GAME 13 • at UCF • 1 p.m. • JAN. 17, 2021 @UHCougarMBK UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON BASKETBALL ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS: 3204 Cullen Blvd. • Suite 2008 • Houston, TX • 77204 • Contact: Jeff Conrad ([email protected]) O: (713) 743-9410 | C: (713) 557-3841 • UHCougars.com #11/11 HOUSTON COUGARS (10-1 • 5-1 American) UCF KNIGHTS (3-4 • 1-3 American) SETTING the SCENE Nov. 25 LAMAR ESPN+ W, 89-45 Television: ESPNU Southwest Showcase (Fertitta Center) at #11/11 HOUSTON COUGARS (10-1 • 5-1 American) Kevin Brown (PxP) Nov. 27 BOISE STATE ESPN+ W, 68-58 1 p.m. • Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021 Jon Crispin (analyst) Southwest Showcase (Fort Worth, Texas) Nov. 29 vs. #14/13 Texas Tech ESPN2 W, 64-53 Fertitta Center (7,035) • Houston Radio: 950 AM KPRC / TuneIn App Jeremy Branham (PxP) Dec. 5 SOUTH CAROLINA ESPN+ W, 77-67 ESPNU • KPRC 950 AM Elvin Hayes (analyst) Dec. 9 SAM HOUSTON STATE ESPN+ PPD Pregame show begins at 12:45 p.m. Dec. 12 RICE ESPN+ PPD COUGARS RETURN to FERTITTA CENTER for HOMESTAND Dec. 15 * UCF ESPN2 PPD • Houston returns to the Fertitta Center to begin a three-game homestand, starting Series vs. UCF: Houston leads 17-11 Dec. 19 at rv/rv Alabama SECN+ Canceled at 1 p.m., Sunday, against UCF. 16th straight season teams will play Dec. 20 ALCORN STATE ESPN+ W, 88-55 • This will the second time the Cougars face the Knights in 2020-21. Houston claimed Houston won last two, six of last seven a 63-54 win inside Addition Financial Arena in Orlando on Dec. 26. Second of two regular-season meetings Dec. 22 * TEMPLE ESPN+ W, 76-50 • The Cougars were scheduled to face USF in Tampa, Fla., on Thursday, but positive Dec. 26 * at rv/rv UCF ABC W, 63-54 COVID-19 tests and contact tracing within the USF program forced that game to be in 2020-21 Dec. 29 * at Tulsa ESPN2 L, 64-65 postponed. No rescheduling information has been announced yet. Houston won last, 63-54 • It was the fifth postponement/cancellation for Houston this season. It joined Dec. 9 Addition Financial Arena • Orlando (Dec. 26, 2020) Jan. 3 * at rv/rv SMU ESPN2 W, 74-60 (vs. Sam Houston State), Dec. 12 (vs. Rice) and Dec. 15 (vs. UCF) and the Dec. 19 cancel- Houston leads 9-5 in Houston Jan. 6 * WICHITA STATE ESPN+ W, 70-63 lation of the game at Alabama. Houston won last, three of last four in Houston Jan. 9 * TULANE ESPNU W, 71-50 • Houston enters Sunday’s game following a 71-50 win over Tulane on Saturday Houston won last in Houston, 78-63 inside the Fertitta Center in Houston. Sophomore guard Marcus Sasser set Fertitta Fertitta Center • (Jan. 3, 2020) Jan. 14 * at USF ESPN2 PPD Center records and posted career highs with 28 points and eight 3-pointers in the win... Series tied 1-1 at Fertitta Center Jan. 17 * UCF ESPNU 1 p.m. Became the fifth player in school history to sink 8+ treys in a game and the seventh Jan. 20 * nr/rv TULSA ESPN+ 7 p.m. Cougar to sink 7+ treys in multiple contests. Houston Head Coach: Kelvin Sampson Jan. 23 * CINCINNATI CBS 11 a.m. • For his impressive performance, Sasser was named The American’s Player of the (UNC Pembroke ‘78) Jan. 28 * at Tulane ESPN2 8 p.m. Week for the second time this season on Monday. Career Record: 649-331 (32nd year) Jan. 31 * nr/rv SMU ESPN Noon HEADLINES and STORYLINES Houston Record: 149-61 (7th year) • The Cougars stood at No. 11 in both the Associated Press and Ferris Mowers Coaches’ vs. UCF: 8-4 (8-4 with Houston) Feb. 3 * at ECU ESPN+ 5 p.m. polls released Monday. The team’s No. 5 ranking in both polls on Dec. 28 was the highest vs. Johnny Dawkins: 6-2 Feb. 10 * at Temple ESPNU 6 p.m. Houston was ranked in the AP poll since finishing at No. 5 in 1983-84 (March 12, 1984). (6-2 with Houston) Feb. 14 * MEMPHIS ESPN 3 p.m. • Houston stood at No. 6 in the latest NET rankings through Jan. 14. Through games Feb. 17 * ECU ESPN+ 7 p.m. of Jan. 14, the Cougars were tied for third nationally with Gonzaga, Michigan, Iowa, UCF Head Coach: Johnny Dawkins Feb. 21 * at Cincinnati ESPN Noon Illinois, Texas, Kansas and Wisconsin. Clemson and Alabama held the national lead with (Duke ‘86) Feb. 25 * at Wichita State ESPN/ESPN2 6 p.m. seven combined Quad 1/2 wins. Career Record: 242-167 (13th yr.) • Through Jan. 14, Houston is one of seven teams nationally to be ranked among UCF Record: 86-52 (5th yr.) Feb. 28 * USF ESPNU 3 p.m. KenPom’s Top-20 leaders in both offensive (20th, 112.4) and defensive efficiency (4th, 88.6)... Cougars join Baylor (4th, 119.3 Off.; 3rd, 87.5 Def.), Michigan (6th, 119.7 off; vs. Houston: 2-6 (2-6 with UCF) March 6/7 * at Memphis CBS TBA 10th, 90.3 Def), Wisconsin (11th, 113.9 Off.; 8th, 90.0 Def.), Texas (12th, 113.8 Off; vs. Kelvin Sampson: 2-6 (2-6 with UCF) American Athletic Conference Championship (Fort Worth, Texas) 6th, 89.1 Def.), Colorado (17th, 112.9 Off; 15th, 90.8 Def.) and Illinois (10th, 116.0 March 11-14 vs. TBA TBA TBA Off; 19th, 91.4 Def.). Up Next NCAA Tournament First/Second Rounds • Through Jan. 14, the Cougars lead the nation in scoring defense (56.4 ppg) and for Houston: * vs. nr/rv Tulsa March 18-21 vs. TBA TBA TBA rank third in opponents field goal percentage (36.5), fifth in offensive rebounds per 7 p.m. • Wednesday, Jan. 20 NCAA Tournament Regionals game (15.3 orpg), seventh in opponents’ 3-point field goal percentage (26.0),ninth Fertitta Center • Houston in rebounding margin (+10.1) and 10th in rebounding (42.4 rpg)... Senior forward ESPN+ • 950 AM KPRC March 25-28 vs. TBA TBA TBA Justin Gorham ranks third nationally with 4.7 offensive rebounds per game, and sophomore guard Marcus Sasser stands ninth with 3.4 3-pointers per game. NCAA Tournament Final Four • Houston is only team in The American with two of the league’s Top-Four scoring April 3,5 vs. TBA TBA TBA leaders in junior guard Quentin Grimes (17.7 ppg, 3rd) and sophomore guard Mar- cus Sasser (16.3 ppg, 4th). Home Games played in Fertitta Center and listed in BOLD CAPS • Junior guard Quentin Grimes leads the Cougars with 17.7 points per game and @UHCOUGARMBK Times are Central and subject to change ranks second on the team with 6.8 rebounds per contest... One of only two players in Rankings listed as Associated Press/USA TODAY Coaches’ the American Athletic Conference to rank among the league’s Top-Nine leaders in both #ForTheCity All games can be heard on 950 AM KPRC • Subject to change categories, joining ECU’s Jayden Gardner. #GoCoogs THE KELVIN SAMPSON RADIO SHOW HOUSTON COUGARS at a GLANCE (Starters based on last game) 7-8 p.m. • Mondays PROBABLE STARTERS Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl.-Exp. Hometown G-GS PPG RPG Other 0 Marcus Sasser G 6-1 200 So.-1L Red Oak, Texas 9-8 16.3 2.2 3.4 3FG/gm Head Coach Kelvin Samp- son holds his weekly radio show on 3 DeJon Jarreau G 6-5 185 r-Sr.-2L New Orleans, La. 11-11 9.1 6.2 3.5 apg Mondays, beginning Jan. 4. 24 Quentin Grimes G 6-5 205 Jr.-1L The Woodlands, Texas 11-11 17.7 6.8 88.9 FT% Hosted by Jeremy Branham, 4 Justin Gorham F 6-7 235 r-Sr.-1L Columbia, Md. 11-11 7.0 9.1 4.7 orpg the show airs from 7 to 8 p.m., 55 Brison Gresham F/C 6-8 230 r-Sr.-2L New Orleans, La. 11-10 3.5 4.2 1.4 bpg during the American Athletic Con- ference season. RESERVES Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl.-Exp. Hometown G-GS PPG RPG Other Each week, Coach Sampson and Jeremy discuss the latest news about 12 Tramon Mark G 6-5 180 Fr.-HS Dickinson, Texas 11-2 8.2 2.8 1.4 apg Houston Basketball, the American Athletic Conference, the NCAA and 32 Reggie Chaney F 6-8 225 Jr.-TR Tulsa, Okla. 11-1 4.2 2.3 0.6 spg more. Student-athlete and coaching and support staff guests also join 13 J’Wan Roberts F 6-6 210 r-Fr.-RS St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 11-0 1.8 4.5 1.7 orpg Coach and Jeremy on shows throughout 1 Jamal Shead G 6-1 175 Fr.-HS Manor, Texas 10-1 2.8 0.6 0.9 apg Jan. 4 Feb. 15 the season. 5 Cameron Tyson G 6-2 200 r-So.-RS Bothell, Wash. 4-0 3.8 0.5 1.3 3FG/gm Jan. 11 Feb. 22 Fans can tune in to 950 AM KPRC or 52 Kiyron Powell C 6-10 205 Fr.-HS Evansville, Ind. 3-0 3.0 2.7 50.0 FG% Jan. 18 March 1 20 Ryan Elvin G 6-0 155 Fr.-HS Round Rock, Texas 1-0 0.0 1.0 ––– Jan. 25 March 8 listen via or the TuneIn app Feb. 1 March 15 Fans can participate by tweeting 30 Caleb Broodo C 6-8 240 r-Jr.-SQ Midland, Mich.