Kelvin Sampson’s Houston team is already giving the rest of college basketball something to chew on.
After losing four starters in the offseason, the Cougars had to rebuild, and Sampson’s staff clearly leaned on the transfer portal to do it. The result looks a lot like the kind of Houston team fans have come to expect: physical, disciplined and defense-first, with enough offense mixed in to keep things moving.
The preseason numbers backed that up before a ball was even tipped. Houston came in at No. 10 in the AP Poll and No. 2 in the Big 12 preseason media poll, trailing only Arizona.
This isn’t the version of the Cougars that grabs headlines with a stack of five-star freshmen, but that has never really been the point with Sampson’s program. The identity still comes through when the roster is built the right way.
And in the two exhibition games so far - against Montana Tech and Michigan - that identity has shown up fast.
The result against the defending national champion Wolverines in Grand Rapids, Mich., stood out most. Houston won 83-66, and even though exhibition scores don’t count, the Cougars looked sharp and deep while doing it.
One of the biggest takeaways was the frontcourt. Senior forward Joseph Tugler played almost 18 minutes and scored only three points, yet Houston still controlled things inside. Transfer Delrecco Gillespie supplied 16 points and six rebounds, while backup big man Braden East added six rebounds of his own.
The backcourt, meanwhile, answered one of the offseason’s biggest questions. Senior point guard Dedan Thomas Jr. looked ready to run the show, finishing with a game-high 25 points, seven assists, three rebounds and two steals.
There were other encouraging signs, too. Houston appeared to have shooters in the mix, including redshirt sophomore forward Chase McCarty.
Junior guard Mercy Miller showed flashes on both ends, and veteran sixth-man guard Corey Hadnot Jr. brought the kind of scoring punch off the bench that can swing a game. Even Gillespie and Tugler looked willing to step out and take jump shots.
That combination of defensive upside in the frontcourt and offensive flexibility across the roster makes Houston look dangerous already. It’s early, sure, but the Cougars have put together a group with the experience and depth to make a real run.
In Other News...
Houston Still Has A Real Big 12 Title Path But Its Thin
The Big 12 race has tightened into the kind of late-season logjam that keeps every scoreboard in play, and Houston is still hanging around it. Seven teams in the league have two or fewer conference losses, with Utah sitting in the cleanest position at 5-0, while the Cougars are among the group trying to navigate a crowded and unpredictable stretch run toward Arlington.
For Houston, the margin is thin enough that every remaining weekend matters, especially with BYU and Texas Tech also in the mix and the tiebreaker picture potentially looming over the standings. The Cougars have already lived through a November 1 date that carries some recent historical weight for the program, and now they are trying to turn the calendar into something more meaningful than just another late-season checkpoint. [Read more 🡒]
Houstons Postseason Push Just Got More Complicated With Cincinnati Next
Houstons push to close the season on a high note is about to get a lot trickier, with Cincinnati up next after the Bearcats just knocked off undefeated Texas Tech. The Cougars are trying to stack together four straight wins to finish strong, but the margin for error is thinner now after a recent loss to Utah and with another quality opponent waiting.
Cincinnati enters at 5-2 and has already shown it can handle a ranked-caliber challenge, which makes this a meaningful test for Houstons late-season momentum. There is still plenty for the Cougars to play for beyond the standings, too, with Jalen Mayo and Patrick Overmyer both earning spots on national award watchlists, a reminder that Houstons roster still has individual recognition to chase even as the team tries to steady its postseason push. [Read more 🡒]
Houston Is Chasing A Rare National Milestone With Bigger Stakes Ahead
Houston has spent the season living in the AP poll, and that kind of consistency has become its own marker of progress for a program still trying to reestablish itself among the national conversation. Under Willie Fritz, the Cougars have paired notable wins and losses with a steadier profile than theyve had in years, enough to keep them in every AP poll so far and to put this season in historical company with some of the programs better stretches.
The ranking matters because it is no longer just about recognition, but about what it can still lead to if Houston keeps stacking results. The Cougars are trying to protect that place in the polls while keeping a bigger goal in view, and the margin for error only gets tighter from here as the season moves toward the kind of finish that could still leave them in the mix for a College Football Playoff shot. [Read more 🡒]