Houston left Grand Rapids with a convincing exhibition result and, more importantly, a long list of useful takeaways.
The No. 10 Cougars knocked off No.
16 Michigan 83-66 on Sunday afternoon, a game that doesn’t count in the standings but still gave Houston a real test. The Wolverines are the defending national champions, though this version of the team is a different group under new coach Mike Boynton Jr., who has been an assistant with the program since 2024.
In the exhibition setting, both staffs had room to experiment, and Houston got exactly the kind of challenge it needed.
That matters because the Cougars are working with four new starters and a revamped bench. They had already rolled past Montana Tech 110-53 in an exhibition on Oct. 15 at home and also went through a scrimmage against Ole Miss before that. This one asked more questions and produced plenty of answers.
At the center of it was point guard Thomas Jr., the senior transfer who controlled the game for Houston. He finished with 25 points, seven assists, three rebounds and two steals while committing just two turnovers.
Thomas shot 8-for-14 from the field, hit 9 of 11 free throws and kept putting pressure on the rim. He also finished plays in the paint and from mid-range, while setting up teammates with sharp passing.
That mix of scoring and playmaking gives Houston a different kind of gear.
Delrecco Gillespie also made his presence felt in a big way. The senior forward, expected to be a major piece alongside Joseph Tugler, had a homecoming of sorts in Michigan, where he’s from Benton Harbor, about 80 miles from Grand Rapids. Gillespie posted 16 points, six rebounds and one block, and he knocked down a 3-pointer as well.
"It's such a blessing to come down to Michigan and have a homecoming against such a great Michigan team," Gillespie said. "My grandmother has never seen me play college basketball in person, so I was happy for that and a bunch of my family was happy to see me again in a Houston uniform."
Houston’s physical edge showed up all afternoon. The Cougars won the rebounding battle 42-30 and outscored Michigan 26-14 in the paint. Junior guard Mercy Miller added six rebounds of his own, and Houston’s work around the rim on both ends was a clear separator.
For a team with so many new pieces, the most encouraging part may have been how naturally it imposed its style. Houston looked strong inside, tough on the glass and steady enough to control the game. The regular season begins Nov. 2 at Fertitta Center against La Salle, but this exhibition offered a strong early snapshot of what the Cougars can be.
In Other News...
Houston Offense Suddenly Has A Bigger Concern Than The Utah Loss
Houstons loss to No. 6 Utah already came with plenty to sort through on offense, but the bigger concern may have arrived even earlier. Patrick Overmyer, one of Conner Weigmans most trusted receiving options, was knocked out in the first quarter and never made it back into the game, leaving the Cougars to keep pushing without one of their more reliable targets.
Willie Fritz made clear afterward how much that mattered, especially for a unit that has leaned on Overmyer near the goal line. Houston now gets a bye week to regroup before the final four games of the season, and the extra time could matter as much for the tight end room as it does for the rest of an offense that suddenly has a new problem to solve. [Read more 🡒]
Houston Let A Real Upset Chance Slip Away At Utah
Houston had a real chance to make noise in a difficult road setting against a top-10 Utah team, and for stretches it stayed right there. But the Cougars never found enough rhythm on offense, with Conner Weigman clearly not at full ease as Utahs defense kept applying pressure, creating missed tackles and turning mistakes into opportunities.
The rough edges only piled up from there. Houston also had to adjust after Patrick Overmyer left after just six snaps, and a critical delay-of-game penalty on 3rd-and-3 stalled a key sequence before Weigmans late turnover helped swing the game away for good. Against a defense that was already punishing every mistake, the Cougars could not afford that kind of slippage. [Read more 🡒]
Houston Showed Off One Strength Fans Will Love Against Michigan
Houstons exhibition win over Michigan offered an early glimpse of what this group may look like when it is clicking, and the most encouraging part for Cougars fans was how many players were able to influence the game. The 83-66 result pushed Houston to 2-0 in exhibition play, with senior guard Dedan Thomas Jr. handling the scoring load and a handful of frontcourt pieces helping steady the night with work on the glass.
Joseph Tugler, Delrecco Gillespie and Braden East each finished with six rebounds, a small but useful sign that Houston can lean on its size and activity even before the regular season begins. The Cougars did not need a perfect offensive rhythm to separate from Michigan, and that kind of balance is the sort of strength that tends to travel once the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]