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University of Houston Athletics
Houston Tabbed as The American Preseason Favorite
10/27/2020 3:02:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Sophomore guard Caleb Mills recognized as Preseason Player of the Year
HOUSTON – For the second straight season, the University of Houston Men's Basketball program was tabbed as the preseason favorite in the American Athletic Conference Coaches' Preseason Poll.
Sophomore guard Caleb Mills was recognized as The American's Preseason Player of the Year and was one of only two unanimous selections to the league's Preseason First Team.
The Cougars received nine first-place votes from the league's head coaches, totaling 99 points. Houston finished nine points ahead of Memphis, which received the remaining two first-place votes.
Following Memphis, SMU (80), Cincinnati (77), USF (61), Tulsa (50), Wichita State (44), UCF (37), ECU (34), Temple (18) and Tulane (15) rounded out the rest of the poll.
Mills was joined on the Preseason First Team by Keith Williams (Cincinnati), Kendric Davis (SMU), Brandon Rachal (Tulsa) and Jayden Gardner (ECU), who joined Mills as unanimous First-Team picks.
Chris Vogt (Cincinnati), D.J. Jeffries (Memphis), Landers Nolley II (Memphis), Alexis Yetna (USF) and Tyson Jolly (SMU) made up the Second Team.
Houston tied with Memphis as the No. 1 team in Preseason Poll a year ago. With a 23-8 overall record and 13-5 mark in American Athletic Conference play, the Cougars captured their second straight regular-season title for only the second time in school history.
ABOUT CALEB MILLS
Mills began his first season of competition with the Cougars as a redshirt freshman in 2019-20 and made an immediate impact.
The Arden, N.C., native enjoyed eight 20-point games, including a career-high 27 points at Memphis in late February, while competing in all but one game.
He led the Cougars with 13.2 points per game, joining Houston great Rob Williams as the only freshmen in school history to lead their teams in scoring. Williams averaged 16.3 points per contest as a freshman in 1979-80.
Mills finished second among the Cougars with 50 3-pointers in his first collegiate season on the way to being named to the 2020 All-American Athletic Conference Second Team. He also earned a place on the league's All-Freshman Team, joining current teammate guard Marcus Sasser.
THE SCHEDULE
While the team's complete schedule has not been announced yet, the American Athletic Conference recently revealed that teams will play a 20-game league schedule for the first time in 2020-21. The Cougars will meet its other 10 conference rivals in home-and-home series.
Houston previously played 18-game American schedules in each of its first seven years in the league.
The full schedule, along with television selections and game times, will be announced at a later date.
PRESEASON ROOKIE of the YEAR
Moussa Cisse, Memphis
PRESEASON FIRST TEAM
* – unanimous selections
PRESEASON SECOND TEAM
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 Jordan Brand team apparel, invitations to exclusive events, regular updates about the program and much more.
For more information or to sign up, fans may visit uhcougars.com/5050club or click here. To join the 50-50 Club, fans may call Cougar Pride at 713-743-GoUH (46874).
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 page at UHCougarMBK or by visiting the team's Instagram page at UHCougarMBK.
Sophomore guard Caleb Mills was recognized as The American's Preseason Player of the Year and was one of only two unanimous selections to the league's Preseason First Team.
The Cougars received nine first-place votes from the league's head coaches, totaling 99 points. Houston finished nine points ahead of Memphis, which received the remaining two first-place votes.
Following Memphis, SMU (80), Cincinnati (77), USF (61), Tulsa (50), Wichita State (44), UCF (37), ECU (34), Temple (18) and Tulane (15) rounded out the rest of the poll.
Mills was joined on the Preseason First Team by Keith Williams (Cincinnati), Kendric Davis (SMU), Brandon Rachal (Tulsa) and Jayden Gardner (ECU), who joined Mills as unanimous First-Team picks.
Chris Vogt (Cincinnati), D.J. Jeffries (Memphis), Landers Nolley II (Memphis), Alexis Yetna (USF) and Tyson Jolly (SMU) made up the Second Team.
Houston tied with Memphis as the No. 1 team in Preseason Poll a year ago. With a 23-8 overall record and 13-5 mark in American Athletic Conference play, the Cougars captured their second straight regular-season title for only the second time in school history.
ABOUT CALEB MILLS
Mills began his first season of competition with the Cougars as a redshirt freshman in 2019-20 and made an immediate impact.
The Arden, N.C., native enjoyed eight 20-point games, including a career-high 27 points at Memphis in late February, while competing in all but one game.
He led the Cougars with 13.2 points per game, joining Houston great Rob Williams as the only freshmen in school history to lead their teams in scoring. Williams averaged 16.3 points per contest as a freshman in 1979-80.
Mills finished second among the Cougars with 50 3-pointers in his first collegiate season on the way to being named to the 2020 All-American Athletic Conference Second Team. He also earned a place on the league's All-Freshman Team, joining current teammate guard Marcus Sasser.
THE SCHEDULE
While the team's complete schedule has not been announced yet, the American Athletic Conference recently revealed that teams will play a 20-game league schedule for the first time in 2020-21. The Cougars will meet its other 10 conference rivals in home-and-home series.
Houston previously played 18-game American schedules in each of its first seven years in the league.
The full schedule, along with television selections and game times, will be announced at a later date.
PRESEASON ROOKIE of the YEAR
Moussa Cisse, Memphis
PRESEASON FIRST TEAM
| * Caleb Mills | Houston |
| * Jayden Gardner | ECU |
| Keith Williams | Cincinnati |
| Kendric Davis | SMU |
| Brandon Rachal | Tulsa |
PRESEASON SECOND TEAM
| Chris Vogt | Cincinnati |
| D.J. Jeffries | Memphis |
| Landers Nolley | Memphis |
| Alexis Yetna | USF |
| Tyson Jolly | SMU |
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 Jordan Brand team apparel, invitations to exclusive events, regular updates about the program and much more.
For more information or to sign up, fans may visit uhcougars.com/5050club or click here. To join the 50-50 Club, fans may call Cougar Pride at 713-743-GoUH (46874).
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 page at UHCougarMBK or by visiting the team's Instagram page at UHCougarMBK.
– UHCougars.com –
Players Mentioned
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