Houston Cougars' Home Court Advantage in Sweet Sixteen

On March 24th, the Houston Cougars have reached the Sweet 16 for the 7th straight season,

holding the longest active streak in college, basketball.

As the number 2 seed in the South region, they're chasing a national title after falling short

in last year's championship game. Their path looks wide open now, with the number 1 seed,

Florida upset by number 9 Iowa over the weekend. That leaves Houston as the top remaining seed

in the region, and they'll play both the Sweet 16 and potential Elite 8 games right at home in.

The Toyota Center, fans are buzzing about the Cougars early dominance, blowing out their first two

opponents by 31 points each. Staying local gives them a huge edge over the other 15 teams still in

the hunt, keeping the squad comfortable and focused. In the latest Sweet 16 power rankings from

the Athletic, Houston sits at number 4, just behind Duke and ahead of Purdue at number 5.

Their next test comes against number 3, seed Illinois, ranks 6th overall with a big front court

that could challenge inside. Home court should help Houston navigate that matchup and push deeper

into March madness, setting up an exciting run through their home region.