David Haugh

They returned three starters in the backcourt from last year's NCAA runner-up.

So this is a really good team, and just the style they play.

Illinois hasn't faced this all year.

The good thing is you got a little taste of it with VCU, with the pressure that they play at, forcing turnovers.

But it's nothing like the athletes, the quickness, and just the pressure that Kelvin Sampson's program puts on.

This, I think, could be their biggest test until potentially a national title game.

I think Houston is so, so good.

So I really respect what they do because Duke's the other one seed that they would play potentially in the Final Four.

Michigan State they've played already.

So I just think Houston is a national title caliber kind of team.

Kingston Flemings is a kind of quick guard, a top five pick that Illinois struggled to stop all year.

But I also think Illinois...

poses some problems from Houston.

Illinois does pass well out of these traps.

Illinois has got big guys who can really spread it around as passers, shoot it really well over this pressure when they play in rotation.

And then Illinois has got better size than Houston.

This is a bigger team that Illinois has rather than Houston, so Illinois has a chance.

to beat them up on the glass but you better bring it mentally because Houston wants to make this a boxing match and at times Illinois has struggled with that with teams but I do like how they played the last couple games but they got to bring their a game from the start otherwise Houston's the type of team that can bury it can force turnovers and and make you question yourself so if Illinois comes out with the same mentality they did in Greenville they'll give themselves a chance

No, it wasn't, Mark, for years, for a decade.

It wasn't the case.