#7/6 Men’s Basketball Opens Season vs ULM on Monday

HOUSTON – Coming off a big exhibition win, the University of Houston Men's Basketball program opens its 2023-24 season when it plays host to ULM at 7 p.m., Monday, inside the Fertitta Center.

#7/6 Houston enters Monday's game following an 86-47 win over UNC Pembroke – alma mater of Head Coach Kelvin Sampson and his wife, Karen – on Oct. 28 inside the Fertitta Center.

Against the Braves, senior guard and newcomer LJ Cryer showed Cougar fans why he earned a place on the Preseason All-Big 12 Team with a game-high 21 points, thanks to five 3-pointers. Freshman forward Joseph Tugler came off the bench to pour in 13 points with a game-high nine rebounds, including seven offensive, and senior forward J'Wan Roberts added 11 points with eight rebounds of his own.

Joseph Tugler, Preview vs ULM

Junior forward Ja'Vier Francis totaled 10 points with six rebounds in just under 17 minutes while senior point guard Jamal Shead added a game-high eight assists with only one turnover and three steals.

GAME PROMOTIONS
• For Monday's season opener, the first 3,000 fans in attendance will receive a FREE 2023-24 schedule magnet.
• University of Houston dorms are invited to participate in the Dorm Attendance Challenge with prizes awarded to the dorms with the best attendance marks.
• Cougar Brass will perform the national anthem while the Spirit of Houston Drumline will entertain at halftime.

TUNE IN
• Fans can watch Monday's game on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ with Matt Pedersen (play-by-play), Houston great Reid Gettys (analyst) and Abby Christopherson (reporter) calling the action.
• Fans can hear Monday's game on 950 AM KPRC and the Varsity Network app with Jeremy Branham (play-by-play) calling the action and Houston Hall of Famer Elvin Hayes as analyst. The pregame show begins at 6:45 p.m., Monday.
• Fans can follow live stats by visiting StatBroadcast.com and following the appropriate links or by clicking here.

SEASON OPENERS
• Houston is 58-20 in season openers during its history. A year ago, the Cougars claimed an 83-36 win over Northern Colorado inside the Fertitta Center.
• Cougars have won their last 14 and 18 of their last 19 season openers... Only a 65-63 loss to Georgia Southern on the first day of the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer in Durham, N.C., on Nov. 11, 2008, prevents a longer streak.
• Houston has won handily in recent history, winning its last 14 season openers by an average of 26.9 points per game (377 points in 14 games).
• Houston has won seven of its last eight season openers by 28+ points. Only the 2021-22 season-opening 83-75 win in overtime prevents a longer streak.

IN the NATIONAL RANKINGS
• With the Cougars' Top-10 preseason rankings, Houston appeared in the weekly AP poll for the 210^th time in school history.
• The Cougars also extended their school-record streak to 65 consecutive weeks among the AP Top 25. The Jan. 13, 2020, polls were the last time Houston did not appear in the AP or Coaches Top 25 polls.
• This is the seventh straight season in which Houston was ranked for at least one week.
• The Cougars have been ranked in both final national polls in each of the last six seasons, a first in school history.

KELVIN SAMPSON in SEASON OPENERS
• Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson is 31-3 in season openers during his award-winning career.
• In season openers, Sampson is 9-0 during his Houston tenure... Posted a 2-0 record at Indiana, an 11-1 mark at Oklahoma a 6-1 record at Washington State and a 3-1 mark at Montana Tech.
• With that win over Northern Colorado, Sampson's teams have won their last 14 season openers and 27 of his last 28... Only a 68-62 loss to Alabama at the AT&T Wireless Classic in New York on Nov. 14, 2002, prevents a longer streak.
• During his career, Sampson's teams have won by an average of 23.7 points per game (736 points in 31 games).
• In his teams' 31 season-opening wins, only four teams have won by fewer than double digits... His first team at Houston in 2014-15 claimed a 77-74 win at Murray State on Nov. 14, 2014, in his most recent single-digit, season-opening win.

ABOUT ULM
• Like Houston, Monday's game will be the 2023-24 season opener for ULM.
• In 2022-23, ULM posted an 11-21 record and finished 10th in the Sun Belt Conference with a 7-11 record.
• ULM was 4-10 in road games and 4-13 in non-home games a year ago.
• Senior guard Tyreke Locure is the Warhawks' leading returning player with 14.4 points and 2.71 assists per game. Senior forward Nika Metskhvarishvili is ULM's leading returning rebounder with 5.8 rebounds per game and averaged 9.8 rebounds per contest a year ago.
• Head Coach Keith Richard is in his 14th season at ULM and his 23rd season as a collegiate head coach.
• Richard has built a 152-252 record at ULM and has posted a 302-369 mark during his career. He previously compiled a150-117 record at Louisiana Tech from 1998 to 2007.
• Richard is 0-1 against Houston during his career
• Richard is 0-2 against Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson during their careers. That includes an 0-1 record with ULM during Sampson's Houston's tenure and an 0-1 mark with Louisiana Tech during Sampson's Oklahoma tenure.
• 1982 graduate of ULM.

UP NEXT
• Following Monday's season opener, the Cougars continue their season-opening homestand when they face Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Saturday, Nov. 11, inside Fertitta Center. Game time will be set soon.
• That game can be seen on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
• From there, the Cougars take on Stetson at 7 p.m., Monday, Nov. 13, inside Fertitta Center to close the homestand.
• That game will be shown on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
• All Houston Men's Basketball games can be heard on 950 AM KPRC and the Varsity Network app.

SUPPORT HOUSTON RISE
Join Houston Rise, a $150 million fundraising campaign for Houston Athletics dedicated to championship success in the Big 12 Conference.

Every Houston Rise contribution prepares our Cougars to compete and win as we begin Big 12 competition. Click here to rise and be counted.

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 (4687).

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.

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