Staying healthy hasn’t been easy for top-ranked Houston, but the Cougars are pushing forward heading into the final week of the regular season, starting with a Wednesday game against UCF in Orlando.
Houston (26-3, 13-3) sits atop the Big 12 and is in contention for the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Talking about the team’s injuries, Cougars coach Kelvin Sampson said, “I think about that every day. I wake up in the morning thinking about it, go to bed thinking about it and come into the office trying to figure things out. Now we’re going to have to figure out how to keep this thing in the water until the tournament.”
The latest loss is freshman JoJo Tugler, whom Sampson announced Monday is out for the season with a broken bone in his right foot. Tugler played in 28 games this season, making one start, and averaged 3.8 points per contest.
The Cougars continue to be without Terrance Arceneaux, who averaged 5.5 points per outing in the 11 games he played in this season before tearing an Achilles tendon, and Ramon Walker Jr., who is out for the season with a torn meniscus.
Walker was another key reserve for the Cougars, averaging two points and three rebounds while playing nearly 11 minutes per game.
“I think the biggest hurdle is just health,” Sampson said. “Simple as that. Keep your team healthy.”
Houston has won its past seven and can clinch at least a share of the conference regular-season crown with a win over the Knights (15-13, 6-10). UCF is facing their second straight nationally ranked opponent after dropping a 60-52 home decision to then-No. 8 Iowa State on Saturday.
UCF is 3-7 against ranked teams, but all three of those wins came at home.
This will be the second meeting of the season between the Knights and Cougars, after Houston prevailed 57-42 at home on Jan. 20. It was one of only two games this season in which Houston scored fewer than 65 points.
The Cougars are led by L.J. Cryer and Jamal Shead, who are averaging 15.5 and 13.1 points per game, respectively. Shead was the hero in Houston’s 87-85 win over Oklahoma on Saturday, hitting the game-winner jumper with 0.4 seconds to play. Shead finished with 14 points while Cryer scored 23, hitting five 3-pointers.
Emanuel Sharp ranks third in scoring at 12.7 points per game for a Houston team putting up 74.4 points per game and leading the nation in fewest points allowed at just 57.2.
UCF is averaging 71.5 points per game and allowing 66.6 (43rd in the nation through the weekend). Jaylin Sellers has been the top threat this season for the Knights, putting up 16.2 points per game while Darius Johnson is averaging 14.2. The two also have made a combined 100 3-pointers.
Knights coach Johnny Dawkins said of the formula for his team to beat the Cougars, “You have to play with more poise and composure, something I’ve talked about a lot this year. Playing in those games (against top opponents) and being successful, you have to play with composure, you have to take care of the basketball and you have to defend at a high level. If you do those things, you have an opportunity.”
–Field Level Media