2023 March Madness: University of Houston, Auburn University game with a father-son coaching staff

Birmingham, Alabama (KTRK) – More than 350 schools play NCAA Division I men’s basketball. Only six feature a father/son training duo. Two of those six, and the only two in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, will face off on Saturday.

University of Houston assistant coach Kelvin Sampson is his son, Kellen. Bruce Pearl coaches the Cogs’ opponent, Auburn. Stephen Pearl, Bruce’s son, is working on his father’s crew in his ninth year.

“There’s a wonderful sisterhood among the kids of coaches who also decide to be coaches and decide to go down that path,” Kellen Sampson told ABC13 on Friday. “There are so many shared experiences that maybe one or the other really understands and can appreciate.”

Related: From Courtroom Dreams to Court Judgment: One-on-One with UH Coach Kelvin Sampson

“Kellen is a rising, rising star in our profession,” admitted Stephen Pearl. “I have nothing but respect for him. I used to ask questions regarding his experiences.”

Both sons, who work with their fathers, also play with their fathers.

“Steven was a lot better than me,” Kellen noted. “My dad was quick to say I didn’t have any positives as a player, but I had a lot of improvement as a coach – so it was more difficult for me as a coach.”

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“Playing for my dad is much harder than working for my dad,” Pearl revealed.

Another similarity between these two kid coaches is that they saw their parents sanctioned by the NCAA at previous jobs, Bruce at Tennessee and Kelvin at Indiana.

“Our way to this point was front-page news stories—good and bad,” Killeen said. “Our passion for doing so was nurtured because it was tested. We learned to have a wonderful appreciation for our fathers. We knew they were husbands. They were so much more of a father than a basketball coach. In those moments of adversity, we really learned to appreciate our fathers.”

“Both of us have done a really good job of learning from our parents’ mistakes and obviously learning from them as they try to build the software,” Stephen added. “What they have been through makes them great coaches.”

Regardless of which team wins Saturday’s game, NCAA Tournament 23 will feature a father/son coaching duo in the Sweet 16.

RELATED: “100%” Marcus Sasser plays in Houston’s second-round game against Auburn

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