Houston Basketball: 2020-21 season preview for the Cougars

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA - DECEMBER 08: Marcus Sasser #0 of the Houston Cougars during the first half during their game against the South Carolina Gamecocks at Colonial Life Arena on December 08, 2019 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) /

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Kelvin Sampson Houston Basketball (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

The schedule for Houston Basketball

As announced by AAC Commissioner Mike Aresco on Oct. 7, 2020, the AAC will play what is being called a “double round-robin conference schedule”. Since its creation at the start of the 2013-14 season, the AAC conference consisted of 18 games, the two additional games will allow teams to play each other at home and away, which can begin as of Dec. 14, 2020.

With Connecticut Basketball moving back to the Big East, Cincinnati Basketball losing three of their top four scorers, and Tulsa Basketball losing three starters, quality opponents in the AAC for the Cougars boils down to Memphis.

Whoever comes out the victor from the two squads will see themselves on top of the AAC standings. Coach Sampson has also done a good job setting his team up to have a good resume when it comes to non-conference games as well.

The Cougars begin the season versus Lamar and Boise State, they then end November in a game versus pre-season No.14 Texas Tech. On Dec. 5, 2020, the Cougars will meet up with a potential tournament team in South Carolina, before a couple of ‘should win games’ in the form of Sam Houston State and Rice. The final game that is currently scheduled for Dec. 19 is a match-up versus Alabama who placed No.25 on the preseason Coach’s Poll.

The current schedule has enough to keep Houston in the Top 25, provided they put up a decent performance versus Texas Tech regardless of the outcome. Their resume will only improve if Memphis and Cincinnati can get some key non-conference victories, along with SMU who will surprise some this season.