Houston Cougars Basketball: Review of historic 2018-19 campaign

The 2018-19 season was one of tremendous success for the University of Houston Cougars. Houston earned a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1984.

At the beginning of the season, the Houston Cougars was not expected to spur such a succesful season following its heart-breaking tournament exit to eventual runner-up Michigan last season. The Cougars were chosen to finish third in the American Athletic Conference in the coaches preseason poll and received not a single vote in either the AP or Coaches preseason national poll.

However, Houston rocked through a demanding nonconfernce slate, debuted a new arena December 1, won the conference regular season title and peaked in the AP poll at No. 8. Houston, led by fifth-year head coach Kelvin Sampson, used lethal defense to notch its 33-4 record, which was the most wins in program history.

The Cougars’ were the 11th best defensive team in the nation this season, according to Kenpom. This daunting defense was highlighted by a national-best 42.5% defensive effective field goal percentage, as well as the nation’s best three-point defense, as opponents shot just 27.9% from behind the arc against the Cougars. Houston held its opponents to just 60.8 ppg and 43% from two-point range, both top-ten marks nationally.

But Sampson’s squad was not just a defensive juggernaut. Senior point guard Corey Davis Jr. led the team in scoring with 17 ppg and was named a unanimous First Team All-Conference player. In his second year with the program, Davis shot 42% from the field and 37.5% from three. His 86.9% free-throw percentage was the No. 26 mark in division one this season.

Armoni Brooks, the Cougars’ junior small forward, was the team’s second leading scorer with 13.4 ppg. He also led the team in rebounds with 6.3 rpg and in three-point shooting with 39%. Brooks was named to the All Conference Second-Team.

These two guards were pivotal in Houston’s phenomenal season, which was capped by a 15-game win streak to being the season, as well as another 12-game win streak. The Cougars notched an impressive win early in the season as they defeated the BYU Cougars in Provo, Utah. In the Fertitta Center’s debut Dec. 1, Houston defeated then No. 18 Oregon and Bol Bol. The Cougars also notched home wins over LSU, Saint Louis and Utah State, all teams that would later partake in the NCAA Tournament.

Houston finished conference play in first place with a 16-2 record, which included two wins over a ranked Cincinnati team, as well as split meetings with both Temple and UCF. In their second-straight AAC Tournament final meeting, the Cougars were bested by the Bearcats of Cincinnati 69-57.

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Despite the conference tournament final loss, Houston still locked up a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament, earning repeat appearances in the Big Dance for the first time in 35 years. As has been the theme all season, stifling defense led the Cougars to a comfortable first round victory over Georgia State by 29 points, as they held the Panthers to a 30% field goal percentage. Sampson’s squad then again faced a Big 10 opponent in the round of 32, this year in Ohio State. The Cougars defeated the Buckeyes 74-59 and allowed just 38.8% from the field.

Houston then found itself in the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament since Hakeem Olajuwon Clyde Drexler were Cougars. Houston battled the Kentucky Wildcats in one of two Sweet 16 matches in the Midwest region. The Cougars were victims of a prolific scoring run from the Wildcats, as well as a stagnant several minutes from themselves, late in the first half.

Despite being down by as many as 13 points early in the second half, Houston battled back to make the final four minutes of the game as eventful as any of the other second weekend games. The Wildcats were held to just four points in nearly nine minutes of gameplay as the Cougars pushed back, eventually mounting two leads of their own, including a 58-55 lead with less than 80 seconds remaining. However, a clutch three-pointer by freshman Tyler Herro with 25 seconds remaining lifted the Wildcats past the Cougars 62-58.

The Cougars will need to do some shuffling next year for their starting lineup. Three of the five starters from this season will be gone in leading scorer and shooting guard Davis, as well as center Breaon Brady and point guard Galen Robinson Jr., who combined for 14 ppg and 7.1 rpg. Brooks, along with Fabian White Jr., a sophomore who averaged 6.3 ppg and 4 rpg, will be the sole returning starters for the Cougars. But with flashes of potential from several bench players, Houston may be poised for another NCAA Tournament run next season.

One promising player will be Dejon Jarreau, a six-foot-five-inch sophomore guard. Despite only playing 18 mpg, Jarreau was the Cougars’ third-highest scorer with 8.7 ppg and averaged 47.1% from the field and 36.4% from three. He mostly relieved Robinson in the point guard position, but also had flashes as a small forward throughout the season. Along with Jarreau, freshman Nate Hinton will be a hugely important player for the Cougars in his second season. A forward, Hinton averaged 7.2 ppg and 4.4 rpg and is a great free-throw shooter with a season average of 85.7%. The Cougars will also look to incoming freshman Caleb Mills, a guard. Clocking in at 6’3″, Mills graduated high school a semester early to enroll at UH this semester, where he has practiced with the team throughout. Mills is a four-star recruit, according to 247Sports.

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Houston notched its best season in more than three decades this past year and with a loaded, skilled and experienced squad returning for the 2019-20 season, don’t be surprised if the Cougars again outperform their season prior.