GAME 1 • vs. LAMAR • 2 p.m. • NOV. 25, 2020 @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 #17/18 HOUSTON COUGARS (0-0 • 0-0 American) LAMAR CARDINALS (0-0 • 0-0 SLC) SETTING the SCENE Nov. 25 LAMAR ESPN+ 2 p.m. Television: ESPN+ Southwest Showcase (Fertitta Center) at #17/18 HOUSTON COUGARS (0-0 • 0-0 American) Matt Thomas (PxP) Nov. 27 BOISE STATE ESPN+ 2 p.m. 2 p.m. • Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2020 Reid Gettys (analyst) Southwest Showcase (Fort Worth, Texas) Nov. 29 vs. #14/13 Texas Tech TBA 4 p.m. Fertitta Center (7,035) • Houston Radio: 950 AM KPRC / TuneIn App Jeremy Branham (PxP) Dec. 5 SOUTH CAROLINA ESPN+ 7 p.m. ESPN+ • KPRC 950 AM Elvin Hayes (analyst) Dec. 9 SAM HOUSTON STATE ESPN+ TBA Pregame show begins at 1:45 p.m. Dec. 12 RICE ESPN+ 1 p.m. COUGARS SET to OPEN UNIQUE 2020-21 SEASON in FERTITTA CENTER • The Houston Cougars begin their 76th season of basketball when they meet state- Series vs. LU: Houston leads 24-3 Dec. 16 * UCF TBA TBA rival Lamar at 2 p.m., Wednesday, inside the Fertitta Center in the 2020-21 season Houston won last three, Dec. 19 at rv/#25 Alabama TBA TBA opener for both teams five of last six & 14 of last 16 Dec. 22 * TEMPLE TBA TBA • Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, capacity inside the Fertitta Center has been limited First meeting since Dec. 4, 2018 Dec. 29 * at Tulsa TBA TBA to 25 percent under guidance from the American Athletic Conference and local and Houston won last, 79-56 state health officials. Fertitta Center • Houston (Dec. 4, 2018) Jan. 2 * at SMU TBA TBA • This will be the second time in the last three seasons that the Cougars have faced the Houston leads 1-0 in season openers Jan. 6 * WICHITA STATE TBA TBA Cardinals. In the most recent meeting, Houston enjoyed a 79-56 victory on Dec. 4, 2018, Houston leads 1-0 in Fertitta Center Jan. 9 * TULANE TBA TBA in the second game in the Fertitta Center’s history. Houston leads 16-0 in Houston Jan. 13 * at USF TBA TBA HERE COMES No. 200 Jan. 16 * at UCF TBA TBA • When his teams tips off vs. Lamar in their 2020-21 season opener, Head Coach Houston Head Coach: Kelvin Sampson Jan. 20 * TULSA TBA TB (UNC Pembroke ‘78) Kelvin Sampson will lead the Cougars for the 200th time in his Houston career. Career Record: 639-330 (31st year) Jan. 23 * CINCINNATI TBA TBA • Entering Wednesday’s game, Sampson has posted a 139-60 record during his Cou- Houston Record: 139-60 (6th year) Jan. 27 * at Tulane TBA TBA gar career. He ranks first in Houston history with a .698 overall winning percentage and vs. Lamar: 2-0 Jan. 30 * SMU TBA TBA a .657 percentage (71-37 record) in conference games. • Sampson needs only four wins in 2020-21 to move past Pat Foster (142-73 record, (1-0 with Houston; 1-0 with Oklahoma) 1986-93) and become the second-winningest coach in program history, trailing only vs. Tic Price: 1-1 Feb. 3 * at ECU TBA TBA (1-0 with Houston; 1-0 with Oklahoma) Feb. 10 * at Temple TBA TBA Hall of Famer Guy V. Lewis. Feb. 14 * rv/rv MEMPHIS TBA TBA HEADLINES and STORYLINES Lamar Head Coach: Tic Price Feb. 17 * ECU TBA TBA • Cougars enter the season ranked in both national preseason polls for the first time (Virginia Tech ‘79) Feb. 21 * at Cincinnati TBA TBA since November 1983. Career Record: 272-239 (18th yr.) Feb. 25 * at Wichita State TBA TBA • Head Coach Kelvin Sampson will compete in the 200th game of his Houston LU Record: 105-117 (8th yr.) Feb. 28 * USF TBA TBA career in Wednesday’s season opener vs. Lamar. During his Houston tenure, Sampson vs. Houston: 2-4 has led the Cougars to a 139-60 record, two NCAA Tournament appearances and back- (2-2 with Memphis; 0-2 with McNeese) March 6/7 * at rv/rv Memphis TBA TBA to-back American Athletic Conference regular-season championships. vs. Kelvin Sampson: 1-1 • Houston is 55-20 in its season-opener history with wins in 15 of its last 16 open- (0-1 with Lamar; 1-0 with Memphis) American Athletic Conference Championship (Fort Worth, Texas) ers (vs. Georgia Southern, Nov. 11, 2008). Head Coach Kelvin Sampson is 25-2 in March 11-14 vs. TBA TBA TBA season openers during his career. Up Next Southwest Showcase NCAA Tournament First/Second Rounds for Houston: vs. Boise State March 18-21 TBA TBA TBA TIES with LAMAR 2 p.m. • Friday, Nov. 27 NCAA Tournament Regionals • Assistant Coach Alvin Brooks is no stranger to Lamar. Fertitta Center • Houston March 25-28 TBA TBA TBA • The longtime Houston assistant coach and former head coach competed for the ESPN+ • KPRC 950 AM Cardinals from 1979-81. NCAA Tournament Final Four (Indianapolis) • As a two-year starter, Brooks was a 1981 All-Southland Conference honoree and was the starting point guard on Lamar’s 1980 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 team. April 3,5 TBA TBA TBA • Inducted into Cardinal Hall of Honor in 2019. Home Games played in Fertitta Center and listed in BOLD CAPS • Was named one of five greatest players in Lamar history by Beaumont Enterprise @UHCOUGARMBK Times are Central and subject to change readers in 1997. Rankings listed as Associated Press/USA TODAY Coaches’ • Began his collegiate coaching career as an assistant with the Cardinals from 1981 #ForTheCity All games can be heard on 950 AM KPRC • Subject to change to 1986. #GoCoogs THE KELVIN SAMPSON RADIO SHOW HOUSTON COUGARS at a GLANCE (Starters based on last game) 7-8 p.m. • Mondays • Beginning Dec. 28 PROBABLE STARTERS Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl.-Exp. Hometown G-GS PPG RPG Other Head Coach Kelvin Samp- 0 Marcus Sasser G 6-1 200 So.-1L Red Oak, Texas 30-17 8.1 2.4 1.9 3FG/gm son holds his weekly radio show on 2 Caleb Mills G 6-3 175 r-So.-1L Arden, N.C. 31-7 13.2 2.6 1.6 3FG/gm Mondays, beginning Dec. 28. 24 Quentin Grimes G 6-5 205 Jr.-1L The Woodlands, Texas 30-21 12.1 3.7 2.6 apg Hosted by Jeremy Branham, 4 Justin Gorham F 6-7 235 r-Sr.-1L Columbia, Md. 30-0 3.0 2.5 0.3 apg the show airs from 7 to 8 p.m., 55 Brison Gresham F/C 6-8 230 r-Sr.-2L New Orleans, La. 31-11 2.9 3.5 64.3 FG% during the American Athletic Confer- ence season. RESERVES Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl.-Exp. Hometown G-GS PPG RPG Other Each week, Coach Sampson and Jeremy discuss the latest news about 1 Jamal Shead G 6-1 175 Fr.-HS Manor, Texas ––– ––– ––– ––– Houston Basketball, the American Athletic Conference, the NCAA and 3 DeJon Jarreau G 6-5 185 r-Sr.-2L New Orleans, La. 30-18 9.0 4.3 3.7 apg more. Student-athlete and coaching and support staff guests also join 5 Cameron Tyson G 6-2 200 r-So.-RS Bothell, Wash. ––– ––– ––– ––– Coach and Jeremy on shows throughout the season. 12 Tramon Mark G 6-5 180 Fr.-HS Dickinson, Texas ––– ––– ––– ––– Fans can tune in to KPRC 950 AM 13 J’Wan Roberts F 6-6 210 r-Fr.-RS St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands ––– ––– ––– ––– Dec. 28 Feb. 8 or listen via Houston All-Access at 20 Ryan Elvin G 6-0 155 Fr.-HS Round Rock, Texas ––– ––– ––– ––– Jan. 4 Feb. 15 uhcougars.com/allaccess or the 30 Caleb Broodo C 6-8 240 r-Jr.-SQ Midland, Mich. 6-0 1.0 0.5 100.0 FG/FT% Jan. 11 Feb. 22 TuneIn app 32 Reggie Chaney F 6-8 225 Jr.-TR Tulsa, Okla. Jan. 18 March 1 Fans can participate by tweeting Jan. 25 March 8 questions to @UHCougarMBK. 52 Kiyron Powell C 6-10 205 Fr.-HS Evansville, Ind. ––– ––– ––– ––– Feb. 1 March 15 35 Fabian White Jr. F 6-7 230 Sr.-3L Atascocita, Texas Will not play in 2020-21 due to injury 2 NCAA National Championship Game Appearances • 5 NCAA Final Four Appearances • 21 NCAA Tournaments • 14 Conference Championships • 2 NBA Draft No. 1 Overall Picks • 11 NBA Draft First-Round Selections GAME 1 • vs. LAMAR • 2 p.m. • NOV. 25, 2020 @UHCougarMBK QUICK FACTS 2020-21 HOUSTON COUGARS GENERAL INFORMATION No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl.-Exp. Hometown-High School (Last School) Location: Houston, Texas 0 Marcus Sasser G 6-1 190 So.-1L Red Oak, Texas-Red Oak Founded: 1927 1 Jamal Shead G 6-1 190 Fr.-HS Manor, Texas-Manor Enrollment: 46,355 Nickname: Cougars 2 Caleb Mills G 6-3 180 r-So.-1L Arden, N.C.-T.C. Roberson Colors: Scarlet (PMS 186) and White 3 DeJon Jarreau G 6-5 185 r-Sr.-2L New Orleans, La.-McDonogh 35 (UMass) Arena (capacity): Fertitta Center (7,035) 4 Justin Gorham F 6-7 225 r-Sr.-1L Columbia, Md.-Calvert Hall (Towson) Affiliation: NCAA Division I 5 Cameron Tyson G 6-2 190 r-So.-RS Bothell, Wash.-Bothell (Idaho) Conference: American Athletic 12 Tramon Mark G 6-5 180 Fr.-HS Dickinson, Texas-Dickinson President/Chancellor: Dr.