# 2023–24 Houston Cougars men's basketball team

The 2023–24 Houston Cougars men's basketball team represented the University of Houston in the 2023–24 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cougars were led by tenth-year head coach Kelvin Sampson. The team played their home games at the Fertitta Center as first-year members of the Big 12 Conference.
Houston finished the regular season 28–3, 15–3 in conference play, and were regular-season champions of the Big 12 in their first year in the conference. In the Big 12 tournament, Houston defeated TCU and Texas Tech before losing to Iowa State in the championship game. They received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament as the #1 seed in the South Regional. They defeated Longwood in the First Round and Texas A&M in overtime in the Second Round to advance to their fifth consecutive Sweet Sixteen appearance. There they were defeated by Duke after losing their starting point guard, Jamal Shead, to an ankle sprain during the game.

## Previous season

The Cougars finished the 2022–23 season 29–2, 17–1 in AAC play to win the AAC regular season championship. They defeated East Carolina and Cincinnati to advance to the AAC tournament championship game where they lost to Memphis. They received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament as the #1 seed in the Midwest Regional. They defeated Northern Kentucky and Auburn to advance to the Sweet Sixteen for the fourth consecutive year. There they lost to Miami (FL).
On November 28, 2022, the team reached the number one ranking in the AP Poll, marking the first time they had held the top spot since 1983. The season marked Houston's last as a member of the AAC. They became a member of the Big 12 Conference on July 1, 2023.

## Offseason
### Departing players

Houston Departing Players :
| Name | Number | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Reason for departure |
| Marcus Sasser | 0 | G | 6'2" | 195 | Senior | Dallas, TX | Graduated/declared for the 2023 NBA draft; selected 25th overall by the Memphis Grizzlies |
| Darius Bowser | 4 | C | 6'9" | 250 | Graduate Student | Gaffney, SC | Exhausted eligibility |
| Tramon Mark | 12 | G | 6'5" | 195 | Sophomore | Dickinson, TX | Transferred to Arkansas |
| Jarace Walker | 25 | F | 6'8" | 240 | Freshman | New Freedom, PA | Declared for the 2023 NBA draft; selected 8th overall by the Washington Wizards |
| Reggie Chaney | 32 | F | 6'8" | 230 | Graduate Student | Tulsa, OK | Exhausted eligibility |

### Incoming transfers

Houston Incoming Transfers :
| Name | Number | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Previous school |
| LJ Cryer | 4 | G | 6'1" | 185 | Senior | Katy, TX | Baylor |
| Damian Dunn | 11 | G | 6'5" | 195 | Senior | Kinston, NC | Temple |

### 2023 recruiting class

College recruiting information :
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date |
| Kordelius Jefferson CG | Arlington, TX | Martin High School | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | May 16, 2022 |
| Star ratings: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN grade: 79 ||||||
| Joseph Tugler PF / C | Houston, TX | Cypress Falls High School | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | 215 lb (98 kg) | May 25, 2022 |
| Star ratings: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN grade: 83 ||||||
| Jacob McFarland C | Moreno Valley, CA | Rancho Verde High School | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) | 205 lb (93 kg) | Sep 23, 2022 |
| Star ratings: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN grade: 82 ||||||
| Cedric Lath C | Abidjan, Ivory Coast | Balboa School (CA) | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) | 235 lb (107 kg) | Nov 16, 2022 |
| Star ratings: Rivals: N/A 247Sports: ||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: 247Sports: 23 ||||||
| Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "2023 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved July 5, 2023. ||||||

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Exhibition |||||||||
| October 28, 2023* 3:00 p.m. | No. 7 | UNC Pembroke | W 86–47 | − | 21 – Cryer | 9 – Tugler | 8 – Shead | Fertitta Center (6,746) Houston, TX |
| Non-conference regular season |||||||||
| November 6, 2023* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | No. 7 | Louisiana–Monroe | W 84–31 | 1–0 | 20 – Sharp | 7 – Tied | 8 – Shead | Fertitta Center (6,832) Houston, TX |
| November 11, 2023* 12:30 p.m., ESPN+ | No. 7 | Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | W 82–50 | 2–0 | 17 – Roberts | 9 – Roberts | 4 – Tied | Fertitta Center (7,145) Houston, TX |
| November 13, 2023* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | No. 6 | Stetson | W 79–48 | 3–0 | 21 – Cryer | 7 – Francis | 8 – Shead | Fertitta Center (7,104) Houston, TX |
| November 16, 2023* 5:30 p.m., ESPN2 | No. 6 | vs. Towson Charleston Classic quarterfinals | W 65–49 | 4–0 | 18 – Cryer | 11 – Roberts | 8 – Shead | TD Arena Charleston, SC |
| November 17, 2023* 3:30 p.m., ESPN2 | No. 6 | vs. Utah Charleston Classic semifinals | W 76–66 | 5–0 | 15 – Sharp | 12 – Roberts | 5 – Shead | TD Arena Charleston, SC |
| November 19, 2023* 7:30 p.m., ESPN | No. 6 | vs. Dayton Charleston Classic championship | W 69–55 | 6–0 | 18 – Cryer | 9 – Francis | 4 – Shead | TD Arena (3,841) Charleston, SC |
| November 24, 2023* 3:00 p.m., ESPN+ | No. 6 | Montana | W 79–44 | 7–0 | 24 – Cryer | 9 – Arceneaux | 7 – Shead | Fertitta Center (7,451) Houston, TX |
| December 1, 2023* 5:30 p.m., FS1 | No. 6 | at Xavier Big East–Big 12 Battle | W 66–60 | 8–0 | 23 – Cryer | 12 – Roberts | 4 – Tied | Cintas Center (10,472) Cincinnati, OH |
| December 6, 2023* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | No. 3 | Rice Rivalry | W 75–39 | 9–0 | 15 – Cryer | 9 – Arceneaux | 8 – Shead | Fertitta Center (7,159) Houston, TX |
| December 9, 2023* 3:00 p.m., ESPN+ | No. 3 | Jackson State | W 89–55 | 10–0 | 25 – Sharp | 10 – Arceneaux | 6 – Shead | Fertitta Center (7,122) Houston, TX |
| December 16, 2023* 1:30 p.m., ESPN2 | No. 4 | vs. Texas A&M The Halal Guys Showcase | W 70–66 | 11–0 | 21 – Sharp | 11 – Roberts | 8 – Shead | Toyota Center (12,152) Houston, TX |
| December 21, 2023* 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | No. 3 | Texas State | W 72–37 | 12–0 | 17 – Sharp | 7 – Wilson | 3 – Cryer | Fertitta Center (7,231) Houston, TX |
| December 30, 2023* 6:00 p.m., ESPN+ | No. 3 | Penn | W 81–42 | 13–0 | 16 – Cryer | 9 – Francis | 4 – Tied | Fertitta Center (7,216) Houston, TX |
| Big 12 regular season |||||||||
| January 6, 2024 1:00 p.m., ESPN+ | No. 3 | West Virginia | W 89–55 | 14–0 (1–0) | 20 – Cryer | 7 – Sharp | 11 – Shead | Fertitta Center (7,387) Houston, TX |
| January 9, 2024 6:00 p.m., ESPN2 | No. 2 | at Iowa State | L 53–57 | 14–1 (1–1) | 20 – Sharp | 8 – Roberts | 3 – Tied | Hilton Coliseum (14,267) Ames, IA |
| January 13, 2024 6:00 p.m., ESPN | No. 2 | at TCU | L 67–68 | 14–2 (1–2) | 20 – Roberts | 13 – Roberts | 5 – Tied | Schollmaier Arena (6,151) Fort Worth, TX |
| January 17, 2024 8:00 p.m., ESPNU | No. 5 | No. 25 Texas Tech | W 77–54 | 15–2 (2–2) | 29 – Shead | 7 – Roberts | 10 – Shead | Fertitta Center (7,586) Houston, TX |
| January 20, 2024 1:00 p.m., ESPN+ | No. 5 | UCF | W 57–42 | 16–2 (3–2) | 16 – Cryer | 7 – Tied | 5 – Shead | Fertitta Center (7,184) Houston, TX |
| January 23, 2024 8:00 p.m., ESPN+ | No. 4 | at No. 21 BYU | W 75–68 | 17–2 (4–2) | 23 – Cryer | 9 – Sharp | 4 – Shead | Marriott Center (16,553) Provo, UT |
| January 27, 2024 11:00 a.m., ESPN | No. 4 | Kansas State | W 74–52 | 18–2 (5–2) | 17 – Shead | 8 – Francis | 3 – Shead | Fertitta Center (7,260) Houston, TX |
| January 29, 2024 8:00 p.m., ESPN | No. 4 | at Texas | W 76–72 $^{OT}$ | 19–2 (6–2) | 25 – Shead | 8 – Tied | 4 – Shead | Moody Center (11,313) Austin, TX |
| February 3, 2024 3:00 p.m., ESPN | No. 4 | at No. 8 Kansas | L 65–78 | 19–3 (6–3) | 24 – Cryer | 13 – Roberts | 9 – Shead | Allen Fieldhouse (16,300) Lawrence, KS |
| February 6, 2024 6:00 p.m., ESPN2 | No. 5 | Oklahoma State | W 79–63 | 20–3 (7–3) | 23 – Shead | 6 – Tied | 4 – Tied | Fertitta Center (7,205) Houston, TX |
| February 10, 2024 3:00 p.m., ESPN2 | No. 5 | at Cincinnati | W 67–62 | 21–3 (8–3) | 20 – Roberts | 8 – Roberts | 4 – Shead | Fifth Third Arena (12,715) Cincinnati, OH |
| February 17, 2024 12:00 p.m., CBS | No. 3 | Texas | W 82–61 | 22–3 (9–3) | 26 – Cryer | 11 – Shead | 6 – Shead | Fertitta Center (7,904) Houston, TX |
| February 19, 2024 8:00 p.m., ESPN | No. 2 | No. 6 Iowa State | W 73–65 | 23–3 (10–3) | 26 – Shead | 7 – Francis | 6 – Shead | Fertitta Center (7,895) Houston, TX |
| February 24, 2024 11:00 a.m., CBS | No. 2 | at No. 11 Baylor | W 82–76 $^{OT}$ | 24–3 (11–3) | 18 – Sharp | 8 – Roberts | 10 – Shead | Foster Pavilion (7,500) Waco, TX |
| February 27, 2024 6:00 p.m., ESPN2 | No. 1 | Cincinnati | W 67–59 | 25–3 (12–3) | 22 – Cryer | 5 – Tied | 11 – Shead | Fertitta Center (7,352) Houston, TX |
| March 2, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN2 | No. 1 | at Oklahoma | W 87–85 | 26–3 (13–3) | 23 – Cryer | 5 – Tied | 6 – Shead | Lloyd Noble Center (10,960) Norman, OK |
| March 6, 2024 7:00 p.m., ESPN+ | No. 1 | at UCF | W 67–59 | 27–3 (14–3) | 25 – Cryer | 8 – Francis | 8 – Shead | Addition Financial Arena (9,390) Orlando, FL |
| March 9, 2024 3:00 p.m., ESPN | No. 1 | No. 14 Kansas | W 76–46 | 28–3 (15–3) | 13 – Shead | 8 – Roberts | 8 – Shead | Fertitta Center (7,933) Houston, TX |
| Big 12 tournament |||||||||
| March 14, 2024 2:00 p.m., ESPN | (1) No. 1 | vs. (8) TCU Quarterfinals | W 60–45 | 29–3 | 14 – Sharp | 10 – Roberts | 5 – Shead | T-Mobile Center (17,186) Kansas City, MO |
| March 15, 2024 6:00 p.m., ESPN2 | (1) No. 1 | vs. (4) No. 25 Texas Tech Semifinals | W 82–59 | 30–3 | 20 – Cryer | 9 – Francis | 10 – Shead | T-Mobile Center (19,135) Kansas City, MO |
| March 16, 2024 5:00 p.m., ESPN | (1) No. 1 | vs. (2) No. 7 Iowa State Championship | L 41–69 | 30–4 | 10 – Shead | 10 – Wilson | 3 – Shead | T-Mobile Center (19,135) Kansas City, MO |
| NCAA tournament |||||||||
| March 22, 2024 8:20 p.m., TNT | (1 S) No. 2 | vs. (16 S) Longwood First Round | W 86–46 | 31–4 | 17 – Tied | 6 – Wilson | 9 – Shead | FedExForum (13,797) Memphis, TN |
| March 24, 2024 7:40 p.m., TNT | (1 S) No. 2 | vs. (9 S) Texas A&M Second Round | W 100–95 $^{OT}$ | 32–4 | 30 – Sharp | 8 – Roberts | 10 – Shead | FedExForum (13,506) Memphis, TN |
| March 29, 2024 8:39 p.m., CBS | (1 S) No. 2 | vs. (4 S) No. 13 Duke Sweet Sixteen | L 51–54 | 32–5 | 15 – Cryer | 8 – Tied | 3 – Shead | American Airlines Center (18,751) Dallas, TX |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. S=South region. All times are in Central Time. |||||||||
Source

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking ( ) = First-place votes :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | Final |
| AP | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 3 (3) | 4 (1) | 3 (8) | 3 (9) | 3 (9) | 2 (7) | 5 | 4 | 4 (1) | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 (53) | 1 (52) | 1 (52) | 2 (1) | 3 |
| Coaches | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 2 (5) | 3 (3) | 3 (9) | 3 (7) | 3 (8) | 2 (10) | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 (25) | 1 (28) | 1 (29) | 2 | 3 |