Houston Faces Tulane on Thursday Night

Thursday, January 28

New Orleans

8 p.m.

University of Houston

Tulane

1/27/2021 11:16:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Watch (ESPN | Watch ESPN app)Listen (950 AM KPRC)Listen (TuneIn)Live Stats Houston Game Notes (PDF)Tulane Game Notes (PDF)The American Notes (PDF)

Cougars tip off vs. Green Wave at 8 p.m., Thursday, inside Fogelman Arena in Devlin Fieldhouse

NEW ORLEANS – Winners of its last six games, the University of Houston Men's Basketball program returns to action when it faces Tulane at 8 p.m., Thursday, inside Fogelman Arena in Devlin Fieldhouse.

The sixth-ranked Cougars enter this week's game following an impressive 68-51 road win at Temple in Philadelphia on Saturday afternoon.

Guards Quentin Grimes and Marcus Sasser led the way with 15 points apiece, while senior forward Justin Gorham scored 14 points with a game-high 10 rebounds for his team-leading fifth double-double of the season.

This season, Grimes leads the Cougars and ranks second in the league with 17.6 points per game. With Sasser standing fourth with 16.3 points per game, Houston is the only team with two of The American's Top-Four scoring leaders.

As a team, the Cougars lead the league and the nation by allowing only 56.3 points per game and stand second in the country with 15.5 offensive rebounds per game.

Houston also ranks among the nation's Top 15 in opponents' 3-point field goal percentage (6^th, 26.1), rebounds per game (7^th, 42.1), rebounding margin (8^th, 10.2) and scoring margin (11^th, +10.2).

NEW ORLEANS TIES
Wednesday's marks a homecoming for four members of the Houston program who hail from New Orleans. Assistant Coach Quannas White and Director for Player Development Hollis Price were high school teammates at St. Augustine High School and graduated together in 1999.

Senior forward Brison Gresham and senior guard DeJon Jarreau were teammates at McDonogh 35 and graduated in 2016.

TUNE IN
• Fans can watch Thursday's game on ESPN or the WatchESPN app with John Schriffen (play-by-play) and Brooke Weisbrod (analyst).
• Fans can hear Thursday's game on KPRC 950 AM or on the TuneIn app with Jeremy Branham (play-by-play) and Hall of Famer Elvin Hayes (analyst). The pregame show begins at 11:45 a.m. (CST).

SUITS & SNEAKERS WEEK
Head Coach Kelvin Sampson and his staff will join with college and high school coaches from across the nation this week to wear sneakers on the sidelines for both games during Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers week.

Sampson and the Cougars will wear sneakers to support childhood cancer awareness through the Gold Together campaign, which raises funds to support childhood cancer research, services and awareness, and cancer prevention efforts targeting children.

ABOUT TULANE
• Tulane brings a 6-4 overall record and 1-4 mark in American Athletic Conference play into Thursday's game in New Orleans.
• Tulane is tied for ninth with UCF and Cincinnati in the league standings through games of Jan. 22
• Tulane is 6-2 in home games this season with a 1-2 mark in The American play.
• Tulane has lost its last two games and three of its last four. Only a 60-56 win over ECU on Jan. 2 prevents a longer streak.
• In its most recent action, Tulane dropped a 65-57 decision to Temple on Jan. 16 in New Orleans.
• Against Temple, sophomore guard Jaylen Forbes posted 14 points with three 3-pointers and added four rebounds... Freshman guard Sion James came off the bench to score 13 points with a team-high four assists and tied with sophomore forward Kevin Cross for team-high honors with five rebounds
• This season, Forbes leads the Green Wave with 15.2 points per game... Junior guard Jordan Walker stands second on the team with 12.1 points per game and leads Tulane with 3.4 assists and 1.6 steals per contest... Sophomore guard R.J. McGee paces the team with 4.5 rebounds per contest.
• Head Coach Ron Hunter is in his second season as head coach at Tulane and his 27th season as a collegiate head coach.
• Hunter has built a 463-336 record during his career... Is 18-22 as Tulane's head coach.
• Previously built a 171-95 record at Georgia State (2011-19) and was 274-219 at IUPUI (1994-11).
• Hunter has posted an 0-4 record against Houston during his career... Is 0-2 against the Cougars as Tulane's head coach... Previously was 0-1 against Houston with Georgia State and 0-1 against the Cougars with IUPUI.
• Hunter has posted an 0-4 record against Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson during their careers... Is 0-2 against Sampson with Houston as Tulane's head coach... Was 0-1 against Sampson with Houston as Georgia State's head coach... Was 0-1 against Sampson with Indiana as IUPUI's head coach.

UP NEXT
• Following Thursday's game, the Cougars return to the Fertitta Center to meet SMU at noon, Sunday, Jan. 31.
• Cougars look to sweep the regular-season series against the Mustangs after taking a 74-60 win inside Moody Coliseum in Dallas on Jan. 3.
• Game can be seen on ESPN and heard on 950 AM KPRC and the TuneIn app.
• From there, Cougars open month of February when they face ECU at 5 p.m. (CST), Wednesday, Feb. 3, inside Minges Coliseum in Greenville, N.C.
• Will be the first of two regular-season meetings against the Pirates (Feb. 17, Fertitta Center).

JOIN the 2021-22 SEASON-TICKET PRIORITY WAIT LIST
Houston Men's Basketball fans can join the season ticket priority wait list for the 2021-22 season inside the Fertitta Center with a $75 deposit today. To place a deposit for the 2021 season, click here or call 713-GO-COOGS (462-4667).

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 –