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University of Houston Athletics
Houston to Tour Italy in August
7/17/2019 1:45:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Cougars to compete in four games with visits to Rome, Vatican City, Milan, Florence and Pisa from Aug. 7-17
HOUSTON – As the University of Houston Men's Basketball program prepares for the 2019-20 season, the Cougars will add some international flavor to their schedule with a summer trip to Italy in August.
The team will fly out of Houston on Aug. 7 with a full schedule of cultural highlights and games to follow. After a 10.5-hour flight, Houston coaches, student-athletes and staff members will land in Rome and begin their sight-seeing tours.
The Cougars are scheduled to tour Rome (including the Roman Forum and Colosseum), Vatican City (including the Vatican Museum, St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel), food tasting in Siena, Florence (including the Accademia Gallery and Michelangelo's The David), Milan (including a tour of The Last Supper), Como and a boat tour of Lake Como.
In competition, the Cougars, under two-time defending American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year Kelvin Sampson, will play four games.
The schedule for games begins at 1:30 p.m. (CDT), Aug. 9, against Stella Azzurra Academy in Rome, with additional contests against BC Silute (Lithuania) (1:30 p.m. CDT, Aug. 12), LCC International University (Lithuania) (11:30 a.m. CDT, Aug. 13) and Italian Select team (1 p.m. CDT, Aug. 15).
NCAA schools are allowed one international trip every four years. In addition to the cultural impact and the competition schedule on the trip, the Cougars will take advantage of 10 practices prior to the team's departure from Houston.
This is the second international trip the Cougars will enjoy under Sampson. Prior to the start of the 2015-16 season, the Cougars enjoyed a 10-day trip to China. Besides posting a 3-1 record in competition, the Cougars also enjoyed visits to Yellow Mountain and the 900-year-old village of Xi Di Hong.
GAMES SCHEDULE
CULTURAL HIGHLIGHTS
COACH KELVIN SAMPSON & INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
This will be the fifth team that Sampson has led on an international trip. He previously enjoyed visits to the Soviet Union (Washington State, 1991), Costa Rica (Oklahoma 2003), the Bahamas (Indiana, 2007) and China (Houston, 2015).
In addition, he led the 2004 Under-21 USA National Team to a gold medal at the Under-21 Tournament of the Americas in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and served as head coach of the U.S. Junior National Team that competed at the 1995 Junior World Games in Athens, Greece.
He was an assistant coach for the U.S. Team at the 1994 Goodwill Games in St. Petersburg, Russia and also worked with "Operation Hardwood - Hoops with the Troops" in Kuwait in August 2005. Most recently, Sampson served as an assistant coach with the Canadian National Team in 2012.
BUY 2019-20 SEASON TICKETS
Fans can get a head start on the 2019-20 campaign by purchasing season tickets now, starting at only $175.
Fans can purchase 2019-20 season tickets any time at UHCougars.com/tickets or by calling the Athletics Ticket Office at 713-GO-COOGS (462-6647) during regular business hours.
Fans who would like to be contacted about ticket options should fill out an interest form or click here.
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, catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team' Facebook page at UHCougarMBK or by visiting the team's Instagram page at UHCougarMBK.
The team will fly out of Houston on Aug. 7 with a full schedule of cultural highlights and games to follow. After a 10.5-hour flight, Houston coaches, student-athletes and staff members will land in Rome and begin their sight-seeing tours.
The Cougars are scheduled to tour Rome (including the Roman Forum and Colosseum), Vatican City (including the Vatican Museum, St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel), food tasting in Siena, Florence (including the Accademia Gallery and Michelangelo's The David), Milan (including a tour of The Last Supper), Como and a boat tour of Lake Como.
In competition, the Cougars, under two-time defending American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year Kelvin Sampson, will play four games.
The schedule for games begins at 1:30 p.m. (CDT), Aug. 9, against Stella Azzurra Academy in Rome, with additional contests against BC Silute (Lithuania) (1:30 p.m. CDT, Aug. 12), LCC International University (Lithuania) (11:30 a.m. CDT, Aug. 13) and Italian Select team (1 p.m. CDT, Aug. 15).
NCAA schools are allowed one international trip every four years. In addition to the cultural impact and the competition schedule on the trip, the Cougars will take advantage of 10 practices prior to the team's departure from Houston.
This is the second international trip the Cougars will enjoy under Sampson. Prior to the start of the 2015-16 season, the Cougars enjoyed a 10-day trip to China. Besides posting a 3-1 record in competition, the Cougars also enjoyed visits to Yellow Mountain and the 900-year-old village of Xi Di Hong.
GAMES SCHEDULE
| Day & Date | Time (CDT) | Opponent | Arena | Location |
| Friday, Aug. 9 | 1:30 p.m. | Stella Azzurra Academy | Arena Altero Felici | Rome |
| Monday, Aug. 12 | 1:30 p.m. | BC Silute (Lithuania) | Palazzetto Sandro Pertini | Ponte Buggianese |
| Tuesday, Aug. 13 | 11:30 a.m. | LCC International University (*Lithuania) | Palazzetto Sandro Pertini | Ponte Buggianese |
| Thursday, Aug. 15 | 1 p.m. | Italian Select | Palazzetto Costa Masnaga | Costa Masnaga |
CULTURAL HIGHLIGHTS
| Day & Date | Event |
| Thursday, Aug. 8 | Tour of Rome |
| Friday, Aug. 9 | Tour of Vatican City, Vatican Museum, St. Peter's Basilica and Sistine Chapel |
| Saturday, Aug. 10 | Tour of Roman Forum and Colosseum |
| Sunday, Aug. 11 | Tour and food tasting in Siena |
| Monday, Aug. 12 | Tour of Pisa |
| Tuesday, Aug. 13 | Tour of Florence, including Accademia Gallery and Michelangelo's The David |
| Wednesday, Aug. 14 | Orientation tour of Milan and visit to The Last Supper |
| Thursday, Aug. 15 | Tour of Como |
| Friday, Aug. 16 | Boat tour of Lake Como |
COACH KELVIN SAMPSON & INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
This will be the fifth team that Sampson has led on an international trip. He previously enjoyed visits to the Soviet Union (Washington State, 1991), Costa Rica (Oklahoma 2003), the Bahamas (Indiana, 2007) and China (Houston, 2015).
In addition, he led the 2004 Under-21 USA National Team to a gold medal at the Under-21 Tournament of the Americas in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and served as head coach of the U.S. Junior National Team that competed at the 1995 Junior World Games in Athens, Greece.
He was an assistant coach for the U.S. Team at the 1994 Goodwill Games in St. Petersburg, Russia and also worked with "Operation Hardwood - Hoops with the Troops" in Kuwait in August 2005. Most recently, Sampson served as an assistant coach with the Canadian National Team in 2012.
BUY 2019-20 SEASON TICKETS
Fans can get a head start on the 2019-20 campaign by purchasing season tickets now, starting at only $175.
Fans can purchase 2019-20 season tickets any time at UHCougars.com/tickets or by calling the Athletics Ticket Office at 713-GO-COOGS (462-6647) during regular business hours.
Fans who would like to be contacted about ticket options should fill out an interest form or click here.
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, catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team' Facebook page at UHCougarMBK or by visiting the team's Instagram page at UHCougarMBK.
– UHCougars.com –
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