Houston Basketball: 2018-19 season preview for the Cougars

WICHITA, KS - MARCH 17: Head coach Kelvin Sampson of the Houston Cougars talks with the team as they take on the Michigan Wolverines in the second half during the second round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at INTRUST Bank Arena on March 17, 2018 in Wichita, Kansas. The Michigan Wolverines won 64-63 with a 3-point buzzer beater. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

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WICHITA, KS – MARCH 17: Galen Robinson Jr.#25 of the Houston Cougars drives against Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman #12 of the Michigan Wolverines in the first half during the second round of the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at INTRUST Bank Arena on March 17, 2018 in Wichita, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

Starters

Point Guard- Galen Robinson, Senior

Robinson’s scoring has decreased over the past three years, but he still provides value as a steady and reliable lead guard. Rob Gray had the ball in his hands most often last season, but Robinson fit well next to him as a glue guy. The speedy 6’1” guard excels at pushing the ball in transition where he can show off his passing vision or finish at the rim himself. Robinson is not a shooter but is a lockdown defender and this is where he truly makes an impact.

Shooting Guard- Corey Davis Jr, Senior

Unlike Robinson, Davis is a knockdown shooter who hit 103 three-pointers at a 43% clip. He essentially started at SF in a three-guard lineup last season even though he is only listed at 6’1”. This season, he should see more time at the two guard position and he could be relied on even more offensively to help replace Gray. Davis averaged 13.1 ppg as a junior and should fall into the 16-18 ppg range this season.

Small Forward- DeJon Jarreau, Sophomore

The 6’5” combo guard will likely compete with Armoni Brooks for the last starting spot, but given his ability to create offense off the bounce, I’m giving the nod to Jarreau. Jarreau is a former 4 star recruit who started his career at UMass where he averaged 9.8 ppg and 4.5 apg as a freshman. He then went to JUCO for a year and redshirted, giving him three years of eligibility with Houston. Jarreau is not a great shooter, but excels at using his length and athleticism to get to the rim, whether it be in the half court or in transition. If he can provide immediate high level production, the Cougars will be in great shape.

Power Forward- Fabian White Jr, Sophomore

White had a strong freshman season where he averaged 5.4 ppg and 3.9 rpg while carving out a consistent role off the bench. He was Davis’ primary backup and now that he has graduated, White is poised for big minutes and a breakout season. White is not as polished offensively as Davis was, but he could provide similar production if given starters minutes. Given Houston’s roster makeup, this looks extremely likely. Keep White in mind when thinking about breakout players.

Center- Breaon Brady, Senior

Rounding out the starting five is Breaon Brady. Brady was the starting center last season, but only played 12.5 mpg. He will be relied upon more frequently this season as his post scoring will be a much needed source of offense. If he can play more minutes (22-25 ish) while remaining effective, the 6’8” center should double his 4.1 ppg and 4.2 rpg from last season.