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| INSIDE THE NUMBERS |
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2000-01 record: 18-15;
9-7 in C-USA (Tied 2nd/National)
Postseason: Lost to Vanderbilt 59-50 in opening round of NIT.
RETURNING LEADERS
Points: Truscott 13.4
Rebs: Truscott 9.3
Assists: Oliver 1.4
FG: Truscott 57.4%
3pt: Shelton 46.7%
FT: Oliver 73.8%
01-02 Stats:
Houston | C-USA
KEY LOSSES
Dominic Smith | 15.1 ppg
Patrick Okafor | 12.8 ppg
G. Williams | 10.2 ppg
Kevin Gaines | 10.0 ppg
PROJECTED STARTERS
G | Bryan Shelton | Soph
G | Andre Owens | Soph
C | Jer. McGuire | Senior
F | Cedrick Hensley | Fresh
F | Louis Truscott | Senior
Player to Watch
Louis Truscott
Senior Forward
A double-figure scorer in 24 games last year, he shot a conference-best 57.4% from the field.
DATE TO REMEMBER
Houston visits Bob Knight and Texas Tech on New Year's Day, of all dates. Last year The General came to Houston and, sweetheart that he is, ripped the vising lcker room at the Compaq Cneter. Here's the chance to pay him back in Lubbock.
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HOUSTON COUGARS
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After 79 losses in the previous four seasons, the Cougars took a big step forward last year by making the NIT field and winning 18 games. Ray McCallum's second year at Houston gave every indication that he's the guy to turn this thing around -- if anyone can. Nevertheless, this year will be tough. Only one of Houston's five double-digit scorers from last year returns in Louis Truscott, a sculpted 6-6 forward. The other primary returnee, guard Marcus Oliver, is still working his way back from a June knee injury. Oliver was huge in Houston's C-USA tournament run that led to the NIT berth, averaging 18.7 points in three games. McCallum has tried to speed the rebuilding process by taking four-year transfers: Truscott from Nebraska, the since-dismissed Kevin Gaines from Michigan and Andre Owens from Indiana. Owens, an athletic 6-4 sophomore who lacks some point-guard instinctiveness, will be counted on to boost the backcourt. Houston doesn't leave the state of Texas until Dec. 21, and the schedule features one enticing novelty: a home game against Baylor in the NFL Texans' Reliant Stadium. It won't exactly be a sequel to Elvin Hayes vs. Lew Alcindor in the Astrodome in the 1960s, but if you're Houston, you take what you can get.
TOUGH ENOUGH..............................
This program is moving in the right direction behind a proven coach and prudent recruiter. There might be just enough talent here this year to avoid a major dropoff and be a bridge to future success.
TOUGH ENOUGH?..............................
The Cougars are lacking for primary ball-handlers and perimeter shooters, especially if Owens is ordindary and Making Houston care about Cougars basketball might be even harder than making Chicago care about DePaul hoops. Not sure when that will change, no matter how many wins stack up.
BOTTOM LINE..............................
Thirteen of Houston's 18 wins came by single digits, a signal of a veteran team - or a lucky one. This lineup is young and probably will take time to mesh into a cohesive unit. If the Cougars can avoid backsliding too terribly from last year, this could be a good bridge season to a promising future.
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