Coogs to sit starters in unique matchup

A week that began for Houston with talk of playing top-ranked Gonzaga and was interrupted by an upset loss at East Carolina, ends with an unexpected February game against Our Lady of the Lake.

The San Antonio-based NAIA school became a late addition to the schedule as UH coach Kelvin Sampson looked for a way to get the younger players on his roster work in what otherwise would be an open date on the schedule.

Sampson plans to sit most, if not all, of his starters when the fifth-ranked Cougars host the Saints at 2 p.m. Saturday at Fertitta Center.

“One of the biggest things I like about this game is the chance to improve our depth,” said Sampson, whose team is coming off an 82-73 loss at East Carolina.

It’s also another example how schools have been forced to be flexible with schedules this season, quickly looking for options to replace games interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rather than a 11-day break between games, Sampson said “four or five teams” were available to play Saturday. The most intriguing option was to play Gonzaga, the No. 1 team in the nation, in a neutral-site game in Salt Lake City.

The main issue that kept the game from being played was travel logistics, which would have given the Cougars three straight road games — East Carolina, Gonzaga and South Florida — in the span of a week. San Diego State also inquired about UH’s availability.

“We talked about it, (but) it just didn’t work out,” Sampson said earlier in the week.

UH starters Quentin Grimes, DeJon Jarreau, Justin Gorham and Brison Gresham are not expected to play against Our Lady of the Lake. Marcus Sasser, a starting guard, could see some minutes in the game.

“I think he wants to,” Sampson said. “I’ll decide whether I’ll let him. He probably won’t, but never say never. These guys like to play.”

This is the first extended layoff for UH (15-2) since coming back from a COVID-19 pause in late December. Some players are dealing with minor injuries, most notably Grimes, the third-leading scorer in the AAC who has been bothered by a sprained ankle the last two games.

Most of the playing time Saturday will be divided among eight players: guards Jamal Shead, Tramon Mark, Cameron Tyson and Ryan Elvin, forwards Reggie Chaney and J’Wan Roberts and centers Kiyron Powell and Caleb Broodo. Mark, Chaney and Roberts have seen most of the playing time off the bench this season.

“It’s an opportunity for them to play,” Sampson said. “This is for them.”

The game will not count against the NET rankings or in terms of NCAA tournament consideration “not that we are guaranteed a spot,” Sampson said.

The idea for adding the game, Sampson said, came from Maryland coach Mark Turgeon, who played Division II Wingate in January.

Sampson said he picked Our Lady of the Lake because of ties to coach Chris Dial’s sister dating back to his days at Oklahoma. Dial’s sister is Jenny Dial Creech, who met Sampson as a student reporter at OU and worked as a sportswriter and editor at the Houston Chronicle before joining The Athletic.

Our Lady of the Lake has played four Division I opponents this season, the lone win 61-58 at Texas State on Dec. 12. UH also had no COVID-19 concerns regarding the Saints, who have done “a great job” with testing protocols, Sampson said.

As for the Saints’ challenge of playing one of the toughest teams in the country?

“David’s odds may have been a little better than ours,” Dial joked. “I don’t see Vegas throwing a line on this game.”