NCAA Basketball: Top 25 team backcourts for 2021-22 season

Last season’s run to the Final Four wasn’t a far-fetched result for the Cougars who carried similar expectations internally and from outside media. Houston played very strong throughout the regular season and boasted a top-6 ranking in both offensive and defensive rating. Those results were largely produced on the backs of the program’s talented and deep backcourt, despite losing 2020 breakout freshman Caleb Mills to transfer shortly into the year.

Head coach Kelvin Sampson dealt with that early adversity well and will look to find a similar solution following the off-season losses of Quentin Grimes and Dejon Jarreau to the NBA. Coach Sampson has done a tremendous job however keeping a stable of guards with a competitive and “next up” mindset eager to fill those roles. Even with the expected changes, the goals and abilities of this team have not changed.

Underclassmen Tramon Mark and Jamal Shead join returning leading scorer Marcus Sasser as a strong starting point for the Cougars to repeat their Final Four run. However, Coach Sampson has replicated last season’s depth by adding Texas Tech standout Kyler Edwards and experienced vet Taze Moore from Cal State Bakersfield. Additionally, Houston has seemingly found a freshman gem in three of the last four seasons who has become a vital piece of the team’s rotation. This year incoming guards Robbie Armbrester and Ramon Walker Jr. have the potential to do just that.

The 2021 backcourt for Houston has experienced no drop-off from last year’s team and carries the same depth that propelled this team to a shot at the national title. The hope shouldn’t be for Sampson to find a groove with this year’s crop, rather an expectation they will rise to the challenge of his physical and disruptive style. The Cougars will make noise, and this part of the team will again lead the way.