Houston Basketball Receives Another High Ranking Ahead of Opening Night
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Houston Cougars basketball is poised to begin its attempt at rebounding after an absolutely devastating defeat at the hands of the Florida Gators in the National Championship game.
Ahead of the season, the Cougars’ ability to reach the level they did last year has been called into question thanks to a new era being ushered in.
"A major reason why Houston was able to be in those situations, and a major reason why Houston has been a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament in the last three years, is because Houston hasn’t just been exceptionally well-coached, not just because Houston has been the toughest team in the sport, it’s because Houston was old,” CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein said. ”It’s because Houston was seasoned. It’s because Houston was experienced.”
Coaches Think Houston’s Still Got It
Despite all the fresh faces in Houston, college basketball coaches across the country still think that the Coogs will remain near the top. When the USA Today Sports Coaches preseason poll released Wednesday, the Houston Cougars found themselves sitting at the No. 2 spot to start the year.
Just a week ago, the Cougars were ranked as the No. 2 team in the country in the initial AP Poll, the first time the team has been ranked that high to start the season since the 1967 squad, and the 107th consecutive week that the team has been ranked.
Other teams in the Coaches’ Poll include No. 1 Purdue, No. 3 Florida and No. 4 UConn.
Ahead of the season, Houston guard Milos Uzan was named to the CBS Sports Preseason All-America Third Team after he averaged 31.6 minutes per game in the 2024-25 season and shot over 43 percent from the three-point line and over 45 percent overall. His return will be huge for Houston, as he will serve as the veteran leadership the young core will need to be successful this year.
“Preseason Rankings? I really don't feel like those matter as much,”Uzan said after learning about the team’s AP Poll spot. “Those are based off of teams before you, so it’s cool that we’re a top-two team for sure but I think it doesn’t really mean too much right now.”
The Houston Cougars are set to start their season when they participate in The Preview CBB Exhibition against Mississippi State at 6:30 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 26 in Rosenberg, Texas.
