NCAA Basketball: Preseason top 25 power rankings for 2022-23 season
. . Cougars . 3. team. 450.
The Cougars made it to the Elite 8, despite losing two of the team’s best four players early on due to injury. On the positive end, it allowed other players to step up and break out, including point guard Jamal Shead. As a sophomore, the 6’1 playmaker averaged 10.0 ppg and 5.8 apg, including five games of 10+ assists, as well as Shead going for career-highs in scoring in the NCAA Tournament, 18 and 21 points respectively against Illinois and Arizona.
Among the guards coming back from injury are Tramon Mark (10.1 ppg and 2.4 apg) and Marcus Sasser (17.7 ppg and 2.6 apg). Before getting hurt, Sasser was on track for an All-American caliber. Assuming he can get back to that level and with Shead running the offense, the Cougars can make a case for having the best backcourt in NCAA Basketball.
Even the depth behind the trio is impressive, including Texas Tech transfer Mylik Wilson, 6’4 sophomore Ramon Walker Jr, as well as a pair of top-50 newcomers in Terrance Arceneaux and Emanuel Sharp.
If there are any questions with Houston, it’s in the frontcourt, after losing a pair of 5th-year seniors. In their place, however, is the program’s highest-ranked freshman ever in 6’8 power forward Jarace Walker. He’s a great offensive talent and can provide needed scoring balance in the frontcourt and will have great guards to work with. And at center, look for veteran Reggie Chaney and J’Wan Roberts to share the minutes there. Long as they’re solid rim protectors like the previous bigs, Houston will have every base covered.