Houston Cougars men's basketball
Encyclopedia
The Houston Cougars men's basketball team represents the University of Houston
in Houston
, Texas
in U.S.
NCAA
Division I men's basketball
competition. The university is a member of Conference USA
. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2010
, and are tied for eighth in number of Final Four appearances.
Although the University of Houston already had a women's basketball program, the Houston Cougars men's basketball program didn't begin until the 1945-1946 season. During their first two seasons, the team won the Lone Star Conference
regular season title, and made it to post season play in the NAIA
Men's Basketball tournament. The team also appeared in back to back years of 1946
, 1947
. The Cougars had an all time NAIA tournament record of 2-2 in 2 years.
was promoted to the head coaching position. Lewis, a former Cougar player, led Houston to 27 straight winning seasons and 14 seasons with 20 or more wins, including 14 trips to the NCAA Tournament
. His Houston teams made the Final Four on five occasions (1967, 1968, 1982–84) and twice advanced to the NCAA Championship Game (1983, 1984). Among the outstanding players who Lewis coached are Elvin Hayes
, Hakeem Olajuwon
, Clyde Drexler
, Otis Birdsong
, Dwight Jones
, Don Chaney
and "Sweet" Lou Dunbar
.
Lewis's UH teams twice played key roles in high-profile events that helped to popularize college basketball as a spectator sport. In 1968, his underdog, Elvin Hayes-led Cougars upset the undefeated and top-ranked UCLA Bruins in front of more than 50,000 fans at Houston’s Astrodome. Most importantly, it was the first nationally-televised college basketball game. The game became known as the “Game of the Century
” and marked a watershed in the popularity of college basketball. In the early 1980s, Lewis's Phi Slama Jama teams at UH gained notoriety for their fast-breaking, "above the rim" style of play as well as their overall success. These teams attracted great public interest with their entertaining style of play. At the height of Phi Slama Jama's notoriety, they suffered a dramatic, last-second loss in the 1983 NCAA Final that set a then-ratings record for college basketball broadcasts and became an iconic moment in the history of the sport. Lewis's insistence that these highly successful teams play an acrobatic, up-tempo brand of basketball that emphasized dunking
brought this style of play to the fore and helped popularize it amongst younger players.
Houston lost in both NCAA Final games in which Lewis coached, despite his "Phi Slama Jama" teams featuring superstars Clyde Drexler
and Hakeem Olajuwon
. In 1983, Houston lost in a dramatic title game to the North Carolina State Wolfpack
on a last-second dunk by Lorenzo Charles
. The Cougars lost in the 1984 NCAA Final to the Georgetown Hoyas, led by Patrick Ewing
. Lewis retired from coaching in 1986 at number 20 in all-time NCAA Division I victories, his 592-279 record giving him a .680 career winning percentage.
As a coach, Lewis was known for championing the once-outlawed dunk
, which he characterized as a "high percentage shot", and for clutching a brightly-colored red and white polka dot towel on the bench during games. Lewis was a major force in the racial integration of college athletics in the South during the 1960s, being one of the first major college coaches in the region to actively recruit African-American athletes. His recruitment of Elvin Hayes
and Don Chaney
in 1964 ushered in an era of tremendous success in Cougar basketball. The dominant play of Hayes led the Cougars to two Final Fours and sent shock waves through Southern colleges that realized that they would have to begin recruiting black players if they wanted to compete with integrated teams.
in 1996. Under head coach Alvin Brooks
, the basketball program had a disappointing initial season in C-USA. The team went 3-11 against C-USA teams in 1996-97. The next season was even more futile. Brooks, who had led the Cougars since 1993, coached the Cougars to a rock bottom conference record of 2-14 in 1997-98. The last, and only other, time the Cougars recorded only two conference victories in a season was in 1950-51; their first season in the Missouri Valley Conference
.
was hired to coach the program that he led as a player to the 1983 NCAA Final as part of Phi Slama Jama. Basketball excitement was back on campus, and fans looked forward to the promising years to come. After just two seasons however, Drexler resigned as head coach to spend more time with his family.
was hired to do what Clyde Drexler could not—lead the Cougars to a winning season and earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament
. After losing seasons in each of his first two years, McCallum guided the Cougars to a 18-15 record in 2001-02. That season, the team won two conference tournament games and qualified for the National Invitation Tournament
. However, the team regressed in the following season and failed to qualify for their own C-USA tournament.
Tom Penders
was named as the head coach of Cougars basketball in 2004. Known as "Turnaround Tom" for his reputation of inheriting sub-par basketball programs and making them better, Penders was hired to rebuild a program that recorded only one winning season in its last eight years. After a surprising debut season in 2004-05 that led to an NIT appearance, the team had high hopes to build on their relative success and make the NCAA Tournament in 2006.
The 2005-06 season looked promising at the outset. The Cougars started their first game on a 30-0 scoring run against the Florida Tech Panthers
. Less than two weeks later, the Cougars beat the nationally ranked LSU Tigers
on the road and the Arizona Wildcats
at home. The surprising wins earned the Cougars their first national ranking in several years. The team that seemed destined for an NCAA Tournament berth failed to capitalize on their success and national recognition and began to stumble after a loss to South Alabama Jaguars
in December. The Cougars won only one conference tournament game and had to settle again for another NIT bid.
Dubbed as "The Show," the 2006-07 Cougars entered the season with cockiness and strong expectations to finally make it into the NCAA Tournament. A difficult schedule matched the Cougars with seven different teams that would end up qualifying for either the 2007 NCAA Tournament or NIT. Houston lost three times to the Memphis Tigers
and once each to Arizona, the Creighton Bluejays
, the Kentucky Wildcats
, South Alabama, the UNLV Runnin' Rebels
, and the VCU Rams
. By going 0-9 against these quality teams, the Cougars proved they were not worthy of an at-large bid
to the NCAA Tournament. Not surprisingly, two conference tournament wins against lower seeds and an unimpressive 18-15 overall record were not even enough to earn the team an invitation to the NIT.
With a slightly new nickname ("The Show—In 3D") and slightly new uniform (a changed trim design), the 2007-08 Cougars hoped to build on their mediocre prior season and reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1992
. Eight straight home games from November 21 to December 29 helped the Cougars get off to a 11-1 start. However, the team lost most of its critical games at the end of the season, including their last two games (both against the UTEP Miners
).
Their post-season hopes were not altogether dashed, however. Houston received an invitation to the inaugural
College Basketball Invitational
tournament and defeated the Nevada Wolf Pack
and the Valparaiso Crusaders
but lost to their conference rival, the Tulsa Golden Hurricane
, in the semifinal round.
The 2008-09 season began on November 11 with a two point loss to the Georgia Southern Eagles
; this was the first game of the Division I college basketball season and the opening game of the 2K Sports Classic tournament in Durham, North Carolina
. A Cougars win would have meant a second round matchup with the Duke Blue Devils
.
In December, the Cougars traveled over 1,300 miles (their farthest scheduled trip of the season) to Toledo, Ohio
for a rare match-up against the Toledo Rockets
at Savage Hall
.
Overall, the Cougars played a balanced home and away regular season schedule. Fifteen games (three in November, three in December, four in January, three in February, and two in March) were played at Hofheinz Pavilion
. Fourteen games (two in November, two in December, five in January, and five in February) were played away from Hofheinz.
At first glance, it looked like the 2009-10 season would continue the Cougars' recent string of mediocrity, as they finished the regular season 15-15 and 7-9 in C-USA, only good for seventh place in the conference.
However, it seems the Cougars saved their best for the tourney. Following a 93-80 win over the East Carolina Pirates
in the first round, the Cougars stunned previous C-USA juggernaut the Memphis Tigers 66-65, ending a string of four tournament titles for the Tigers. These heroics would extend into the semifinals, where they defeated the Southern Miss Golden Eagles 74-66. Finally, the Cougars capped off their Cinderella run with an 81-73 upset over the #25-ranked UTEP Miners
, proving the third season the charm in their mission and finally clinching a bid in the NCAA Tournament
, their first since 1992. In the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Houston, seeded 13th, was defeated 89–77 by the 4th-seeded Maryland Terrapins
.
Penders announced his resignation as Houston head coach on March 22, 2010.
* Overall record includes regular season and tournament/postseason results; Regular season conference record contained in parentheses
† Played in the National Basketball Association
(current players in bold)
‡ Played in the American Basketball Association
, Clyde Drexler
, Elvin Hayes
, Hakeem Olajuwon
, and Michael Young
.
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
in Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
in U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Division I men's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
competition. The university is a member of Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2010
2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The first and second round games were played at the following sites:*March 18 / 20*March 25 / 27*March 26 / 28Each regional winner advanced to the Final Four, held on April 3 and 5 in Indianapolis, Indiana at Lucas Oil Stadium, hosted by the Horizon League and Butler University, as per the NCAA's...
, and are tied for eighth in number of Final Four appearances.
Early history (1946-56)
Lone Star Conference
The Lone Star Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II. Member institutions are located in the southwestern United States, with schools in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico...
regular season title, and made it to post season play in the NAIA
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics is an athletic association that organizes college and university-level athletic programs. Membership in the NAIA consists of smaller colleges and universities across the United States. The NAIA allows colleges and universities outside the USA...
Men's Basketball tournament. The team also appeared in back to back years of 1946
1946 NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1946 NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 9th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format...
, 1947
1947 NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1947 NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 10th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format . It would be the first time since 1945 the NAIA Semifinalist would feature...
. The Cougars had an all time NAIA tournament record of 2-2 in 2 years.
Guy Lewis era (1956-86)
Pasche retired after the 1955-56 season, and Houston assistant Guy LewisGuy Lewis
Guy Vernon Lewis II is a former NCAA basketball coach who led the University of Houston Cougars program for 30 years from 1956-86.-Coaching career:...
was promoted to the head coaching position. Lewis, a former Cougar player, led Houston to 27 straight winning seasons and 14 seasons with 20 or more wins, including 14 trips to the NCAA Tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
. His Houston teams made the Final Four on five occasions (1967, 1968, 1982–84) and twice advanced to the NCAA Championship Game (1983, 1984). Among the outstanding players who Lewis coached are Elvin Hayes
Elvin Hayes
Elvin Ernest Hayes is a retired American basketball player and radio analyst for Houston Cougars men's basketball, where he played college basketball...
, Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon is a retired Nigerian-American professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played the center position in the National Basketball Association for the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. He led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. In 2008,...
, Clyde Drexler
Clyde Drexler
Clyde Austin "Clyde The Glide" Drexler is a former National Basketball Association shooting guard and small forward. A ten-time All-Star and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, the NBA named him one of basketball's fifty greatest players as of 1996. Drexler won an Olympic gold medal in 1992 and...
, Otis Birdsong
Otis Birdsong
Otis Lee Birdsong is an American former professional basketball player. He spent twelve seasons in the NBA and appeared in four NBA All-Star Games....
, Dwight Jones
Dwight Jones
Dwight Elmo Jones is a retired American professional basketball player. A 6'10" forward/center, he was the leading scorer and rebounder on the 1972 Olympic team that lost the controversial gold medal game to the Soviet Union. Jones was ejected from the Gold Medal game after an altercation with a...
, Don Chaney
Don Chaney
Donald Ray Chaney is an American former professional basketball player and coach, most notable for his long stints as a player on the Boston Celtics.-Career as a player:...
and "Sweet" Lou Dunbar
Louis Dunbar
Louis "Sweet Lou" Dunbar is the Director of Player Personnel, and a former 27-year veteran basketball player for the Harlem Globetrotters....
.
Lewis's UH teams twice played key roles in high-profile events that helped to popularize college basketball as a spectator sport. In 1968, his underdog, Elvin Hayes-led Cougars upset the undefeated and top-ranked UCLA Bruins in front of more than 50,000 fans at Houston’s Astrodome. Most importantly, it was the first nationally-televised college basketball game. The game became known as the “Game of the Century
Game of the Century (college basketball)
The Game of the Century in college basketball was a historical NCAA game between the University of Houston Cougars and the UCLA Bruins played on January 20, 1968 at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas. It was the first NCAA regular season game broadcast nationwide in prime time...
” and marked a watershed in the popularity of college basketball. In the early 1980s, Lewis's Phi Slama Jama teams at UH gained notoriety for their fast-breaking, "above the rim" style of play as well as their overall success. These teams attracted great public interest with their entertaining style of play. At the height of Phi Slama Jama's notoriety, they suffered a dramatic, last-second loss in the 1983 NCAA Final that set a then-ratings record for college basketball broadcasts and became an iconic moment in the history of the sport. Lewis's insistence that these highly successful teams play an acrobatic, up-tempo brand of basketball that emphasized dunking
Slam dunk
A slam dunk is a type of basketball shot that is performed when a player jumps in the air and manually powers the ball downward through the basket with one or both hands over the rim. This is considered a normal field goal attempt; if successful it is worth two points. The term "slam dunk" was...
brought this style of play to the fore and helped popularize it amongst younger players.
Houston lost in both NCAA Final games in which Lewis coached, despite his "Phi Slama Jama" teams featuring superstars Clyde Drexler
Clyde Drexler
Clyde Austin "Clyde The Glide" Drexler is a former National Basketball Association shooting guard and small forward. A ten-time All-Star and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, the NBA named him one of basketball's fifty greatest players as of 1996. Drexler won an Olympic gold medal in 1992 and...
and Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon is a retired Nigerian-American professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played the center position in the National Basketball Association for the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. He led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. In 2008,...
. In 1983, Houston lost in a dramatic title game to the North Carolina State Wolfpack
NC State Wolfpack men's basketball
The NC State Wolfpack men's basketball team represents North Carolina State University in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The Wolfpack currently competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference, of which it was a founding member....
on a last-second dunk by Lorenzo Charles
Lorenzo Charles
Lorenzo Emile "Lo" Charles was an American college and professional basketball player.Charles was a graduate of Brooklyn Technical High School...
. The Cougars lost in the 1984 NCAA Final to the Georgetown Hoyas, led by Patrick Ewing
Patrick Ewing
Patrick Aloysius Ewing Sr. is a Jamaican-American retired Hall of Fame basketball player and current assistant coach for the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic. He played most of his career with the NBA's New York Knicks as their starting center and played briefly with the Seattle...
. Lewis retired from coaching in 1986 at number 20 in all-time NCAA Division I victories, his 592-279 record giving him a .680 career winning percentage.
As a coach, Lewis was known for championing the once-outlawed dunk
Slam dunk
A slam dunk is a type of basketball shot that is performed when a player jumps in the air and manually powers the ball downward through the basket with one or both hands over the rim. This is considered a normal field goal attempt; if successful it is worth two points. The term "slam dunk" was...
, which he characterized as a "high percentage shot", and for clutching a brightly-colored red and white polka dot towel on the bench during games. Lewis was a major force in the racial integration of college athletics in the South during the 1960s, being one of the first major college coaches in the region to actively recruit African-American athletes. His recruitment of Elvin Hayes
Elvin Hayes
Elvin Ernest Hayes is a retired American basketball player and radio analyst for Houston Cougars men's basketball, where he played college basketball...
and Don Chaney
Don Chaney
Donald Ray Chaney is an American former professional basketball player and coach, most notable for his long stints as a player on the Boston Celtics.-Career as a player:...
in 1964 ushered in an era of tremendous success in Cougar basketball. The dominant play of Hayes led the Cougars to two Final Fours and sent shock waves through Southern colleges that realized that they would have to begin recruiting black players if they wanted to compete with integrated teams.
Welcome to Conference USA (1996-98)
After 21 years in the Southwest Conference, the Cougars joined Conference USAConference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
in 1996. Under head coach Alvin Brooks
Alvin Brooks
Alvin Brooks is an associate coach and former head coach of the University of Houston's men's basketball team. Prior to heading back to Houston, he most recently served as Director of Basketball Operations for the Kentucky Wildcats. He coached the Houston Cougars from 1993 to 1998...
, the basketball program had a disappointing initial season in C-USA. The team went 3-11 against C-USA teams in 1996-97. The next season was even more futile. Brooks, who had led the Cougars since 1993, coached the Cougars to a rock bottom conference record of 2-14 in 1997-98. The last, and only other, time the Cougars recorded only two conference victories in a season was in 1950-51; their first season in the Missouri Valley Conference
Missouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
.
Return to glory? (1998-2000)
One of Houston's biggest sports icons and one of the Cougars best basketball players ever, Clyde DrexlerClyde Drexler
Clyde Austin "Clyde The Glide" Drexler is a former National Basketball Association shooting guard and small forward. A ten-time All-Star and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, the NBA named him one of basketball's fifty greatest players as of 1996. Drexler won an Olympic gold medal in 1992 and...
was hired to coach the program that he led as a player to the 1983 NCAA Final as part of Phi Slama Jama. Basketball excitement was back on campus, and fans looked forward to the promising years to come. After just two seasons however, Drexler resigned as head coach to spend more time with his family.
Striving for success (2000-04)
Ray McCallumRay McCallum
Ray McCallum is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach for the men's basketball team at the University of Detroit Mercy. He is also a former player and head coach of Ball State University. From 2006 to 2008 McCallum served as an assistant coach at Indiana University...
was hired to do what Clyde Drexler could not—lead the Cougars to a winning season and earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
. After losing seasons in each of his first two years, McCallum guided the Cougars to a 18-15 record in 2001-02. That season, the team won two conference tournament games and qualified for the National Invitation Tournament
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
. However, the team regressed in the following season and failed to qualify for their own C-USA tournament.
2004-05
Tom Penders
Tom Penders
Tom Penders is a retired college basketball head coach, who last coached from 2004 through 2010 at the University of Houston. He is from Stratford, Connecticut and has a 648-438 career record...
was named as the head coach of Cougars basketball in 2004. Known as "Turnaround Tom" for his reputation of inheriting sub-par basketball programs and making them better, Penders was hired to rebuild a program that recorded only one winning season in its last eight years. After a surprising debut season in 2004-05 that led to an NIT appearance, the team had high hopes to build on their relative success and make the NCAA Tournament in 2006.
2005-06
The 2005-06 season looked promising at the outset. The Cougars started their first game on a 30-0 scoring run against the Florida Tech Panthers
Florida Institute of Technology
Florida Institute of Technology, also known as Florida Tech, is an independent private technical research university located in Melbourne, Florida, United States. Founded in 1958 as Brevard Engineering College, the institute has been known by its present name since 1966. Florida Tech's curriculum...
. Less than two weeks later, the Cougars beat the nationally ranked LSU Tigers
LSU Tigers basketball
The Louisiana State Tigers basketball team represents Louisiana State University in NCAA Division I men's college basketball. The team is currently coached by Trent Johnson and has enjoyed recent success, including a Final Four run in the 2005–2006 season. Past coaches include John Brady, Press...
on the road and the Arizona Wildcats
Arizona Wildcats men's basketball
The Arizona Wildcats basketball team is the intercollegiate men's basketball program representing the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The team competes in the Pacific-12 Conference of NCAA Division I. They are currently coached by Sean Miller.Arizona has a long and rich...
at home. The surprising wins earned the Cougars their first national ranking in several years. The team that seemed destined for an NCAA Tournament berth failed to capitalize on their success and national recognition and began to stumble after a loss to South Alabama Jaguars
South Alabama Jaguars men's basketball
The South Alabama Jaguars basketball program has competed in the Sun Belt Conference since 1978 when the league was formed. In their 42 year history, the Jaguars have compiled an overall record of 694-507 . Ronnie Arrow returned as head coach in 2007, succeeding John Pelphrey after the 2006-07 season...
in December. The Cougars won only one conference tournament game and had to settle again for another NIT bid.
2006-07
Dubbed as "The Show," the 2006-07 Cougars entered the season with cockiness and strong expectations to finally make it into the NCAA Tournament. A difficult schedule matched the Cougars with seven different teams that would end up qualifying for either the 2007 NCAA Tournament or NIT. Houston lost three times to the Memphis Tigers
Memphis Tigers basketball
The Memphis Tigers men's basketball team represents the University of Memphis in NCAA Division I men's college basketball. The Tigers compete in Conference USA, in which they have won six regular season and four conference tournament championships. As of 2011, the Tigers have the 29th highest...
and once each to Arizona, the Creighton Bluejays
Creighton Bluejays men's basketball
The Creighton Bluejays basketball team is the NCAA Division I men's basketball program of Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. They currently compete in the Missouri Valley Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2007...
, the Kentucky Wildcats
Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball
The Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team, representing the University of Kentucky, is the winningest in the history of college basketball, both in all-time wins and all-time winning percentage. Kentucky's all-time record currently stands at 2058–647...
, South Alabama, the UNLV Runnin' Rebels
UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball
The UNLV Runnin' Rebels are a NCAA Division I men's basketball team who play at the Thomas & Mack Center in Paradise, Nevada. Their most recent appearance in the NCAA Tournament was in 2011 when they received an at–large bid to the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, earning an 8-seed in...
, and the VCU Rams
Virginia Commonwealth University Rams men's basketball
The Virginia Commonwealth University Rams are the basketball team that represents Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia. VCU currently competes in the Colonial Athletic Association. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 2011 where they...
. By going 0-9 against these quality teams, the Cougars proved they were not worthy of an at-large bid
At-large bid
An at-large bid is a bid or berth in a sporting tournament granted by invitation, not right. This term is most commonly used in the United States to refer to berths that the NCAA grants in its annual Division I men's and women's basketball tournaments, although at-large berths are granted in almost...
to the NCAA Tournament. Not surprisingly, two conference tournament wins against lower seeds and an unimpressive 18-15 overall record were not even enough to earn the team an invitation to the NIT.
2007-08
1992 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1992 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 19, 1992, and ended with the championship game on April 6 in Minneapolis, Minnesota...
. Eight straight home games from November 21 to December 29 helped the Cougars get off to a 11-1 start. However, the team lost most of its critical games at the end of the season, including their last two games (both against the UTEP Miners
UTEP Miners
The UTEP Miners is the name given to the sports teams of the University of Texas at El Paso. Informally, the UTEP Miners have also been referred to as the Miners, UTEP, or Texas-El Paso. UTEP was a member of the Western Athletic Conference from 1967 to 2005, when they joined Rice, Tulsa, and SMU in...
).
Their post-season hopes were not altogether dashed, however. Houston received an invitation to the inaugural
2008 College Basketball Invitational
The 2008 College Basketball Invitational was a single-elimination tournament of 16 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I teams that did not participate in the 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament or the 2008 National Invitation Tournament...
College Basketball Invitational
College Basketball Invitational
The College Basketball Invitational is a men's college basketball tournament created in 2007 by The Gazelle Group. The inaugural tournament occurred after the conclusion of the 2007–08 men's college basketball regular season. The CBI selects 16 teams that are not selected for the NCAA Tournament...
tournament and defeated the Nevada Wolf Pack
Nevada Wolf Pack men's basketball
The Nevada Wolf Pack basketball program is a college basketball team that represents the University of Nevada, Reno. The team is currently a member of the Western Athletic Conference, which is a Division I conference in the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
and the Valparaiso Crusaders
2007-08 Valparaiso Crusaders men's basketball team
The 2007–08 Valparaiso Crusaders men's basketball team was a NCAA Division I college basketball team competing in the Horizon League.-Preseason:...
but lost to their conference rival, the Tulsa Golden Hurricane
Tulsa Golden Hurricane men's basketball
The University of Tulsa Golden Hurricane basketball team represents the University of Tulsa in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The team participates in Conference USA. The men’s team is currently coached by Doug Wojcik....
, in the semifinal round.
2008-09
The 2008-09 season began on November 11 with a two point loss to the Georgia Southern Eagles
Georgia Southern Eagles
The Georgia Southern Eagles are the athletic teams of Georgia Southern University. The Eagles compete in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision and are members of the NCAA Division I Southern Conference...
; this was the first game of the Division I college basketball season and the opening game of the 2K Sports Classic tournament in Durham, North Carolina
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
. A Cougars win would have meant a second round matchup with the Duke Blue Devils
2008-09 Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team
The 2008–09 Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team represented Duke University in the 2008–09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team's head coach was Mike Krzyzewski, who served for his 29th year. The team played its home games in Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, North Carolina...
.
In December, the Cougars traveled over 1,300 miles (their farthest scheduled trip of the season) to Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
for a rare match-up against the Toledo Rockets
Toledo Rockets men's basketball
The Toledo Rockets team is the basketball team that represent the University of Toledo in Toledo, Ohio. The school's team currently competes in the Mid-American Conference. The team last played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 1980. Stan Joplin was released from his duties as...
at Savage Hall
Savage Hall
John F. Savage Arena has served Northwest Ohio since opening in 1976. Originally seating 9,000 for basketball and up to 10,000 for concerts, it now seats 7,300 for basketball and up to 8,300 for concerts...
.
Overall, the Cougars played a balanced home and away regular season schedule. Fifteen games (three in November, three in December, four in January, three in February, and two in March) were played at Hofheinz Pavilion
Hofheinz Pavilion
Guy V. Lewis Court at Hofheinz Pavilion, often known as simply Hofheinz Pavilion, is an 8,500-seat multi-purpose arena on the University of Houston campus in Houston, Texas. Located at 3875 Holman Street, it is home to the University of Houston Cougars men's and women's basketball teams as well as...
. Fourteen games (two in November, two in December, five in January, and five in February) were played away from Hofheinz.
2009-10: Mission Accomplished
At first glance, it looked like the 2009-10 season would continue the Cougars' recent string of mediocrity, as they finished the regular season 15-15 and 7-9 in C-USA, only good for seventh place in the conference.
However, it seems the Cougars saved their best for the tourney. Following a 93-80 win over the East Carolina Pirates
2009–2010 East Carolina Pirates men's basketball team
The 2009–2010 East Carolina Pirates men's basketball team represented East Carolina University during the 2009–2010 NCAA Division I basketball season. The Pirates were coached by Mack McCarthy and played their home games at Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum...
in the first round, the Cougars stunned previous C-USA juggernaut the Memphis Tigers 66-65, ending a string of four tournament titles for the Tigers. These heroics would extend into the semifinals, where they defeated the Southern Miss Golden Eagles 74-66. Finally, the Cougars capped off their Cinderella run with an 81-73 upset over the #25-ranked UTEP Miners
2009–10 UTEP Miners men's basketball team
The 2009–10 UTEP Miners men's basketball team represented the University of Texas at El Paso in the 2009–10 college basketball season. This was head coach Tony Barbee's fourth season at UTEP. The Miners competed in Conference USA and played their home games at the Don Haskins Center. They finished...
, proving the third season the charm in their mission and finally clinching a bid in the NCAA Tournament
2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The first and second round games were played at the following sites:*March 18 / 20*March 25 / 27*March 26 / 28Each regional winner advanced to the Final Four, held on April 3 and 5 in Indianapolis, Indiana at Lucas Oil Stadium, hosted by the Horizon League and Butler University, as per the NCAA's...
, their first since 1992. In the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Houston, seeded 13th, was defeated 89–77 by the 4th-seeded Maryland Terrapins
Maryland Terrapins men's basketball
The Maryland Terrapins men's basketball team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I competition...
.
Penders announced his resignation as Houston head coach on March 22, 2010.
Recent records
| As Conference USA Conference USA Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports... member |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Overall record* | C-USA tournament record | Postseason record | Head coach |
| 1996-97 | 11-16 (3-11) | 0-1; Lost in first round | Alvin Brooks Alvin Brooks Alvin Brooks is an associate coach and former head coach of the University of Houston's men's basketball team. Prior to heading back to Houston, he most recently served as Director of Basketball Operations for the Kentucky Wildcats. He coached the Houston Cougars from 1993 to 1998... |
|
| 1997-98 | 9-20 (2-14) | 0-1; Lost in first round | Alvin Brooks Alvin Brooks Alvin Brooks is an associate coach and former head coach of the University of Houston's men's basketball team. Prior to heading back to Houston, he most recently served as Director of Basketball Operations for the Kentucky Wildcats. He coached the Houston Cougars from 1993 to 1998... |
|
| 1998-99 | 10-17 (5-11) | 0-1; Lost in first round | Clyde Drexler Clyde Drexler Clyde Austin "Clyde The Glide" Drexler is a former National Basketball Association shooting guard and small forward. A ten-time All-Star and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, the NBA named him one of basketball's fifty greatest players as of 1996. Drexler won an Olympic gold medal in 1992 and... |
|
| 1999-00 | 9-22 (2-14) | 1-1; Lost in quarterfinal | Clyde Drexler Clyde Drexler Clyde Austin "Clyde The Glide" Drexler is a former National Basketball Association shooting guard and small forward. A ten-time All-Star and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, the NBA named him one of basketball's fifty greatest players as of 1996. Drexler won an Olympic gold medal in 1992 and... |
|
| 2000-01 | 9-20 (6-10) | 0-1; Lost in first round | Ray McCallum Ray McCallum Ray McCallum is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach for the men's basketball team at the University of Detroit Mercy. He is also a former player and head coach of Ball State University. From 2006 to 2008 McCallum served as an assistant coach at Indiana University... |
|
| 2001-02 | 18-15 (9-7) | 2-1; Lost in semifinal | 0-1 in NIT 2002 National Invitation Tournament -Semifinals & Finals:*Third Place - Temple 65, Syracuse 64... |
Ray McCallum Ray McCallum Ray McCallum is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach for the men's basketball team at the University of Detroit Mercy. He is also a former player and head coach of Ball State University. From 2006 to 2008 McCallum served as an assistant coach at Indiana University... |
| 2002-03 | 8-20 (6-10) | 0-1; Lost in first round | Ray McCallum Ray McCallum Ray McCallum is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach for the men's basketball team at the University of Detroit Mercy. He is also a former player and head coach of Ball State University. From 2006 to 2008 McCallum served as an assistant coach at Indiana University... |
|
| 2003-04 | 9-18 (3-13) | Ray McCallum Ray McCallum Ray McCallum is an American college basketball coach and the current head coach for the men's basketball team at the University of Detroit Mercy. He is also a former player and head coach of Ball State University. From 2006 to 2008 McCallum served as an assistant coach at Indiana University... |
||
| 2004-05 | 18-14 (9-7) | 0-1; Lost in first round | 0-1 in NIT 2005 National Invitation Tournament -Semifinals & Finals:... |
Tom Penders Tom Penders Tom Penders is a retired college basketball head coach, who last coached from 2004 through 2010 at the University of Houston. He is from Stratford, Connecticut and has a 648-438 career record... |
| 2005-06 | 21-10 (9-5) | 1-1; Lost in semifinal | 1-1 in NIT 2006 National Invitation Tournament -Michigan Bracket:-Louisville Bracket:-Cincinnati Bracket:-Semifinals & Finals:... |
Tom Penders Tom Penders Tom Penders is a retired college basketball head coach, who last coached from 2004 through 2010 at the University of Houston. He is from Stratford, Connecticut and has a 648-438 career record... |
| 2006-07 2006-07 NCAA Division I men's basketball season The 2006–07 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 7, 2006, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 2007 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Championship Game on April 2, 2007 at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia... |
18-15 (10-6) | 2-1; Lost in final | Tom Penders Tom Penders Tom Penders is a retired college basketball head coach, who last coached from 2004 through 2010 at the University of Houston. He is from Stratford, Connecticut and has a 648-438 career record... |
|
| 2007-08 2007-08 NCAA Division I men's basketball season The 2007–08 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 5, 2007 ended with the 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament's championship game on April 7, 2008 in the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.-Season headlines:... |
24-10 (11-5) | 0-1; Lost in quarterfinal | 2-1 in CBI 2008 College Basketball Invitational The 2008 College Basketball Invitational was a single-elimination tournament of 16 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I teams that did not participate in the 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament or the 2008 National Invitation Tournament... |
Tom Penders Tom Penders Tom Penders is a retired college basketball head coach, who last coached from 2004 through 2010 at the University of Houston. He is from Stratford, Connecticut and has a 648-438 career record... |
| 2008-09 | 21-12 (10-6) | 2-1; Lost in semifinal | 0-1 in CBI 2009 College Basketball Invitational The 2009 College Basketball Invitational was a single-elimination tournament of 16 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I teams that did not participate in the 2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament or the 2009 National Invitation Tournament. The opening round began... |
Tom Penders Tom Penders Tom Penders is a retired college basketball head coach, who last coached from 2004 through 2010 at the University of Houston. He is from Stratford, Connecticut and has a 648-438 career record... |
| 2009-10 | 19-16 (7-9) | 4-0; Won championship | 0-1 in NCAA 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The first and second round games were played at the following sites:*March 18 / 20*March 25 / 27*March 26 / 28Each regional winner advanced to the Final Four, held on April 3 and 5 in Indianapolis, Indiana at Lucas Oil Stadium, hosted by the Horizon League and Butler University, as per the NCAA's... |
Tom Penders Tom Penders Tom Penders is a retired college basketball head coach, who last coached from 2004 through 2010 at the University of Houston. He is from Stratford, Connecticut and has a 648-438 career record... |
| 2010-11 | 12-18 (4-12) | 0-1; Lost in first round | James Dickey James Dickey James Lafayette Dickey was an American poet and novelist. He was appointed the eighteenth Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress in 1966.-Early years:... |
* Overall record includes regular season and tournament/postseason results; Regular season conference record contained in parentheses
NCAA Men's Division I Tournament bids
| Total Bids | Last Bid | Last Win | Last Sweet 16 | Last Elite 8 | Last Final 4 | Last Championship Game | Last Championship |
| 19 | 2010 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The first and second round games were played at the following sites:*March 18 / 20*March 25 / 27*March 26 / 28Each regional winner advanced to the Final Four, held on April 3 and 5 in Indianapolis, Indiana at Lucas Oil Stadium, hosted by the Horizon League and Butler University, as per the NCAA's... |
1984 1984 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1984 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 53 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1984, and ended with the championship game on April 2 in Seattle, Washington. A total of... |
1984 1984 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1984 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 53 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1984, and ended with the championship game on April 2 in Seattle, Washington. A total of... |
1984 1984 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1984 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 53 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1984, and ended with the championship game on April 2 in Seattle, Washington. A total of... |
1984 1984 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1984 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 53 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1984, and ended with the championship game on April 2 in Seattle, Washington. A total of... |
1984 1984 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament The 1984 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 53 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1984, and ended with the championship game on April 2 in Seattle, Washington. A total of... |
Never |
National Invitation Tournament bids
| Total Bids | Last Bid | Last Win | Last Quarterfinal | Last Semifinal | Last Championship Game | Last Championship |
| 9 | 2006 2006 National Invitation Tournament -Michigan Bracket:-Louisville Bracket:-Cincinnati Bracket:-Semifinals & Finals:... |
2006 2006 National Invitation Tournament -Michigan Bracket:-Louisville Bracket:-Cincinnati Bracket:-Semifinals & Finals:... |
1977 1977 National Invitation Tournament The 1977 National Invitation Tournament was the 1977 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition.-Selected teams:Below is a list of the 16 teams selected for the tournament.-Brackets/Results:Below is the tournament bracket.... |
1977 1977 National Invitation Tournament The 1977 National Invitation Tournament was the 1977 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition.-Selected teams:Below is a list of the 16 teams selected for the tournament.-Brackets/Results:Below is the tournament bracket.... |
1977 1977 National Invitation Tournament The 1977 National Invitation Tournament was the 1977 edition of the annual NCAA college basketball competition.-Selected teams:Below is a list of the 16 teams selected for the tournament.-Brackets/Results:Below is the tournament bracket.... |
Never |
College Basketball Invitational bids
| Total Bids | Last Bid | Last Win | Last Quarterfinal | Last Semifinal | Last Championship Series | Last Championship |
| 2 | 2009 2009 College Basketball Invitational The 2009 College Basketball Invitational was a single-elimination tournament of 16 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I teams that did not participate in the 2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament or the 2009 National Invitation Tournament. The opening round began... |
2008 2008 College Basketball Invitational The 2008 College Basketball Invitational was a single-elimination tournament of 16 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I teams that did not participate in the 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament or the 2008 National Invitation Tournament... |
2008 2008 College Basketball Invitational The 2008 College Basketball Invitational was a single-elimination tournament of 16 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I teams that did not participate in the 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament or the 2008 National Invitation Tournament... |
2008 2008 College Basketball Invitational The 2008 College Basketball Invitational was a single-elimination tournament of 16 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I teams that did not participate in the 2008 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament or the 2008 National Invitation Tournament... |
Never | Never |
Notable players
|
|
|
† Played in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(current players in bold)
‡ Played in the American Basketball Association
Retired numbers
The Cougars have retired the numbers of five men's basketball players: Otis BirdsongOtis Birdsong
Otis Lee Birdsong is an American former professional basketball player. He spent twelve seasons in the NBA and appeared in four NBA All-Star Games....
, Clyde Drexler
Clyde Drexler
Clyde Austin "Clyde The Glide" Drexler is a former National Basketball Association shooting guard and small forward. A ten-time All-Star and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, the NBA named him one of basketball's fifty greatest players as of 1996. Drexler won an Olympic gold medal in 1992 and...
, Elvin Hayes
Elvin Hayes
Elvin Ernest Hayes is a retired American basketball player and radio analyst for Houston Cougars men's basketball, where he played college basketball...
, Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon is a retired Nigerian-American professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played the center position in the National Basketball Association for the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. He led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. In 2008,...
, and Michael Young
Michael Young (basketball)
Michael Wayne Young is a retired American basketball player. After a 15-year playing career spent in the NBA and overseas, he is currently the director of basketball operations and performance enhancement at the University of Houston, his alma mater.- College :Young, a native Houstonian, played...
.
See also
- Game of the CenturyGame of the Century (college basketball)The Game of the Century in college basketball was a historical NCAA game between the University of Houston Cougars and the UCLA Bruins played on January 20, 1968 at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas. It was the first NCAA regular season game broadcast nationwide in prime time...
- Guy V. Lewis
- Phi Slama Jama
External links
- Houston Cougars men's basketball @ UHCougars.com
- Houston Cougars men's basketball @ ESPN.com
- Houston Cougars in the NBA @ basketball-reference.com
- Pictures of people important to Houston Cougar Basketball at the University of Houston Digital Library.