Houston Cougar Basketball is off to a 4-3 start to the 2024-2025 season. Before the season, on the No Conference for Old Men podcast, I predicted that the Coogs would likely only lose one non-conference game, either to Auburn or Alabama.
But after watching the San Diego State vs. Oregon game, I said in the scouting report that it could be a very close game against the Aztecs. Entering the season, I thought SDSU had lost too much talent from the previous year. But after watching them play in Vegas, I quickly realized how similar they were to the Coogs. They had several three-level scorers, great athletes, elite rim protection, and a tough mindset. So here we are: UH is 4-3 with a quickly improving Butler team heading to the Fertitta Center on Saturday.
So, what is going on with the squad?
After the loss to San Diego State, Coach Sampson said that the Coogs are a “good team.” I agree with him 100%! When I was coaching, I shared my philosophy with my teams in the pre-season:
- Bad teams have no real leadership.
- Good teams are led by the coaching staff.
- Great teams are led by the players.
Currently, the Houston Cougars are a good team led by Coach Sampson and his staff. It will take someone on that court to step up and take charge to get to the level they want to be. In the past, you have had some DAWGS that step up when the times get tough and take charge of the game. DAWGS like Jamal Shead, Marcus Sasser, Fabian White Jr., Dejon Jarreau, and Galen Robinson. As Sampson said Saturday after the game, the Coogs don’t have the guy. They have a month to find him before conference play begins.
UH is an extremely talented team with all the talent needed to win a national championship. They are 13 points away from being undefeated and the clear-cut #1 team in the nation, but it has not worked out that way. They are 4-3, and all the ‘experts’ are burying them because the Coogs are missing him.
I believe he is on this roster. But he must believe in himself enough to break through, challenge his teammates when underperforming, and push them to the limit daily. It can’t all come from Coach Sampson and his staff. Someone must step up and take that role, or it could be a very long and disappointing season.
The culture is still there. The Coogs have been on the verge of winning every game. They are solid in offensive rebounding, forcing turnovers, diving on the floor for loose balls, taking charges, forcing shot-clock violations, and more. But they need to find him when it’s closing time.
Who are candidates to be him? I would lean toward J’Wan Roberts, Emanuel Sharp, or Ramon Walker Jr. All three have been a part of the culture long enough to take that role, and Coach Sampson trusts all of them during crunch time. Emanuel took a step forward against San Diego State. He was aggressive and was 9/9 from the free-throw line.
This week in Houston, there could be a lot of leadership training for a few guys on the team. I suspect they will be challenged in leadership situations rather than mostly Xs and Os. Regarding the on-court emphasis, they will work on ways to get the ball in the paint and on late-game situations. I can’t emphasize enough how much better this team is when Milos and the other guards get a foot or more in the paint to score or draw the defense and kick out for an open shot. They also need to work on defending without fouling. You can get a basket back, but you can never get a foul back. Houston needs their main guys on the court during closing time.
The good news is that it is the first week of December. Coach Sampson always says, “There are no periods in November/December, only commas.” I believe someone will step up and take the DAWG role. This is a good team that simply hasn’t found a way to finish.
