By Brenda June Temple
1/8/2024
Cougars meet Cyclones for first time since 2009-10 season at 6 p.m., Tuesday, in Hilton Coliseum
HOUSTON GAME NOTES
https://uhcougars.com/documents/2024/1/8/mbkb_2324Notes_Iowa_State_01082024.pdf
IOWA STATE GAME NOTES
https://uhcougars.com/documents/2024/1/8/Gm15_vsHouston_1-9-24.pdf
BIG 12 CONFERENCE NOTES PDF
https://uhcougars.com/documents/2024/1/8/mbkb_Big_12_Notes_01092024.pdf
AMES, Iowa – After opening its Big 12 membership with an impressive home win, the #2/2 University of Houston Men’s Basketball program prepares for its first league road contest when it takes on rv/rv Iowa State at 6 p.m., Tuesday, inside Hilton Coliseum.
The Cougars enter Tuesday’s game on the heels of an 89-55 win against West Virginia inside Fertitta Center in their inaugural Big 12 game. Senior guard LJ Cryer led all players with 20 points, thanks to four 3-pointers, while sophomore guard Emanuel Sharp posted a game-high seven rebounds.
Senior point guard Jamal Shead did a little of everything well against the Mountaineers, posting eight points with five rebounds, a game-high 11 assists, a career-high-tying four blocked shots and only one turnover in more than 30 minutes.
This season, Cryer leads the Cougars and ranks fifth in the league with 17.1 points per game. The Katy, Texas, native also tops the Big 12 with 3.3 3-pointers per game.
Shead ranks among the Big 12 Top-Three leaders in assists per game, steals per game and assist-turnover ratio and is the only student-athlete to rank among the Topp-26 national leaders in all three categories.
Tuesday’s game will be the first meeting against the Cyclones since a double-overtime loss in Ames during the 2009-10 season.
IN the RANKINGS
• With its #2 ranking in both national polls Monday, Houston appeared in the Associated Press Top 10 for the 29th consecutive week.
• That streak stands as the second in Houston history and trails only the 33 straight weeks by the 1966-69 teams under legendary Coach Guy V. Lewis.
• Monday’s #2 ranking was the highest at which Houston stood during the 2023-24 season. It also marked the second straight season in which the Cougars appeared at #2.
• The Cougars have appeared the AP Top 25 for 74 consecutive weeks, dating back to the 2019-20 season. That more than doubles the previous record of 35 consecutive weeks from 1967 to 1969.
TUNE IN
• Fans can watch Tuesday’s game on ESPN2 with Rich Hollenberg (play-by-play) and Fran Fraschilla (analyst) calling the action.
• Fans can hear Tuesday’s game on 950 AM KPRC and the Varsity Network app with Jeremy Branham (play-by-play) calling the action. The pregame show begins at 5:45 p.m., Tuesday.
• Fans can follow live stats by visiting StatBroadcast.com and following the appropriate links or by clicking here.
ABOUT IOWA STATE
• Iowa State brings a 11-3 overall record and 0-1 Big 12 mark into Tuesday’s game in Ames, Iowa.
• Iowa State is 9-0 in home games inside Hilton Coliseum during the 2023-24 season.
• The Cyclones have won six of their last seven games. However, Iowa State dropped a 71-63 decision at #11/11 Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., on Saturday to snap a six-game winning streak.
• Against Oklahoma, senior forward Robert Jones, freshman forward Milan Momcilovic and senior forward Hason Ward tied for team-high honors with 12 points apiece. Jones led Iowa State with seven rebounds, including four offensive, and guard sophomore Tamin Lipsey topped the Cyclones with five rebounds.
• This season, Lipsey leads Iowa State with 14.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 3.4 steals per game. Junior guard Keshon Gilbert stands second with 13.8 points and 4.8 assists per game while Momcilovic is third with 13.5 points per contest. Senior forward Tre King is fourth on the team with 10.1 points per game.
• Head Coach T.J. Otzelberger is in his third season at Iowa State and his eighth as a collegiate head coach.
• Otzelberger has posted a 52-30 record with West Virginia and is 151-93 during his career.
• Otzelberger previously built a 29-30 record at UNLV (2019-21) and was 70-33 at South Dakota State (2016-19).
• Tuesday’s game will be the first time Otzelberger has faced Houston during his career.
• Tuesday’s game will be the first time Otzelberger has faced Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson during their careers.
• 2001 graduate of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
UP NEXT
• Following Tuesday’s game, Houston continues its road swing when it takes on TCU at 5 p.m., Jan. 13, inside Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. Fans and media should note the 5 p.m., starting time from earlier published schedules.
• That game will air on ESPN.
• From there, the Cougars return to the Fertitta Center to meet Big 12 rival Texas Tech at 8 p.m., Jan. 17.
• That game will air on ESPNU.
• The Cougars continue their homestand when they meet UCF at 1 p.m., Jan. 20, inside Fertitta Center in Houston. That game will be part of a doubleheader with Houston Women’s Basketball, which faces Oklahoma at 6 p.m., Jan. 20.
• All Houston Men’s Basketball games can be heard on 950 AM KPRC and the Varsity Network app.
SUPPORT YOUR COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Men’s Basketball by supporting Linking Coogs – UH’s NIL collective, giving to Houston Rise and by joining the 50-50 Club, which provides financial support directly to Houston Men’s Basketball for needs beyond its operating budget.
Fans who join the 50-50 Club will receive embroidered Jordan Brand team apparel, invitations to exclusive events, regular updates about the program and much more.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarMBK on X, formerly known as Twitter, and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team’s Facebook page at UHCougarMBK or by visiting the team’s Instagram page at UHCougarMBK.
