Kelvin Sampson watched his Houston team come within seconds of the first NCAA title for both himself and the program.

For the better part of 40 minutes Monday night, an elusive championship was in Houston's and head coach Kelvin Sampson's grasp. A victory would have have marked a breakthrough for a program and a coach who took the championship stage in San Antonio on similar trajectories.

After a night spent locking up college basketball's hottest shooter, Florida's Walter Clayton Jr., the roles reversed for Houston guard Emanuel Sharp on the biggest play of Monday night's national championship game.