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HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — All the attention in San Antonio is on Duke.

The national media has high praise for a Blue Devils team with the National Player of the Year, Cooper Flagg, and at least two more likely NBA lottery draft picks.

Duke is unquestionably talented and has played at a high level all season, but so has UH.

I asked Cougars guard L.J. Cryer about UH playing with a chip on their shoulder Saturday night.

He said, “It can be any little thing, from being overlooked or under-recruited. You can’t let those things go.”

UH guard Emanuel Sharp agreed. While praising Duke, Sharp said head coach Kelvin Sampson demands that his teams stay hungry, even if they’re the number one team in the country.

The Cougars are confident that they belong in the national semifinals and that, if they play “UH basketball,” they can beat Duke on Saturday.

Cryer and his teammates know that it starts with their defense, which is ranked number one in college basketball.

“We’re everywhere,” Cryer said. There are “no one-on-ones. It’s everyone guarding everybody.”

Can UH handle Cooper Flagg? If any can, it’s the Cougars.

Cryer gets the last word, “The biggest thing is to make them uncomfortable.”

UH is one win away from Monday’s championship game. Tipoff Saturday is set for 7:49 p.m.

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