Rock-solid Cougars built to end drought
Making their way through a league full of elite teams won’t be easy
While the goal remains reaching the NCAA Tournament, coach Kelvin Sampson is just as concerned how the University of Houston gets there.
“As a society, we tend to focus way too much on destinations,” Sampson said. “The journey is getting some scars, getting hit in the head a little bit, getting your nose bloody. That’s part of it. You have to get beat up occasionally.”
The Cougars have been delivering more punches than they receive while posting a 10-2 record in non-conference play. The schedule gets considerably tougher when UH opens American Athletic Conference play Thursday at South Florida and has a quick turnaround with a Saturday afternoon home game against Temple.
UH reached a doubledigit win total in nonconference play — which included impressive wins over Arkansas and Providence — for just the third time in the last 25 years. The only two losses to Drexel and LSU were by a combined seven points.
The early-season performances have the Cougars climbing the RPI ladder to No. 62, with a chance to improve even more with two games apiece against ranked Wichita State and Cincinnati, and another two against SMU.
In his weekly Power 36 rankings for at-large NCAA Tournament teams, Andy Katz has the Cougars No. 31.
“Houston needs to establish itself as real American contenders right away at South Florida and against Temple before the showdown at Wichita State on Jan. 4,” Katz wrote on NCAA.com.
Deep at every spot
The Cougars are better equipped for a run at snapping a seven-year NCAA drought with a roster that is deep at every position, including size in the middle, capable shooters to pair with leading scorer Rob Gray and a deep bench that features one of the nation’s top 3-point shooters, Armoni Brooks. Devin Davis, a 6-6 forward, is averaging 12 points and 7.5 rebounds, while guard Corey Davis Jr. is averaging 10.9 points and has hit 28 3-pointers.
“We’re bigger and tougher,” said Gray, who leads the AAC in scoring at 20.7 points per game. “We’re more capable of doing what coach Sampson demands of us.
“I think this is finally our year.”
The biggest improvement has been rebounding, where the Cougars are 20th nationally with a plus-8.6 margin. The Cougars have outrebounded 11 of 12 opponents this season.
“Nobody has been punking us this year,” Gray said.
UH ranks second in the AAC in scoring (81.2 points) and field-goal shooting (48.5 percent) and has been just as effective on the opposite end, ranking in the top five in points allowed (66.7) and defensive field-goal percentage (39.9).
Even though the Cougars welcomed eight newcomers this season, point guard Galen Robinson Jr. said the team has shown maturity.
“We’re playing like we should this time of year,” Robinson said. “It’s just a different vibe. The guys are really locked in and focused. It has a lot to do with our maturity. We’re kind of a veteran team now.”
The AAC received a reputation boost with the addition of Wichita State last summer. The Shockers are ranked No. 8 nationally. All 14 league teams have winning records, led by Cincinnati at 11-2 and 10-win teams UH, Wichita State and SMU.
“Honestly, the conference has always been strong but doesn’t get the recognition that we deserve,” Robinson said. “Adding Wichita State definitely adds a national boost that we needed as a conference.”
AAC impresses coach
The teams at the top of the AAC standings were expected to be there. It’s improvement by teams such as Tulane, Central Florida and Memphis, all 9-3, that impresses Sampson.
“It just seems like everybody in our league is better,” he said.
Come mid-March, the Cougars will find out how they stack up. Perhaps a trip to the NCAA Tournament will be in order.
“If this team stays healthy, continues to work, continues to listen and has the right mindset going forward, they can be pretty good,” Sampson said.