7. Houston (2-1)
Even after the setback from last week against Auburn, this Houston squad should still be one of the top teams in the nation. LJ Cryer looks fantastic and should take up that role as a backcourt demon, with the rest of this squad likely putting up elite defensive numbers yet again. We’ll soon see how Houston responds in the national spotlight again, though we didn’t get that chance this past week.
The Cougars bounced back nicely, winning 91-45 at home over Louisiana back on Wednesday. It was another smothering defensive effort where the starters didn’t play serious minutes. Terrance Arceneaux was the leading scorer with 14 points off the bench while Milos Uzan had 13 points and 5 assists. There was virtually nothing to complain about in doubling up a weaker foe.
The only downside was that we didn’t get to see Houston seriously challenged after faltering against the Tigers last weekend. There’s zero question that this team is elite on both sides of the ball and can cause major havoc, but many people will need to see it against a tough, ranked opponent after that shocker. Regardless, Houston can only take care of the teams on their schedule and that means a date with Hofstra late next week.