Greetings Canes! Congrats on the trip to KC and the Sweet Sixteen. Watched most of y’all’s game against Indiana, and man there are some weapons on that Miami roster for sure. Gonna be a tough matchup for my Coogs. Two coaches who have been around the block and had a bunch of NCAAT success. Thought I’d give you guys a little breakdown of the 2022-2023 Coogs and who we are running out there trying to get back home for the Final Four.
Houston Cougars
Head Coach Kelvin Sampson, 9th year at Houston, 232-73 overall W-L, 12-4 NCAAT record
Assistant Coaches Kellen Sampson, Quannas White, and Hollis Price (all played for Sampson at OU)
33-3, AAC regular season champions
AP #2, Coaches poll #1
#1 in NET & KenPom
#4 in KenPom Defensive Efficiency, #9 in KenPom Offensive Efficiency
Last Five NCAA Tournament Appearances (2023 S16, 2022 E8, 2021 F4, 2019 S16, 2018 R32)
Houston is appearing in their fourth straight Sweet Sixteen, after going 35 years without appearing in one back to 1984 during the Phi Slama Jamma era. The calling cards for Houston are, as they have been since the Kelvin Sampson era began in 2014, defensive and offensive rebounding. Houston has ranked in the top 20 in KenPom defensive efficiency every year since 2017, and has been top 10 each of the past four years. The Cougars haven’t finished below 4th in offensive rebounding percentage since 2020. While not a great shooting team, they grab their misses at an extraordinarily high rate. Houston has no rotation player taller than 6’8, but they play much bigger than their heights. They are an uber-athletic team with great length, quickness, and hands on defense. Many opposing coaches and fans have noted how the Cougars look bigger and stronger. My personal opinion is that is due to them having the best basketball S&C coach in America in Alan Bishop. They are #1 in the nation in block percentage, and top 20 in steal percentage. While not typically regarded as an explosive offensive team, they do rank 9th nationally in KenPom offensive efficiency. They are however prone to extreme cold spells shooting the basketball. Houston struggled a little earlier in the year in transition defense, although that seems to have been fixed, but something to watch as Miami certainly likes to get out and run.
Starters
#1 Jamal Shead, 6’1, 195 lbs, Jr. PG, Manor, TX
2022-2023 AAC Defensive Player of the Year, 2nd team All Conference
10.4 PPG, 5.4 APG, 3.0 RPG, 1.8 SPG
Shead is one of the top perimeter defenders in America, and the engine that makes the Cougars go. Was the best player for the Coogs during the Elite Eight run last year after Sasser and Mark went down in December. Can get into the paint and finish, deadly floater over taller defenders. Not the best outside shooter, tremendous facilitator and floor general. Bruce Pearl called him “the best defensive guard in college basketball” after Houston’s second round win. Dealing with a hyperextended right knee, but played 34 minutes, scored 10 points, and looked much more like his normal self against Auburn than the first round.
#0 Marcus Sasser, 6’2, 195 lbs, Sr. SG, Dallas, TX
2022-2023 AAC Player of the Year, Consensus 1st Team All-American
16.9 PPG, 3.1 APG, 2.8 RPG, 1.6 SPG
One of the best players in all of college basketball. 4 year starter (missed most of 2021-2022 due to injury). Leading scorer for the Coogs in the 2021 Final Four. 3 level scorer with the best step back in college basketball. Normally an elite level perimeter defender, he’s been hobbled by a groin injury since the first half of the Cincinnati game in the AAC tournament. Looked like the Sasser we know offensively against Auburn, but whether he will be his usual self on defense remains to be seen. Projected to be selected in the late first or early second round of the 2023 NBA Draft.
#12 Tramon Mark, 6’5, 195 lbs, So. SF, ****inson, TX
10.0 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.1 SPG
Lefty wing with a throwback mid-range game. Devastating iso player, took over the game with 26 against Auburn in the second half with Sasser and Shead in foul trouble. Was the 6th man on the 2021 Final Four team, scored the winning bucket on a putback in the second round against Rutgers that year. Capable but not stellar outside shooter, capable of getting hot. Has really stepped up defensively in the last 2 months of the season, likely will guard Wong for Miami. Can also serve as primary ballhandler when needed.
#25 Jarace Walker, 6’8 240 lbs, Fr. PF, New Freedom, PA
2022-2023 AAC Freshman of the Year, 2nd Team All-Conference
11.1 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.2 BPG, 1.0 SPG
The highest rated recruit to sign with Houston in the recruiting service era, Walker was the 11th ranked recruit in the Class of 2022 according to 247 composite. Projected to be picked in the Top 10 in the 2023 NBA Draft. A physically imposing presence, had an NBA ready body in high school. Very skilled for his size, is a matchup problem for a lot of teams at the college level. Shoots 35% from 3, can take bigger, less athletic defenders off the dribble, and has a strong post up game against smaller defenders. Tremendous defender for a freshman, can guard 4 positions. Had 6 blocks against Auburn in the second round. Can disappear for stretches, and defers to the upperclassmen too much at times. In my opinion, the X-factor for Houston when it comes to the national title. If he plays to his potential, no team has a higher ceiling.
#13 J’Wan Roberts, 6’7 230 lbs, Jr. PF, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
2022-2023 AAC 2nd team All Conference
10.3 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 1.4 BPG, 1.2 APG
Lefty big, one of the most tenacious rebounders, specifically on the offensive glass, as there is in college basketball. Plays bigger than 6’7, very physical inside presence. Offensive game is 12 feet and in, but he’s got a very capable jump hook, and can go off on offense if given the opportunity (back to back 20 point games against Memphis and Tulane in February).
Bench
#32 Reggie Chaney, 6’8, 230 lbs, Sr. PF, Tulsa, OK
2022-2023 AAC 6th Man of the Year
2.9 PPG, 2.6 RPG
The numbers don’t jump off the page with Chaney, but he does a lot of the dirty work and little things that define the Houston program. Kelvin Sampson trusts Chaney as much as any player on the roster to do what is expected of him (get on the floor for lose balls, chase down rebounds, etc.) The best ball screen defender amongst the Houston bigs, although they all are more than capable.
#21 Emanuel Sharp, 6’3, 205 lbs, Fr. SG, Tampa, FL
2022-2023 AAC All Freshman Team
5.9 PPG, 2.3 RPG
Freshman two guard. #115 national recruit out of high school. Tremendous outside shooter with deep range, can also get to the rack and score in traffic, big and strong for a guard. Took him a while to grasp the Houston defensive system, but has seen his minutes increase steadily as he has earned Sampsons trust more. Still has defensive lapses from time to time.
#23 Terrance Arceneaux, 6’6, 190 lbs, Fr. SF, Beaumont, TX
2022-2023 AAC All Freshman Team
3.8 PPG, 2.5 RPG
Freshman wing. #40 recruit nationally out of United High School in Beaumont. Two time 5A state champion. 3 level scorer, tremendous athlete. Very good defender and rebounder, but has struggled with his confidence shooting the basketball late in the season.
#5 Ja’Vier Francis, 6’8, 235 lbs So. PF, New Orleans, LA
4.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.1 BPG
6’8 big with 7’5 wingspan. Nation’s leader in blocked shots per minute. Can jump out of the gym. Limited offensive game, putbacks and dunks. Has seen his minutes decrease lately, been struggling with foul trouble.
I was a little torn on who I wanted to face out of Indiana and Miami. On the one hand, I really didn’t want to hear 6 days of BS about “Kelvin Sampson vs. Indiana” and their crybaby fans. On the other hand, Miami is a significantly tougher matchup than Indiana, who Houston would have run off the floor.
This a really intriguing matchup stylistically. The two teams are similar athletically, but play much differently. Miami can be really tough to deal with from an offensive perspective, with the guards ability to score and Omier gobbling up anything they don’t make down low. Houston has the ability to completely suffocate teams on the defensive end unlike just about anybody in college basketball. There are some really fun individual matchups as well, with Pack vs. Shead, Wong vs. Mark/Sasser, and especially Omier vs. Roberts, which will be a grown-a**-man battle for rebounds.
The keys to the game, at least from a Houston perspective, will be making Miami’s guards uncomfortable and forcing bad shots, slowing Omier down on the glass, and maybe most importantly, getting Jarace Walker going offensively early, as he is the matchup that causes the most problems for Miami in my opinion. Looking forward to another classic Sweet Sixteen game! I’ve been at most games this season and watched every one, so if you’ve got questions about the Coogs, fire away!
...I can't say that **** with a straight face.
