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University of Houston Athletics
Tip-Off Dinner Set for Nov. 7
8/31/2018 7:25:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Annual preseason event to be held at UH Hilton on campus, beginning at 6 p.m.
HOUSTON - The University of Houston Men's Basketball program will hold its annual Tip-Off Dinner on Wednesday, Nov. 7, inside the UH Hilton on the school campus.
A reception begins at 6 p.m., with the program and dinner starting at 7 p.m. American Athletic Conference and NABC District 25 Coach of the Year Kelvin Sampson will recognize the members of the 2018-19 team as only he can and introduce the program's coaching and support staffs.
HOW to JOIN
Fans can purchase individual tickets for $150 or a table for up to 10 people. For more information or to order tickets, fan can call Lauren Sampson at 713-743-9742 or email lsampson@central.uh.edu.
Fans also can find information at uhcougars.com/tipoffdinner or by clicking here.
ABOUT OTIS BIRDSONG
Houston legend Otis Birdsong will be honored at this season's Tip-Off Dinner. From 1973 to 1977, Birdsong was one of the nation's elite college basketball stars. He amassed 2,832 points during his career, a total which ranks second in Houston history and continues to rank 15th in NCAA history.
The Winter Haven, Fla., native continues to rank third in Houston history in steals and eighth in assists and became the first player in school history to top the 1,000-Point milestone as a sophomore
As a senior in 1976-77, he averaged 30.3 points per game while leading the Cougars to a 29-8 overall record and the NIT championship game. Following that year, he was named the Southwest Conference Player of the Year and a consensus All-American.
Birdsong was taken with the No. 2 pick in the 1977 NBA Draft by the Kansas City Kings and went on to compete in a 12-year NBA career that saw him score more than 12,000 points. He was a 1981 All-NBA Second Team honoree, ranking sixth in the league with 24.6 points per game in his second season, and was a four-time NBA All-Star.
Birdsong was selected for the United States team that posted a perfect 9-0 record and captured the gold medal at the 1975 Pan American Games and was honored as the Most Valuable Player
He was inducted into the Houston Athletics Hall of Honor in 2000 and was named to the Silver Anniversary All-America Team by the National Association of Basketball Coaches at the 2002 NCAA Final Four. In November, he will be enshrined in the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.
ABOUT the COUGARS
Under Sampson's leadership, the Cougars posted a 27-8 record and finished second in the competitive American Athletic Conference. The Cougars earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and knocked off San Diego State in the First Round, posting the program's first win in the NCAA postseason since 1984.
Playing at Health & PE Arena on the campus of nearby Texas Southern University, the Cougars posted a perfect home record with a 15-0 mark and enter the coming season with the nation's second-longest home winning streak.
In 2018-19, three starters and seven lettermen return from that squad, including 2018 American Athletic Championship All-Tournament Team star Corey Davis Jr., and senior point guard, four-year letterman and Houston native Galen Robinson Jr.
The season tips off Nov. 10 when the Cougars face Alabama A&M in H&PE Arena. That game will be the first of 20 regular-season home contests for Houston.
The Cougars enter a new era on Dec. 1 when they welcome Oregon to Houston in the inaugural game inside the Fertitta Center.
ABOUT THE FERTITTA CENTER
With a capacity of 7,100, the Fertitta Center will feature a premium club and courtside club as well as a reconfigured bowl with mid-court seating closing to game action. The facility also includes floor-level seating opposite the team benches for UH students.
The University also will transform an area adjacent to the Fertitta Center into Hofheinz Pavilion, where fans will be greeted by a bronze statue of former Harris Country Judge Roy Hofheinz.
The renovation was made possible through a generous $20-million donation from University of Houston System Board of Regents Chairman Tillman J. Fertitta and his family in 2016.
SECURE SEATS in the FERTITTA CENTER
Season tickets will go on sale soon for as low as $175, a value of less than $9 per home game.
A variety of premier seating options will be available. University of Houston graduates from the previous five academic years qualify for special Young Alumni pricing in Section 117 at only $125.
Fans can check out a 3D map showing every seat inside the Fertitta Center by visiting uhcougars.com/fertittacenter3d.
JOIN the 50-50 CLUB
Fans are invited to join the 50-50 Club to support Houston Men's Basketball. 50-50 Club members help fund program necessities and enhance the experience for our student-athletes.
Fans who join the 50-50 Club will receive embroidered team apparel, a signed basketball, invitations to practice, a tour of the $25 million Guy V. Lewis Development Facility, regular updates about the program and much more.
To join the 50-50 Club, fans can call 713-743-9742 or email UHMensBasketball@uh.edu. For more information about the 50-50 Club, levels of giving and benefits, fans can click here.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarMBK on Twitter and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook and Instagram pages.
