Kelvin Sampson leaning toward sitting Marcus Sasser in AAC title

Chandler Vesselsby:Chandler Vessels•03/11/23•

ChandlerVessels

Houston guard Marcus Sasser likely won’t play in the AAC Tournament championship game against Memphis on Sunday, according to coach Kelvin Sampson. Sasser suffered a groin injury Saturday in a 61-48 victory against Cincinnati to reach the title.

Thankfully, the injury doesn’t appear to be long-term, and Sampson didn’t definitively rule him out for Sunday’s contest. However, with the Cougars set to be a top seed in the NCAA Tournament regardless of the result, he said he will “err on the side” of caution with his star guard.

“I would probably err on the side of putting him out,” Sampson said. “Because of how important next week is. We’ve won a lot. But most important thing is Marcus. Not winning. It will always be the case with me. His health going forward is the most important thing here.”

Sasser has been a huge part of Houston’s success this season, averaging 17.1 points and 3.3 assists per game for the Cougars. He played just nine minutes Saturday prior to the injury, scoring four points and pulling down a pair of rebounds. Jamal Shead and J’Wan Roberts tied for the team-high with 16 points apiece with Sasser sidelined.

Houston is in search of its third straight AAC Tournament title, and will certainly miss Marcus Sasser if he is ultimately held out. However, no matter what happens, Sampson is confident his team will come ready for the challenge.

“Regardless of whether Marcus is here tomorrow, they are going to keep score, right?” he said. “If they keep score, you have to try to win. That’s what we’ll try to do, whether he plays or not.”

According to the latest round of bracket predictions, Houston is scheduled to be a one-seed in the NCAA Tournament tipping off its first round on Mar. 16. While the Cougars will be a top seed with or without Sasser, having him healthy for a tournament run is the main hope for fans while the AAC Tournament wraps up.

Tip-off for the AAC title game between Houston and Memphis is set for 2:15 p.m. CT on Sunday and will be televised on ESPN.