Houston

Three Stars of the Day: McKiver, Vaden, Egerson

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 08:31:08 -0800

We handpick the best performances of the day, whether it be stat lines that make you drool, or clutch performances. Either way, its our way of showing the love:

Rob McKiver - Houston

A no-brainer pick today. A week after hitting 40 against UAB, McKiver exploded for 52 (the most be anyone all year) in a win over USM

Robert Vaden - UAB

In a key win at CUSA rival UTEP, Vaden scored 41 points behind 9 of 14 3-point shooting

Marc Egerson - Delaware

The 6-6 wing made a run at a triple-double with 24 points, 11 boards, and 9 assists

Other Top Performers

Dan Geriot - Richmond - Had the game of his life against lowly St. Bonaventure with 35 points and 13 rebounds

AZ Reid - High Point - His 18th double-double included 34 &14 in an easy win over Radford

Charles Rhodes - Mississippi State - Thanks to Rhodes and his 30 points, the Bulldogs are quietly locking up a tourney bid

Previous Stars of the Day

February 26th - Shan Foster, Vanderbilt

February 25th - DJ Augustin, Texas

February 20th - OJ Mayo, USC

February 19th - Blake Griffin, Oklahoma

February 18th - John Bryant, Santa Clara

February 17th - Johnson/Teague, Wake Forest

February 15th - Tyrese Rice, Boston College

February 12th - J'Nathan Bullock, Cleveland State

February 10th - Tyler Hansbrough, UNC

February 9th - Hasheem Thabeet, UCONN

February 7th - Ronald Ramon, Pittsburgh

February 6th - Michael Beasley, Kansas State

February 4th - Todd Golden, Saint Mary's

February 3rd - Tyler Hansbrough, UNC

2008 NCAA Tournament: Houston Regional

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 12:33:55 -0800

South Regional

Thursday and Saturday, March 28 and 30, 2008

Reliant Stadium

Houston, Texas

Host: University of Houston & Rice University
Web site: reliantpark.com

Tickets

Reliant Stadium Information

Reliant Stadium is the home of the NFL’s Houston Texans and is currently the only NFL stadium to feature a retractable roof. The stadium is housed in Reliant Park, a sprawling, versatile facility that can host any number of different venues and events. Besides Reliant Stadium, Reliant Park features the Astrodome, previous home of the Houston Astros, Reliant Center, and Reliant Arena. Both the Arena and the Center are more suited for conference hosting, while the Stadium is for sporting events. The official capacity during NFL games is 71,500; however, these numbers will be adjusted as the Reliant prepares to host NCAA Basketball.

2011:

Hosts the Final Four

More:

2008 NCAA Tournament

NCAA Tournament Venues

Games of the Night: Houston at UMASS

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 12:17:35 -0800

Games of the Night

A companion to our daily Three Stars of the Day, we present the top three Games of the Night

Houston (11-1) at UMASS (10-2)

7:00 PM

Two members of the CHN Top 50 (32 & 42) get together for an important battle between High-Major squads. Both aren't consider favorites to win their conference tournament, so every win over a high RPI team is huge for at-large consideration.

Prediction: UMASS

Southern Illinois (6-6) at Drake (10-1)

8:05 PM

The Salukis non-conference schedule was a disaster, so this once Top 25 team needs to get things going against the MVC's surprise team.

Prediction: SIU

New Mexico (12-2) at UTEP (9-2)

9:00 PM

The Lobos come into El Paso with a great record, but they're just 2-2 away from home. This is their last game before conference play starts. Meanwhile, UTEP is lead by one of the nation's top scoring stars in Stefon Jackson.

Prediction: New Mexico

Previous Game of the Night

- Today is the first!

Houston Announces Four Signings

Press Release — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 02:04:33 -0800

University of Houston head men’s basketball coach Tom Penders announced that Aubrey Coleman, Sean Coleman, Horace Dixon and Desmond Wade have signed to play with the Cougars in 2008-09.

“This was a great early signing period for our program,” Penders said. “We have filled a lot of needs and expect to sign one more player next spring.”

Aubrey Coleman is a 6-4 guard from Southwest Mississippi Community College in Summit, Miss. Coleman averaged 23 points, four rebounds, five assists and five steals as a freshman at Southwest last season.

“Aubrey is a tough and determined scorer and slasher who excels on defense,” Penders said. “He is a leader who plays with great confidence and intensity. He was our top priority at his position.”

A Houston native, Coleman played at Gulf Shores Academy under former UH star Kenneth “Juice” Williams and at Fort Bend Marshall High School. He signed with Houston after being recruited by Auburn, UTEP, Utah State and Central Michigan.

Sean Coleman (no relation to Aubrey) is a 6-8 forward at Blinn College in Brenham, Texas. He played his freshman season at Tulsa, where he played in 18 games after sitting out the 2005-06 campaign as a redshirt.

“Sean is a versatile player who is recovering from a stress fracture in his foot” Penders said. “He is fundamentally sound and can play both at the guard and forward positions. He is learning to play defense at this level this season at Blinn, so that will be a positive for him. He also is a great student.”

“Aubrey and Sean are local kids who are coming back home,” Penders added. “We are glad to have them.

A Houston native, Sean Coleman went to Tulsa after averaging 12 points and six rebounds at Westbury Christian High School. A three-year letterman and two-year starter, Coleman helped Westbury win the Class 5A TAPPS state championship with a 34-6 record. He was a First-Team TAPPS All-State selection and was named an All-State player by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches. He signed with Houston after being recruited by Iowa, Oregon State and Washington State.

Dixon is a 6-8 forward at Angelina College after playing three games as a freshman at Saint Louis in 2006-07. He went to Saint Louis after averaging 10 points and 10 rebounds and helping lead Fort Union Military Academy to a 23-9 record. A native of Greenville, S.C., Dixon averaged 17 points and 13 rebounds as a senior at Mauldin High School.

“Horace is a great athlete who loves to play defense and run the floor,” Penders said. “He can play both the five and four positions, and has gained 40 pounds of muscle since he was in high school.

“He is an upbeat young man who really gets after it on both offense and defense. We targeted him this summer, and I am thrilled he will be a Cougar. He also has been an excellent student at both Saint Louis and Angelina.”

Desmond Wade is a 5-8 point guard from Linden High School in Linden, N.J., who averaged 13 points and nine assists per game as a junior. A Second-Team All-State selection, Wade has led Linden to two consecutive state championships in New Jersey.

“Desmond Wade is a leader who will give our team a dimension that we have not had here,” Penders said. “No one pushes the ball faster than Desmond, and he is a very good shooter from the field and free throw line. He is smart, extremely well coached and one of the best on-the-ball defenders in the country. He is a former football standout who loves to get physical on both ends of the floor.”

He will join another New Jersey native Horace McGloster on Houston’s roster next season.

CUSA Player of the Week: Brockieth Pane

Press Release — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 01:48:20 -0800

University of Houston freshman guard Brockeith Pane has been named the Conference USA Player of the Week after he averaged 23.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 steals in two games last week.

A native of Dallas, Texas, Pane began the week with 20 points, seven rebounds and two assists to lead Houston to a 73-66 victory over inner-city rival Texas Southern. Then he scored a career-best 26 points, grabbed six rebounds and collected two steals to lead the Cougars to a 95-53 victory over Grambling State.

Pane made 9-of-17 field goal attempts and all five free throws against Grambling State. Throughout the week, he shot 51.6 percent (16-31) percent from the field, 62.5 percent (5-8) from the three-point line and 75.0 percent (9-12) from the free throw line.

He ranks sixth in C-USA for scoring (17.8 ppg) and steals (1.83 spg), and second in three-point field goal percentage (.588). Pane becomes the first Houston freshman to win Player of the Week honors and eighth in the history of the league.

Daily Poll: Who Will Win Conference USA?

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 17:56:20 -0700

2007-08 Houston Basketball Preview

Joel Welser — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 07:49:03 -0700

Houston Cougars

Overall Rank: #48

Conference Rank: #2 C-USA

2006-07: 18-15, 10-6, 3^rd

2006-07 postseason: none

Houston had a disappointing campaign in 2006-2007, despite the third place finish in the conference. When Lanny Smith went down with an injury in just the fourth game of the season, it was rather impressive that Coach Tom Penders managed to keep his team together and do so well. Some key players are gone, but Smith is back for another go at his senior season and the point guard will lead the way for Houston.

Who’s Out:

The Cougars do lose a couple of starters in Oliver Lafayette and Jahmar Thorpe. Lafayette did a good job helping to replace Smith as a leader of the backcourt. He also put up some nice numbers, averaging 14.3 points, 3.1 assists and 5.9 rebounds. Thorpe, a forward, led the team with 6.1 rebounds per contest. Like most of Coach Penders big men, Thorpe could stretch the defense with his outside shooting abilities. Guard Robert Lee earned a handful of starts, but lacked the consistency to be a big contributor. Richard Young only saw action in six games and will not be returning this season.

Who’s In:

The Cougars have enough potential to overcome their losses and then some. Along with the return of Smith, Kelvin Lewis, DaShaun Williams, Horace McGloster, Zamal Nixon, Brockeith Pane, Al Jones and Kyle Hatcher will solidify the perimeter depth. Transfer Lewis should make the biggest impact of the newcomers. The 6-4 wing is a great shooter and could benefit with plenty of open looks due to the scoring expertise of the returning backcourt. Williams, a transfer from the junior college ranks, will provide some experience off the bench. He may not be explosive enough on the offensive side of the floor to be a major contributor, but he will be beneficial on defense. McGloster is a big 6-7 wing who can play a variety of positions if need be. Nixon and Pane will see minutes at the point and are expected to be the future of the backcourt. Marcus Cousin will be expected to play an important role off the bench, or maybe even as a starter. The 6-11 center spent two years at Seton Hall and will immediately help in the rebounding department. He will not be the most prolific post scorer in the league, but with his size and rebounding abilities, Cousin will get some easy put-back buckets. Barring any injuries, Yan Moukoury will not see much action this season. The 6-7 forward has a nice stroke from outside, but will need some time to adjust to the level of play in C-USA.

Who to Watch:

Dion Dowell needs to get tougher in the paint. The 6-7 forward spends most of his time on the perimeter, which means Houston is practically running a four guard lineup when he is on the floor. Dowell is a good shooter and a fine athlete, but he is usually playing out of position at the four spot. He may spend more time at the three this year if the depth up front is adequately bolstered by the newcomers. Tafari Toney did not show it off much last year, but he can hit the outside shot. The 6-8, 241 pound senior will also mix it up in the paint, but he needs to prove he can be a more consistent rebounder and stay out of foul trouble if he wants to see a lot of minutes. Nick Mosley may drop below Cousin on the depth chart, but the 6-8 center had a decent freshman campaign and no team can have too many experienced big men.

Final Projection:

Lanny Smith averaged 12.1 points and 5.4 assists two years ago and will be the floor leader of the backcourt. Rob McKiver will be by his side. McKiver, a 6-3 shooting guard, averaged 19.2 points, 3.4 assists and 3.2 rebounds his first year at Houston. The well traveled senior will look to make a bigger impact this year and having Smith by his side will certainly help. McKiver took over ten three-pointers a game last year, but those numbers should go down with more talent on the wings. Marcus Malone started 19 contests last season and could fill the void left behind by Lafayette. He has the size to be a decent rebounder from the wing, but can lack defensive focus at time. The Houston backcourt took a lot of shots and missed a majority of them. The guards are the scorers, but the team at least needs some guys under the basket who can grab some offensive rebounds since the team will hoist up a ton of long balls. If Cousin can make a big difference in that category, and the team stays healthy, Houston has enough weapons and experience to make a run at the NCAA Tournament.

Projected Post-season Tournament: NCAA

Projected Starting Five:

Lanny Smith, Senior, Guard, 7.8 points per game

Rob McKiver, Senior, Guard, 19.2 points per game

Marcus Malone, Senior, Guard, 7.2 points per game

Dion Dowell, Senior, Forward, 11.1 points per game

Tafari Toney, Senior, Center, 3.0 points per game

Complete Top 144 Ranking | 2007-08 Preview | College Basketball Schedule | Discuss the Preview

Houston Signs Yan Moukoury

Press Release — Wed, 16 May 2007 19:43:47 -0700

Houston, TX - University of Houston head basketball coach Tom Penders announced that Yan Moukoury has signed to play for the Cougars in 2007-08. Moukoury is a 6-7, 225-pound power forward from Christian Life High School in Baton Rouge, La.

“Yan is a strong player who has the build of a collegiate player already,” Penders said. “He has a great mid-range game, can step outside to shoot the three and is an excellent defensive player.”

Moukoury earned All-Metro honors after averaging 17 points, seven rebounds and seven assists as a senior. He also helped lead Christian Life to two straight Class A state championships in Louisiana, and was named to the All-Tournament team at the 2006 Adidas Camp in Georgia, and chose to sign with Houston after being recruited by Florida, USC, Mississippi State, Florida State, Alabama, Tulane and Western Kentucky.

Moukoury will be one of four freshmen on next season’s roster. The others are Zamal Nixon, Bockeith Pane and Horace McGloster. The other newcomers are junior college transfer DaShaun Williams and Seton Hall transfer Marcus Cousin, who sat out the 2006-07 season at UH last year.

The Cougars have Dion Dowell, Kyle Hatcher, Charlie Jones, Marcus Malone, Robert McKiver, Nick Mosley and Tafari Toney returning from last season. Three-year starter Lanny Smith also returns after sitting out most of last season with a broken bone in his left foot.

Houston Signs Zamal Nixon

Press Release — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0700

Houston- University of Houston men’s basketball coach Tom Penders announced that Zamal Nixon of Boy’s and Girl’s High School in Brooklyn, N.Y. has signed to play for the Cougars in 2007-08.

“Zamal is an very good point guard, who knows how to play,” UH Associate head coach Melvin Haralson said. “Our players are going to enjoy having him on their team because he keeps everyone on the floor involved. That is what a good point guard does and something that we were missing on our team last season.”

Nixon, a 6-2, 170-pound point guard, averaged 16.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 5.6 assists for the Kangaroos, who finished the season with a 30-4 record and were ranked among the nation’s Top 75 high school teams after advancing to the Public School Athletic League’s AA Championship Game after tying for the Brooklyn AA regular season championship with a 13-1 league record. He tallied 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists in the Kangaroos’ 75-74 loss to Abraham Lincoln High School in the Brooklyn Borough Championship game.

Nixon played three seasons at Xaverian High School in Brooklyn, where he averaged 6.7 points, and 2.1 assists as a junior and helped the Clippers win the 2006 city Catholic High School championship.

This season, he transferred back to Boy’s and Girl’s, his neighborhood school, and was chosen the MVP of the Stop DWI Holiday Classic on Dec. 26-29 after scoring 13 points in the 73-71 victory over Baltimore’s Towson Catholic in the title game.

A seventh-team All-Metro New York selection and one of the Top Five 2007 seniors in New York by Hoopscoop.com, Nixon also was selected to play in the Michael Jordan Brand All-Star game this Saturday.

Rice 76 - Houston 71

Press Release — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0800

HOUSTON (AP) – Morris Almond scored 19 of his 28 points in the second half as Rice overcame a 24-point Houston lead in the final 15 minutes for a 76-71 win Wednesday night in front of 2,389 fans at Rice’s Autry Court. Almond also grabbed 11 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season and ninth in his career. The Owls outscored Houston 52 to 29 in the second half.

The Cougars (6-9, 1-2 Conference USA) led 55-31 after Dion Dowell's 3-pointer with exactly 15 minutes remaining. Rice then went on a 37-12 run over the next 12:36 to take a 68-67 lead on Chris Hagan's steal and layup off an inbounds pass with 2:24 left.

Robert McKiver hit two free throws to give Houston a 69-68 lead. But the Owls (9-7, 3-0) responded with six straight points for the victory as Almond made two free throws with 1:06 left for a 70-69 Rice lead and Lorenzo Williams hit a 3-pointer with 33 seconds remaining for a 73-69 Owl lead after Dowell missed two free throws.

Almond then made three of four free throws in the final 19 seconds. He hit 18 of 20 free throws for the game to tie his own Rice and C-USA record for most free throws made in a game.

The Cougars used runs of 11-0 and 14-0 in the first half, helping them open a 42-24 lead at halftime.

Houston made 8 of 18 3-point attempts in the first half with McKiver connecting on four of nine attempts.

McKiver led Houston with 21 points. Oliver Lafayette added 15 and Jahmar Thorpe and Dowell each scored 11 for the Cougars.

Paulius Packevicius scored a ca