Houston basketball had an absolutely dominating season opener win at home vs Jackson State on Monday night, 97-40.
This was the second-largest season-opening win for Houston basketball in program history, and the 23rd-straight home victory which is the longest active streak in the nation.
Graduate guard LJ Cryer scored a game-high 16 points. Graduate forward J’Wan Roberts had 14 points and six rebounds and became the winningest player in Fertitta Center history with a 63-3 record.
The Cougars have proved their dominance at home over the past half-decade, as this was the 100th game in Fertitta Center and improved to 94-6 in the facility’s history.
Houston went on an early 18-0 run that extended their first half lead to 21-3. UH led 52-13 at the end of the first 20 minutes with 60% shooting and 8-for-10 from downtown.
Here are 3 takeaways from the season opener:
Takeaway #1: Milos Uzan Fit In Nicely
The junior transfer point guard from Oklahoma is a critical player for the red and white this season.
Uzan made a strong first impression against Jackson State with a comprehensive performance in his debut as a Cougar. Uzan scored eight points along with an impressive 10 assists, seven rebounds and four steals in just over 25 minutes. It also included a couple of threes. This is a great sign for the season and the offensive success.
“He’s a really good teammate, a pleaser who tries to do things the right way, he’s the easiest kid to motivate with a high self-esteem,” said Houston basketball head coach Kelvin Sampson.
Takeaway #2: Bench is a strength
The depth of the Cougars has been thought of to be a strength of this team, much more than in previous seasons. That was shown in the exhibition game, but the true rotation in the first game was strong.
Graduate guard Mylik Wilson had 15 points while being 7-for-9 from the field in 20 minutes. Senior guard Ramon Walker Jr added 10 points as well.
Injuries hurt the bench last year but sophomore guard Terrance Arceneaux is back after a torn Achilles and scored seven points. Forward Jojo Tugler, who is also back after a foot injury, had an impactful 25 minutes. The 6-8 forward had five points, along with seven rebounds, three blocks, a steal and a rare three-pointer. Freshman guard Mercy Miller also added seven points.
The plethora of scoring guards and shooting offers a strong complement.
Takeaway #3: Season-opening dominance
The Cougars won their 16th-straight season-opener and improved to 61-19 overall when beginning a new season.
Houston basketball has generally gotten out to a good start and dominated their non-conference opponents. Their dominance at Fertitta Center has also been shown.
This game was the 17th straight sellout and the 28th in the last 29th games.
Up next for Houston (1-0): vs. #11 Auburn (0-0) – Nov. 9 at 8:30 p.m. EST
Up next for Jackson State (0-1): at High Point (0-0) – Nov. 9 at 2 p.m. EST