Houston Cougars NCAA Basketball Betting
The outlook for the Houston Cougars should consist of two words: national title. They have all the components it takes: experience, talent, coaching, and a few weaknesses. Sampson has built a culture where you know what you'll get when you play them, a tough-nosed brand of basketball built on defense, and a team that rebounds better than anyone in the country.
The next step in that evolution for Houston is success in March, which has eluded them thus far despite the gaudy records and seeds. As a No. 1 seed the last two seasons, the Cougars have fallen in the Sweet Sixteen by a total of 17 points. After years of success in the American and a dominant opening salvo in their Big 12 debut, it’s time for the Cougars to break through and show they can be more than just another high-level program in the landscape of college basketball. Winning a national title would move them to an even higher echelon than they sit now.
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There were rumblings about how Houston would handle life in the Big 12. Those uncertainties were answered with resounding actions: a regular-season title and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament for the second year in a row. Under Kelvin Sampson, the Cougars have become a national brand as one of the top programs year in and year out in college basketball.
The next step in that evolution for Houston is success in March, which has eluded them thus far despite the gaudy records and seeds. As a No. 1 seed the last two seasons, the Cougars have fallen in the Sweet Sixteen by a total of 17 points. After years of success in the American and a dominant opening salvo in their Big 12 debut, it’s time for the Cougars to break through and show they can be more than just another high-level program in the landscape of college basketball. Winning a national title would move them to an even higher echelon than they sit now.
The Cougars’ offseason was relatively quiet as their roster was left untouched for the most part, losing just one transfer, Damien Dunn, and arguably their best player and one of the best point guards in the country, Jamal Shead, left for the NBA draft. Returning an elite roster means expectations will and should remain sky-high for the Cougars. But, now that the questions about adjusting to the Big 12 have been answered, the only question left unanswered for Houston is whether the Cougars come up with results in March that match those expectations and gaudy regular-season numbers.
As good as Houston has been, they aren’t a team without their warts or questions. We know they will rebound and defend, but they can struggle offensively, having scored just 73 points per game last season. When you have trouble scoring and playing at one of the slowest paces in the country, that can lead to some issues if you don’t make shots. This could continue to be a problem for the Cougars; with Uzan stepping in for Shead, he will need to improve defensively, and the offense may have to run through Cryer more than in the past because Uzan isn’t the scorer or playmaker that Shead was.
Given Houston’s talent, these question marks may seem small, but they are key. If Uzan can step in with minimal hiccups and injured returners Arceneaux and Tugler can add the much-needed depth, this could be the squad that gets Sampson and the Cougars over the hump.
They finish up their non-conference by staying in the comforts of home. They face Butler in the Big 12- Big East battle and then welcome Troy Toledo and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to town. They will ring in the new year on the road with their Big 12 opener in Stillwater against Oklahoma State. The Cougars will be tested early and often before entering conference play.
Latest NCAA Tournament Results
| YEAR |
RESULT |
| 2024 |
Lost Sweet Sixteen vs. (4) Duke 51–54 |
| 2023 |
Lost Sweet Sixteen vs. (5) Miami FL 75–89 |
| 2022 |
Lost Elite Eight vs. (2) Villanova, 44–50 |
| 2021 |
Lost Final Four vs. (1) Baylor, 59–78 |
| 2019 |
Lost Sweet Sixteen vs. (2) Kentucky, 58–62 |
| 2018 |
Lost Second Round vs. (3) Michigan, 63–64 |
| 2010 |
Lost First Round vs. (4) Maryland, 77–89 |
2024-2025 NCAA Basketball Top Teams
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