By Bert Leeson
HOUSTON COUGARS GAME NOTES
https://uhcougars.com/documents/2024/1/4/mbkb_2324Notes_West_Virginia_01062024.pdf
WEST VIRGINIA MOUNTAINEERS GAME NOTES
https://uhcougars.com/documents/2024/1/4/WVU-Houston_Notes_1-3-24.pdf
BIG 12 CONFERENCE NOTES
https://uhcougars.com/documents/2024/1/4/mbkb_Big_12_Notes_01042023.pdf
HOUSTON – The University of Houston Men’s Basketball program opens a new era when the #3/3 Cougars begin Big 12 Conference play against West Virginia at 1 p.m., Saturday, inside Fertitta Center. Saturday’s game is presented by TDECU.
Under the leadership of Head Coach Kelvin Sampson, Houston enters this weekend’s inaugural league contest as winners of each of its first 13 non-conference games. The 2023-24 Cougars are only the third team in school history to start a season 13-0, joining the 2018-19 and 1967-68 squads.
This season, the Cougars lead the nation in scoring defense (49.4 ppg), field goal percentage defense (34.5) and turnover margin (+9.0). In addition, the Cougars are ranked #1 in the NCAA NET rankings, own the lowest KenPom defensive efficiency rating in the country since 1998-99 and are tied for the national lead with four Quad 1 wins.
Senior LJ Cryer leads the Cougars and ranks fifth in the Big 12 with 16.9 points per game. The Katy, Texas, native leads the league with 3.2 3-pointers per contest and recently moved past 1,000 points in his collegiate career after scoring a game-high 16 points in last weekend’s win over Penn to close the regular-season non-conference slate.
Senior point guard Jamal Shead leads the Cougars and ranks among the Big 12’s Top-Five leaders in both assists per game (5.8) and steals per game (2.5). The Manor, Texas, native is one of only two student-athletes to rank among the nation’s Top-24 leaders in both categories and needs only 17 more points to become the 51st Cougar in school history to reach 1,000 points in his career.
GAME PROMOTIONS
• TDECU will be Saturday’s presenting game sponsor.
• All fans encouraged to wear red as part of the Cougars’ Red Out in Fertitta Center.
• The first 1,500 fans in attendance will receive a free red T-shirt provided by TDECU.
• Houston Baseball senior outfielder Tre Jones will perform the national anthem before the game.
• Fans will enjoy a halftime performance from legendary Red Panda on the Fertitta Center court.
FOURTH TIME with a FIRST-TIMER
• Saturday’s game will be the first Houston has faced West Virginia in Men’s Basketball.
• The Mountaineers will be the fourth first-time opponent the Cougars have faced this season, joining Towson, Jackson State and Penn.
IN the RANKINGS
• With its #3 ranking in both national polls earlier this week, Houston appeared in the Associated Press Top 10 for the 28th 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.
• The Cougars have appeared the AP Top 25 for 73 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 Saturday’s game on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ with Ted Emrich (play-by-play) and Houston great Reid Gettys (analyst) calling the action.
• Fans can hear Saturday’s game on 950 AM KPRC and the Varsity Network app with Jeremy Branham (play-by-play) and Hall of Famer Elvin Hayes calling the action. The pregame show begins at 12:45 p.m., Saturday.
• Fans can follow live stats by visiting StatBroadcast.com and following the appropriate links or by clicking here.
ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA
• West Virginia brings a 5-8 record into Saturday’s game inside Fertitta Center.
• Like Houston, Saturday’s game will be the Mountaineers’ Big 12 opener.
• West Virginia is 0-4 in non-home games during the 2023-24 season. This will be the Mountaineers’ first road game of the year.
• The Mountaineers have lost three of their last four games. Only a 91-81 home win over Toledo on Dec. 23 prevents a longer streak.
• In its most recent action, West Virginia dropped a 78-75 decision in overtime to Ohio State in Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland on Dec. 30.
• Against Ohio State, fifth-year guard RaeQuan Battle led the Mountaineers with 24 points on 9-of-19 shooting and 10 rebounds, including three offensive boards, with three steals.
• Senior guard Noah Farrakhan added 19 points with four rebounds and two assists while senior forward Quinn Slazinski totaled 11 points with eight rebounds and three assists. Senior guard Kerr Kriisa added a team-high four assists in the loss.
• This season, Battle leads the Mountaineers with 27.3 points per game. Slazinski and Farrakhan are tied for with 15.5 points per game. Fifth-year center Jesse Edwards averaged 14.8 points and 8.7 rebounds per game before being sidelined with a wrist injury. Kriisa is the fifth Mountaineer averaging double-digit points with 10.0 points per contest. Junior guard Kobe Johnson leads the team with 2.8 assists per game.
Head Coach: Josh Eilert is in his fifth season at West Virginia and his first as a collegiate head coach.
• Eilert has posted a 5-8 record with West Virginia and during his career.
• Saturday’s game will be the first time Eilert has faced Houston during his career.
• Saturday’s game will be the first time Eilert has faced Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson during their careers.
• 2004 graduate of Kansas State.
UP NEXT
• Following Saturday’s game, Houston opens Big 12 road play when it faces Iowa State inside Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa, at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 9.
• That game will air on ESPN2.
• From there, Houston takes on TCU at 5 p.m., Jan. 13, 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.
• 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.
• 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.
