7. Houston (1-1)
Kelvin Sampson’s work in recent years at Houston has been on par with just about any program in the nation. The Cougars have repeatedly put together elite teams and that should be no different this season, even with a few changes in this rotation. Still, the Cougars brought back great weapons like LJ Cryer and J’Wan Roberts and might just have the firepower to win another Big 12 title.
Their initial performance surprised few people, as the Cougars coasted to a 97-40 win over Jackson State. Cryer led the way with 16 points while Mylik Wilson stood out with 15 points off the bench. Unfortunately, things did not go according to plan on Saturday, as Houston fell 74-69 after a fierce battle with Auburn. Five Cougars were in double figures, though the team was outshot by the Tigers and didn’t get enough down the line to finish the job.
Saturday’s loss wasn’t what Houston expected, but it’s no reason for panic. This season should still be extremely successful, even though their interior defense was certainly a problem against Johni Broome and the bigs on Auburn. The Cougars continue to put forth a great foot offensively and will look to put this loss behind them, with a few easy games ahead on the schedule. However, that late November matchup with Alabama will be here very soon.