Hollis Price and Quannas White. It’s hard to mention one without the other.

Price and White were teammates at St. Augustine High School in New Orleans, where they won a state title. They were teammates at OU for two seasons, advancing to the Final Four and Elite Eight. And for the last seven years they’ve been assistant coaches at Houston under Kelvin Sampson, the man who’s kept the former Sooner crew together.

When OU hosts Houston at 7 p.m. Saturday at Lloyd Noble Center, it will not only be a homecoming for Kelvin Sampson and son Kellen, another Houston assistant and former Sooner, but also for Price and White, a pair of 6-foot-1 guards who helped lead the Sooners to back-to-back deep runs in the Big Dance.

“It’s gonna be weird,” Price said, “because I’m not gonna be sitting on the same bench that I sat on for four years.”

Added White: “I don’t think I’ll shed a tear, but it’ll hit me.”

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Hollis Price chose 'right place' to go to school

Hollis Price played in 136 games for the Sooners, third most in program history behind Isaiah Cousins and Darryl “Choo” Kennedy — both of whom bested Price by one game. Price has them both beat in minutes (4,296) though, ranking second in that category behind Tim McCalister (4,768).

Price’s name is etched throughout the Sooner men’s basketball record book.

He’s second in career free-throw percentage (86.1%), fourth in 3-pointers made (241), fourth in steals (224), seventh in assists (462) and eighth on OU’s all-time scoring list (1,821 points).

Price was the AP Big 12 Player of the Year as a senior in 2003. He finished third for the Wooden Award that season, given to the most outstanding player in college basketball.

Few had a more decorated Sooner career than Price.

“So many memories,” he said. “Even looking in the stands and watching all the kids with No. 10 jerseys. It just brings back a special, warm place in my heart.”

A month after Houston hired Kelvin Sampson in the spring of 2014, Sampson hired Price as director of player development. Price’s current role is special assistant to the head coach.

The same head coach Price played for at OU.

The fact that he and White, Kelvin and Kellen are still together is emblematic of a relationship forged in Norman almost 25 years ago.

“It shows that me and Quannas, we chose the right place to go to school,” Price said.

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Quannas White ready for 'heartwarming feeling'

Quannas White played two seasons at Midland (Texas) Junior College before transferring to OU, where he played from 2001-03 under Sampson.

White averaged 11 points, a team-high 6.0 assists and 4.3 rebounds in his two-year Sooner career. White is the Sooners’ all-time leading 3-point shooter by percentage (43.5%), minimum 100 attempts.

White helped elevate an already good Sooner squad to new levels.

The 2001-02 team went 31-5, advancing to one of the five Final Fours in program history. OU lost to Indiana, where Sampson later coached for two seasons after his 12-year stay in Norman.

As seniors, Price and White led the Sooners to the Elite Eight, where they lost to Carmelo Anthony and Syracuse.

“Two of the best years of my life,” said White, who still calls Norman his second home despite his short stay. “Every time I get a chance to go back it’s a heartwarming feeling. My two years and Hollis’ four years, we had successful teams, and special, genuine relationships were built.”

White has served on Sampson’s Houston staff since 2017, reuniting with his Sooner coach and former teammates.

“We all are still tight, but (Sampson) created that,” White said.

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OU remains a 'special place' for Houston assistants

Few can say they’ve played and coached in a Final Four. Price and White are among that exclusive company, having been on staff during Houston’s 2020-21 semifinal finish.

Sampson is in his 10th season at Houston, two years away from matching his time in Norman.

The Cougars have made five consecutive NCAA Tournaments, advancing to the Sweet 16 or better four times.

Houston has made the best conference in basketball even better. Despite being a first-year member, Houston (25-3, 12-3 Big 12) is in first place — on pace for a Big 12 conference title and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

OU (19-9, 7-8 Big 12) still has work to do to boost its resume. Upsetting Houston would all but seal an NCAA tournament berth.

Houston’s first year in the Big 12 coincides with OU’s last, setting up a special reunion Saturday in Norman.

“It’s a special place for all of us,” Price said.

Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at jmussatto@oklahoman.com. Support Joe's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Former Oklahoma Sooners Hollis Price, Quannas White return to face OU