#1 Men’s Hoops Ready for Senior Night on Thursday

HOUSTON – Winners of 18 of its last 19 games, the #1/1 Cougars open the month of March when they meet American Athletic Conference rival Wichita State at 6 p.m., Thursday, in the regular-season home finale inside the Fertitta Center.

The Cougars look to sweep the season series against the Shockers after taking a 70-61 win in Koch Arena in Wichita, Kan., on Feb. 2.

Houston (27-2 • 15-1 American Athletic Conference) enters Thursday's game following a 76-57 win at East Carolina on Saturday night. Against the Pirates, senior guard Marcus Sasser scored a game-high 22 points with three 3-pointers and moved past Houston legendary center Hakeem Olajuwon into 21^st in school career history with 1,348 points.

Sasser needs only four more 3-pointers to move past guard Robert McKiver and set the school career record with 262 3-pointers.

Senior Night, Darius Bowser, Marcus Sasser, Reggie Chaney

Senior Night, Darius Bowser, Marcus Sasser, Reggie Chaney

SENIOR NIGHT CEREMONY
Prior to Thursday's game, the Cougars will celebrate Senior Night on the Fertitta Center court.

Graduate center Darius Bowser, forward Reggie Chaney and guard Marcus Sasser as well as Student Manager Laith Ahkras will be recognized with their families beginning at 5:20 p.m.

During the last four years, the 2023 senior class will compete in three NCAA Tournaments with trips to the NCAA Final Four and NCAA Elite Eight, won six American Athletic Conference championships and won 110 games.

In addition to their athletic accomplishments, all three members of the 2023 Senior class have received or will receive their bachelor's degrees this spring.

ABOUT the COUGARS
This season, Sasser leads the Cougars and ranks seventh in The American with 17.0 points per game.

Junior forward J'Wan Roberts tops Houston and the league with a 65.5 field-goal percentage. With 17 points and a game-high 12 rebounds at East Carolina on Saturday, the St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, native recorded his team-leading fifth double-double of the season.

Junior point guard Jamal Shead leads the Cougars and ranks second in the league with 5.5 assists per game. Shead also leads The American with a 2.94 assist-turnover ratio and is one of only eight student-athletes to rank among the nation's Top-25 leaders in both assists and assist-turnover ratio.

BUY 2022-23 TICKETS
Fans who were unable to purchase season tickets in 2022-23 are invited to join the team's 2023-24 Wait List as the Cougars prepare to enter the Big 12 Conference. To join the 2023-24 season tickets Wait List, fans can click here.

For the third straight season, the Cougars sold out of their season tickets for home games inside the Fertitta Center.

ABOUT WICHITA STATE
• Wichita State brings a 15-13 overall record and 8-8 mark in American Athletic Conference action in 2022-23 into Thursday's game.
• The Shockers stand in sixth in the latest league standings through Feb. 26.
• Wichita State owns a 6-2 record in road games this season.
• The Shockers have won three of their last four games. Only an 83-78 loss to Memphis on Feb. 23 prevents a longer winning streak.
• In its most recent action, Wichita State claimed an 83-76 win at Tulane on Sunday afternoon.
• Against Tulane, junior guard Jaron Pierre Jr. totaled 28 points with five 3-pointers and added four assists. Senior guard Craig Porter recorded a triple-double with 15 points and game highs of 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Senior forward James Rojas added 22 points, thanks to 10-of-12 shooting from the free throw line, with eight rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals. Sophomore forward Kenny Pohto posted seven points with eight rebounds.
• This season, junior guard Jaykwon Walton leads the Shockers with 14.9 points per game. Porter stands second on the team with 12.9 points per game but leads the team with 4.6 assists and 1.5 blocks and 1.4 steals per game. Pierre ranks third with 10.4 points per game and Rojas is a close fourth with 10.2 points per game.
• Head Coach Isaac Brown is in his third season at Wichita State and as a collegiate head coach.
• Brown has built a 46-32 record at Wichita State and during his career.
• Brown has posted a 1-4 record against Houston during his career.
• Brown has posted a 1-4 record against Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson during their careers with all five previous meetings coming during Sampson's Houston tenures.
• 1995 graduate of ULM.

SERIES HISTORY vs. WICHITA STATE
• After 36 games, the series against Wichita State is tied at 18-18.
• The series against the Shockers began during the 1949-50 season.
• Thursday's game is the second of two regular-season meetings in 2022-23. The Cougars enjoyed a 70-61 win in Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kan., on Feb. 2.
• Houston has won the last three games and nine of the last 10 meetings against the Shockers. Only a 68-63 Wichita State win in Wichita, Kan., on Feb. 18, 2021, prevents a longer Cougar winning streak.
• This is the fifth straight season in which the two schools will compete as American Athletic Conference rivals.
• Teams played at least once every year from 1949-50 through 1960-61 with all but the 1949-50 campaign as Missouri Valley Conference rivals.
• Series started with a 72-66 Houston win in Houston on Dec. 30, 1949.
at Home: Houston owns a 12-3 4 lead in the series against Houston in games played in Houston.
• The Cougars have won the last five meetings against Wichita State in Houston. Wichita State's last win in Houston was 69-63 decision on Jan. 2, 1960.
• In the most recent home meeting, Houston claimed a 76-66 win inside the Fertitta Center on Jan. 8, 2022.
in Fertitta Center: Houston owns a 4-0 lead in the series in games played inside the Fertitta Center.
• The Cougars have won each of the previous four meetings inside the Fertitta Center by 7+ points.
• In the most recent home meeting, Houston claimed a 76-66 win on Jan. 8, 2022.

TUNE IN
• Fans can watch Thursday's game on ESPN2 with John Schriffen (play-by-play) and Jon Crispin (analyst) calling the action.
• Fans can hear Thursday's game on 950 AM KPRC or the Varsity Network app with Jeremy Branham (play-by-play) calling the action. The pregame show begins at 5:45 p.m., Thursday.
• Fans can follow live stats by visiting StatBroadcast.com and following the appropriate links or by clicking here.

UP NEXT
• Following Thursday's game, the Cougars close their regular-season schedule when they face Memphis at 11 a.m., Sunday, March 5, inside FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn. That game can be seen on CBS.
• Houston then takes its first steps in the postseason when it competes for the last time at the American Athletic Conference Championship inside Dickies Arena in Fort Worth Texas.
• The Cougars begin the postseason when they face the winner of the #8/9 game at Noon, Friday, March 10, in the Quarterfinals.
• The complete bracket with seeding will be finalized with the completion of the regular season Sunday.
• All Houston Men's Basketball games can be heard on 950 AM KPRC.

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 when we start Big 12 competition in July 2023. 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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