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Houston Cougars Basketball Lands in Top 10 of AP Preseason Poll

UH basketball is picked in an interesting spot in the first AP Poll of the year.
Maanav Gupta|
Houston head men's coach Kelvin Sampson reacts during a second-round game in the NCAA men's basketball tournament between Houston Cougars and Texas A&M Aggies at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Saturday March 21, 2026.
Houston head men's coach Kelvin Sampson reacts during a second-round game in the NCAA men's basketball tournament between Houston Cougars and Texas A&M Aggies at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Saturday March 21, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

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Houston Cougars

Houston Cougars basketball had to undergo a rebuild of sorts after the 2025-26 season came to an end. The Cougars lost four starters, and all four of those players were taken in the NBA Draft.

There was a lot that Houston lost over the offseason, but coach Kelvin Sampson's program was able to quickly rebuild and reload for 2026-27. It will be interesting to see how Houston looks when the regular season begins, with a team that is expected to be more traditionally focused on experienced players with a high level of defense and physicality on both ends.

The preseason AP Poll for the season was released on Monday, and the Cougars found themselves in a familiar spot again. Houston was ranked No. 10 in the poll, right behind Virginia and one spot ahead of Louisville.

More on Houston's Preseason Ranking

This is the fifth straight season Houston has been ranked in the top 10 of both national preseason polls and the seventh straight year of being in both preseason polls overall. Houston has also been ranked in the AP Top 25 127 straight times, which extends the school record and is the nation's longest active streak. UH received 829 points to be ranked 10th.

Houston is one of two Big 12 teams in the top 10, with Arizona occupying the No. 5 spot. There are six Big 12 teams total in the preseason poll, with Kansas, Iowa State and Texas Tech in a row at No. 17, 18 and 19, respectively. BYU rounds it out at No. 25. Additionally, TCU received 17 votes.

The Cougars are also one of three Texas teams ranked in preseason, with Texas the highest at No. 7.

Houston has been ranked in every poll since Jan. 20, 2020. The consistency the Cougars have shown over the years has been remarkable. UH will look completely different than last season's team, as senior forward Joseph Tugler is the only returning starter.

The Cougars have a new starting backcourt this season with junior Mercy Miller at shooting guard and senior transfer Dedan Thomas Jr. at point guard. Miller started off the bench last year for Houston, and now he gets his opportunity to shine. He was a former four-star prospect with elite scoring abilities and went through a full summer to get ready.

Thomas Jr. was named an All-Big 12 preseason member alongside Tugler and slides right into the Sampson line of point guards. While he may not have the offensive talent of Kingston Flemings, his experience and leadership offer something new.

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Maanav Gupta
MAANAV GUPTA

Maanav Gupta is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He graduated from the University of Houston in the summer of 2025 with his bachelor’s in journalism and a minor in Spanish. Gupta spent three years at the student newspaper, The Daily Cougar, and also covered the 2025 Final Four and National Championship as Houston beat writer for College Basketball Review. He also has his own YouTube channel, Maanav’s Sports Talk, where he has interviewed professional athletes and broadcasters like Jim Nantz, Jose Altuve, J.J. Watt, Rich Eisen, and Alperen Sengun. Gupta was also a contributor to the Houston athletic program as a student. You can find Gupta on X, Instagram and TikTok @MGSportsTalk.

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