NCAA Basketball: Strengths and weaknesses of each top-25 team for 2022-23 season

2. Houston Cougars

Strength: Guard play

The Cougars were missing two key guards last season in Marcus Sasser and Tramon Mark, who each were injured. Both of them are back, along with nearly 30 ppg in production. Back with them is starting point guard Jamal Shead, who emerged as a star for the team. Top-50 freshmen  Emanuel Sharp and Terrance Arceneaux also will have an impact, while Texas Tech transfer Mylik Wilson adds to the depth as well.

Sasser was an All-American candidate before he got hurt last season and Mark is a quality contributor as well. There’s just so much talent in the backcourt that don’t be surprised if Shead finishes in the top-5 in assists nationally next season. Houston has always had great guard play but this time, they have a ton of it to work with.

Weakness: Center position

The Cougars have always been guard-oriented so this roster isn’t a deviation from that. But for a team that’s in the national title conversation this upcoming season, are they in a good enough spot in the frontcourt? They do have incoming five-star freshman forward Jarace Walker, but the projected starting center will be either Reggie Chaney or J’Wan Roberts, both solid players but a downgrade to last year’s starter, Josh Carlton.

Houston is fine everywhere else but when you look at teams that have elite centers such as Kentucky, North Carolina, and Gonzaga, that’s a clear mismatch on paper that the Cougars have to deal with whenever they play. It’s not the biggest issue but something they’ll have to deal with in the later stages of the NCAA Tournament.