University of Houston Athletics
Cougars Open 2001-02 Season Against Nike Elite
10/31/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Oct. 31, 2001
Houston, Texas - The University of Houston men's basketball team will play its first game of the 2001-02 season on Thursday, November 1, when the Cougars play host to Nike Elite in an exhibition game at Hofheinz Pavilion. The Houston-Nike Elite team will tip off at 7:30 p.m.
Second year head coach Ray McCallum's squad has four returning starters from last year's team. They are 6-8 junior forward George Williams, 6-8 senior forward Patrick Okafor, 5-10 senior guard Dominic Smith and 6-3 junior guard Marcus Oliver. Williams led the Cougars in scoring with 13.5 points per game and he averaged 7.3 rebounds. Okafor led the team in rebounding with an 8.6 average and he also tallied 10.7 points per game. Smith set a new UH record for the highest free throw percentage in a single season with .888 (142-160) and he averaged 12.6 points per contest. Oliver averaged 5.9 points and 3.2 rebounds per game as a sophomore.
In addition to the four returning starters, Houston will begin the season with a four-year transfer, two junior college transfers and a freshman on its roster. The four-year transfers include Louis Truscott, a 6-7 junior forward from Nebraska, who returns to his hometown after earning all-state recognition at Milby High School.
The two junior college transfers are Jeremee McGuire and Jarrett Sidney. McGuire is a 6-10 forward from Tyler Junior College in Tyler Texas. Sidney is a 6-1 guard from Northern Pioneer College in Holbrook, Ariz. who was a teammate of Williams at Elkins High School in Missouri City, Texas. Houston's lone freshman is Bryan Shelton, a 6-4 guard from Clear Creek High School.
Senior guard Terry Price heads a list of four walk-on players. Price is a 6-4 guard from Madison High School. The other players include senior guard Chris Howell, 6-8 post player Brian Paisley of Bellaire High School and 6-10 forward Moshood (Moe-SHUDE) Martins of Fort Bend Austin High School. Following Thursday night's game, the Cougars will play another exhibition game against the Texas Blue Chips on Sunday, November 11, at 2:00 p.m. before beginning the regular season November 19 against UCLA in the Maui Invitational.
