Coach Kelvin Sampson’s team made a seventh consecutive trip to the Sweet 16 last year but had a disappointing tournament exit with a loss to Illinois in the South Region semifinals played just two miles from campus. The early (for them) exit came after they lost in the national championship game a year earlier. They lost some key starters from last year’s squad, but Sampson’s team is still expected to be among the best teams in the country, ranked 10th nationally and second in the Big 12 behind preseason No. 5 Arizona.

The Cougars lost several of top players to the NBA draft and graduation but return senior forward Joseph Tugler, who is the anchor of the defense and was named to the preseason All-Big 12 team. They also return guard Mercy Miller, the son of rap mogul Master P who is expected to start this season after averaging five points in 36 games off the bench last year. A key addition is Dedan Thomas Jr., who will take over at point guard. He averaged 15.3 points and 6.5 assists last season in 16 games at LSU before an injury and was also named to the preseason conference team.

The Cougars suffered a huge blow with the departure of Kingston Flemings, now in the NBA. He led the team by averaging 16.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals last season. They also last top rebounder Chris Cenac Jr., who was drafted 27th by Boston. Along with Thomas, the Cougars also added forward Delrecco Gillespie, a transfer from Kent State, who made the All-MAC first team after averaging 17.7 points and 11.3 rebounds last season. Also joining the Cougars via transfer is guard Corey Hadnot II, who averaged 20.4 points a game last season at Purdue-Fort Wayne.

Houston opens the season at home against La Salle on Nov. 2. The Cougars will be in the Players Era Championship in Las Vegas against Rutgers on Nov. 17 followed by two more games. Houston will travel to New York to play Alabama in the Jimmy V Classic on Dec. 8 before meeting LSU at Houston’s Toyota Center on Dec. 13. They open Big 12 play on Jan. 2 at home against TCU.

Sampson is 329-91 in 12 seasons in Houston. … The Cougars won the conference title in four of the last five seasons. … Houston has won at least 30 games in each of the last five seasons. … The Cougars ranked second in the nation last season by limiting teams to just 62.3 points a game. … Houston’s average margin of victory last season was 14 points, which ranked ninth in the country.

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