After a fourth straight Sweet 16 appearance and winning the Big 12 regular season title in their first year, Houston basketball once again looks to take the next step to win a national championship.
The tradition continues! CBB Review is again ranking the top 100 teams heading into the new college basketball season. Each day, we will reveal the next team until we reach the team slotted at number one. Up next: Houston basketball.
The University of Houston joined the Big 12 last season, and many believed it might be a tough transition for the Cougars into the best basketball conference in the country, even with all their recent success. Houston proved all doubters wrong and straight out won the Big 12 conference regular season title in dominant fashion. After the Sweet 16 loss, UH had a “run it back” campaign as multiple players who could have left such as LJ Cryer, J’Wan Roberts, and Mylik Wilson decided to make use of their extra year and stay.
After four straight Sweet 16 appearances and multiple conference championships in between, Houston is looking for the final jump of a national championship. The tools are there, and the depth is also looking strong with freshman guard Mercy Miller joining. Sophomore guard Terrance Arceneaux is back off the bench, along with sophomore forward Jojo Tugler who was impactful. Houston boasts a couple of other experienced guards such as senior Ramon Walker Jr and Wilson, besides the two starters junior Emanuel Sharp and graduate Cryer who are great shooters. This is a great balance of players.
Four starters and nine lettermen return from the Cougars’ 2023-24 squad. Houston is the only school ranked among the top five national leaders in KenPom.com’s preseason offensive and defensive ratings. They once again have the team and coach to get it done if the injury bug doesn’t haunt them this year.
Head coach: Kelvin Sampson (11th season at Houston, 36th season overall)
2023-24 record: 32-5 (15-3)
2024 postseason finish: Lost to Duke (54-51) in Sweet 16 of NCAA Tournament
Notable departures:
- Jamal Shead: (12.9 PPG, 6.3 APG, 3.7 RPG)
- Damian Dunn: (6.4 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 0.4 APG)
Notable non-conference games:
- vs. Auburn (Nov. 9)
- vs. Alabama (Nov. 26)
- vs. Rutgers (Nov. 30)
- vs. Butler (Dec. 7)
Projected Rotation:
PG: Milos Uzan (6-4, 190, Jr)
2023-24 stats: 9.0 PPG, 4.3 APG, 3.4 RPG, 39.2 FG%, 29.6 3P%, 67.6 FT% (Oklahoma)
SG: LJ Cryer (6-1, 200, Gr.-Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 15.5 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 1.9 APG, 41.1 FG%, 38.8 3P%, 87.1 FT%
SF: Emanuel Sharp (6-3, 210, Jr.)
2023-24 stats: 12.6 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 0.9 APG, 37.3 FG%, 36.8 3P%, 85.1 FT%
PF: J’Wan Roberts (6-8, 235, Gr.-Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 9.5 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.2 APG, 1.3 SPG, 59.6 FG%, 51.1 FT%
C: Ja’Vier Francis (6-8, 235, Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 6.0 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 0.2 APG, 64.6 FG%, 52.9 FT%
6. Joseph Tugler (6-8, 230, So.)
2023-24 stats: 3.8 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 0.3 APG, 1.1 BPG, 55.1 FG%, 46.3 FT%
7. Terrance Arceneaux (6-6, 205, So.)
2023-24 stats: 5.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 0.7 APG, 38.6 FG%, 28.6 3P%, 52.6 FT%
8. Mylik Wilson (6-2, 175, Gr.-Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 4.4 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 0.8 APG, 44.2 FG%, 24.1 3P%, 59.5 FT%
9. Ramon Walker Jr (6-5, 215, Sr.)
2023-24 stats: 2.0 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 0.3 APG, 34.1FG%, 30.4 3P%, 64.3 FT%
10. Mercy Miller: (6-4, 200, Fr.)
247 sports composite #55 ranked recruit
Houston basketball team MVP: J’Wan Roberts
The most experienced player on this team, J’Wan Roberts has been a part of Kelvin Sampson’s program since 2019. The graduate forward is now one of the leaders of the team and offers great experience and a powerful presence in the paint on both ends of the floor. Roberts is critical to the defensive success of the team and crashing the boards as well as 2nd chance points and points in the paint. The 6’8 forward can keep the scoring in the paint going for Houston while bringing veteran skill.
Houston basketball make-or-break player: Milos Uzan
With the departure of Jamal Shead, a program leader and one of the greatest Houston basketball players in recent memory, to the NBA, this opened a hole at the point guard position. The former Oklahoma point guard signed with the Cougars during the off-season and while Uzan certainly has big shoes to fill, this gives Houston some sort of continuity at the position getting a junior who can provide the right kind of spark for the offense.
In his last season at OU, Uzan suffered a broken nose and had to wear a mask for the exhibition game as his status is still improving. If Uzan can provide leadership for the offense and contribute effectively, that greatly increases Houston’s chances and makes them really dangerous.
Key analytic: RPG
If this was not specifically an analytic, the key would be injuries. The main issue with this team in the past few years has actually been nothing necessarily in their control. It has been some heartbreaking injuries that have hurt UH from advancing all the way through the NCAA tournament. Last year, Jamal Shead suffered a severely sprained ankle in the Sweet 16 vs Duke, which completely changed the game as the Cougars lost 54-52.
The year before, shooting guard Marcus Sasser went down with a groin injury in the AAC tournament that ended up bothering him during the NCAA Tournament, where UH lost in the Sweet 16 to Miami.
However, the key for every Kelvin Sampson-led team is crashing the boards. Offensive rebounds are part of Houston culture. In the past, this led to second-chance points that are critical to their success. However this year, the shooting may improve with their depth and offensive players. On the defensive end, this is how Sampson’s squads are always so physical and tough. If they keep this up, it will be a grind for every opposition.
Houston basketball 2024-25 projections:
Projected conference finish: 2nd in the Big 12
Projected postseason ceiling: NCAA Tournament champions