#2/1 Men’s Basketball Opens NCAA Tournament on Thursday

BIRMINGHAM, Ala – The University of Houston Men's Basketball program opens NCAA Tournament play when it meets (16) Northern Kentucky at 8:20 p.m., Thursday, inside Legacy Arena.

Competing as the #1 seed in the Midwest Region, #2/1 Houston enters the NCAA postseason as winners of 13 of its last 14 games. Under the leadership of four-time American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year Kelvin Sampson, the Cougars will be making their fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, a first in school history.

In its most recent action, the Cougars dropped a 75-65 decision to Memphis in the American Athletic Conference Championship Title Game despite 12 points and a career-high 20 rebounds from junior forward and All-Tournament Team selection J'Wan Roberts.

Senior guard Marcus Sasser leads the Cougars and ranks seventh in The American with 17.1 points per game and has enjoyed an award-winning week. Earlier this week, the Dallas native was named a First-Team All-American by Associated Press, National Association of Basketball Coaches and United States Basketball Writers Association, becoming the first Cougar to earn that honor since legendary center Hakeem Olajuwon following the 1983-84 season.

Roberts tops Houston and ranks fifth in the league with 7.8 rebounds per contest. The St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands native has posted a team-best six double-doubles this season and leads the team and ranks second in The American with a 62.3 field-goal percentage, shooting 50 percent or better from the field in all but seven games.

WATCH PARTY
Houston Fans can watch Thursday's game on a 24-foot screen at Avenida Houston (in front of the George R. Brown Convention Center) at the UH Watch Party!

The Watch Party is free, and all fans are welcome to bring blankets or camp chairs. The Watch Party begins 90 minutes before tip-off.

TUNE IN
• Fans can watch Thursday's game on TNT and March Madness Live with Jim Nantz (play-by-play), Bill Raftery (analyst), Grant Hill (analyst) and Tracy Wolfson (reporter) calling the action.
• Fans can hear Thursday's game on the Varsity Network app with Jeremy Branham (play-by-play) calling the action. The pregame show begins at 8:05 p.m., Thursday.
• Fans can follow live stats by visiting StatBroadcast.com and following the appropriate links or by clicking here.

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 NORTHERN KENTUCKY
• Northern Kentucky owns a 22-12 overall record and 14-6 mark in Horizon League play in 2022-23.
• The Norse tied for second with Milwaukee and Cleveland State in the final league standings.
• Northern Kentucky owns a 2-3 record in neutral-site games and is 8-9 in non-home games this season.
• The Norse have won their last five games and seven of their last eight. Only a 64-63 loss at Cleveland State on Feb. 19 prevents a longer streak.
• In its most recent action, Northern Kentucky claimed a 63-61 win over Cleveland State to win the Horizon League Tournament championship and the league's automatic bid on March 7.
• Against Cleveland State, junior guard Marques Warrick led all players with 18 points, thanks to an 11-of-13 effort from the free throw line, and grabbed six rebounds with three steals. Sophomore guard Sam Vinson totaled 16 points with five rebounds and two assists while junior guard Trey Robinson added 12 points with five rebounds, three blocks and a pair of steals.
• This season, Warrick leads the Norse with 19.1 points per game. Vinson stands second with 11.7 points per game but leads the team with 2.1 steals per contest. Fifth-year guard Xavier Rhodes paces NKU with 2.9 assists per game, and fifth-year forward Chris Brandon leads the way with 9.8 rebounds per contest.
• Head Coach Darrin Horn is in his fourth season at Northern Kentucky and his 13th season as a collegiate head coach.
• Horn has built a 250-155 career record with a 79-44 record at Northern Kentucky. He previously compiled a 111-48 record at WKU (2003-08) and a 60-63 mark at South Carolina (2008-12).
• Thursday's game will be the first time Horn has faced Houston during his career.
• Thursday's game will be the first time Horn has faced Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson during their careers.
• 1995 graduate of WKU.

SERIES HISTORY vs. NORTHERN KENTUCKY
• Thursday's game will be the first time Houston has faced Northern Kentucky in Men's Basketball in school history.

NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
• The Cougars are competing in the 24th NCAA Tournament in school history in 2023.
• This marks the first time in school history that Houston will compete in five consecutive NCAA Tournaments. The 1981-84 teams were the last group to accomplish the feat. The 1965-68 teams also played in four straight NCAA Tournaments.
• Houston is 36-29 all-time at the NCAA Tournament with Final Four appearances in 1967, 1968, 1982, 1983, 1984 and 2021.
• The Cougars advanced to the NCAA National Championship Game in 1983 before bowing out to NC State (in one of the most memorable games in NCAA Tournament history) and in 1984 against Georgetown, respectively.

NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY by SEEDING
as. No. 1 – This marks the second time in school history in which Houston will compete as the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
• The 1982-83 Houston team competed as the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region, posting a 4-1 record on the way to the NCAA Tournament National Championship Game against NC State.

NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY vs. SEEDING
vs. No. 16 – Thursday's game marks the first time Houston will face the No. 16 seed in the NCAA Tournament during its history.

NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY by REGIONS
• The 2023 NCAA Tournament marks the 17th time in which Houston will compete in the Midwest Region.
• In the Cougars' 23 NCAA Tournament appearances, they have competed in the Midwest Region 17 times (2023, 2021, 2019, 2010, 1992, 1984, 1983, 1982, 1978, 1973, 1972, 1971, 1970, 1968, 1967, 1965, 1961), including all six NCAA Final Four berths in bold.
• Houston has also played in the West Region three times (2018, 1966, 1956), in the Southeast Region twice (1990, 1987), in the East Region once (1981) and in the South Region once (2022).
• The Cougars have posted a 30-20 record in games played in the Midwest Region, a 3-1 mark in the South Region, a 3-4 record in the West Region, an 0-2 mark in the Southeast Region and an 0-1 record in the East Region.

NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY by ROUND
First Round – Houston has posted a 14-9 record in NCAA Tournament First-Round games during the program's history.
• The Cougars have won each of their last four NCAA Tournament First-Round games.
• Houston's last First-Round loss was an 89-77 setback to #20/20 (13) Maryland inside Spokane Veterans Memorial Area in Spokane, Wash., on March 19, 2010.

UP NEXT
• With a win over (16) Northern Kentucky, Houston would advance to the NCAA Tournament Second Round.
• There, the Cougars would face the winner of (8) Iowa-(9) Auburn on Saturday. Time and broadcasting network will be announced after Thursday's First-Round games are completed.
• 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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