practice floor Thursday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The former IU coach was asked about his return to the Hoosier State and quickly interjected — "Doesn't mean anything to me. I'm just looking forward to playing Purdue Friday night," he said — before the reporter could finish. But one topic did get Sampson going.
He didn't take the bait on the Midwest Region's top-seeded Cougars (32-4) having the most travel to the Circle City. But he did take issue with the 10:09 p.m. tip-off time against No. 4 Purdue (24-11). But it had little to do with him or his team.
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"I'm more concerned about my grandkids. I let my grandkids go to the game," Sampson said. "One is 4 and one is 7. There's just so much 'Dino Ranch' you can put on the iPads. And you have the little tube of the 'Little Dinos,' that, around 10, 10:30, it's just tough.
"We had a late game in Wichita against Gonzaga. I don't remember what time that game started (8:40 p.m. ET), but I know that riding the bus back to the plane, my grandson was laying on one leg asleep and my granddaughter was up against my shoulder asleep. So, when I saw the time come out, my first thought was them."
"The usage rate with Braden Smith and Kaufman-Renn — and I think this speaks to how goodPurdue is on offense — is they get him the ball where he's able to get to his strength, which is either his left shoulder or his right hand.
"And if he can get your shoulder turned where he's got an angle, he's so — it's not his length as much as it is his thickness. He really knows how to use his body to create an advantage for himself. And Smith is such a really good passer, but he's not afraid to make the tough pass.
"I don't remember what year, but I was the head coach of a USA team, and my point guard was Chris Paul. And we were in the Halifax, Nova Scotia. And we were playing in the gold medal game against Puerto Rico. And their point guard was José Juan (J.J.) Berea. Played in the NBA a long time.
'This rivalry has incredible history': Kentucky coach Mark Pope excited to play IU basketball
"Those two point guards were just elite at being nasty, a good kind of dirty and tough and just wreaked of being winners. Braden Smith reminds me a lot of that."
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Houston basketball coach Kelvin Sampson grandkids March Madness game time
Continue reading...
The former IU coach was asked about his return to the Hoosier State and quickly interjected — "Doesn't mean anything to me. I'm just looking forward to playing Purdue Friday night," he said — before the reporter could finish. But one topic did get Sampson going.
He didn't take the bait on the Midwest Region's top-seeded Cougars (32-4) having the most travel to the Circle City. But he did take issue with the 10:09 p.m. tip-off time against No. 4 Purdue (24-11). But it had little to do with him or his team.
Passionate Painter: Purdue coach Matt Painter rants about NIL, transfer portal, March Madness upsets
Remember when? Houston star draws line from 'Hoosiers' reliving 2021 national championship memories
"I'm more concerned about my grandkids. I let my grandkids go to the game," Sampson said. "One is 4 and one is 7. There's just so much 'Dino Ranch' you can put on the iPads. And you have the little tube of the 'Little Dinos,' that, around 10, 10:30, it's just tough.
"We had a late game in Wichita against Gonzaga. I don't remember what time that game started (8:40 p.m. ET), but I know that riding the bus back to the plane, my grandson was laying on one leg asleep and my granddaughter was up against my shoulder asleep. So, when I saw the time come out, my first thought was them."
What Kelvin Sampson said about Purdue stars Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn
"The usage rate with Braden Smith and Kaufman-Renn — and I think this speaks to how goodPurdue is on offense — is they get him the ball where he's able to get to his strength, which is either his left shoulder or his right hand.
"And if he can get your shoulder turned where he's got an angle, he's so — it's not his length as much as it is his thickness. He really knows how to use his body to create an advantage for himself. And Smith is such a really good passer, but he's not afraid to make the tough pass.
"I don't remember what year, but I was the head coach of a USA team, and my point guard was Chris Paul. And we were in the Halifax, Nova Scotia. And we were playing in the gold medal game against Puerto Rico. And their point guard was José Juan (J.J.) Berea. Played in the NBA a long time.
'This rivalry has incredible history': Kentucky coach Mark Pope excited to play IU basketball
"Those two point guards were just elite at being nasty, a good kind of dirty and tough and just wreaked of being winners. Braden Smith reminds me a lot of that."
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Houston basketball coach Kelvin Sampson grandkids March Madness game time
Continue reading...
