PREVIEW: #2/2 (1) Men’s Basketball Opens NCAA Tournament on Thursday

Team, Huddle, NCAA Tournament First Round

WICHITA, Kan. – The #2/2 University of Houston Men's Basketball program takes its first step into March Madness when it tips off vs. (16) SIUE during the NCAA Tournament Midwest Region First Round at 1 p.m., Thursday, inside INTRUST Bank Arena.

The Cougars will compete as a No. 1 seed for the third consecutive season after sweeping the Big 12 Conference regular-season and Championship titles during the 2024-25 season.

Under the leadership of 2025 The Sporting News National Coach of the Year and two-time defending Big 12 Coach of the Year Kelvin Sampson, Houston earned its postseason berth with a remarkable 2024-25 campaign.

After starting the season 4-3, the Cougars won 26 of their next 27 games to win the Big 12 regular-season championship. Houston became the first team in more than a century to win a major conference regular-season title in its first two years in the new league and did so by winning all 10 conference road games in a 20-game schedule.

The Cougars have won each of their last 14 road games, dating back to last season, for the longest nation's active streak but have still enjoyed tremendous success during home games, winning 38 of their last 39 games inside Fertitta Center.

At 30-4, Sampson has led Houston to its fourth straight 30-win season, another school record, the nation's longest active streak and the second-longest streak in NCAA Division I history per ESPN research.

NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY
• The Cougars are competing in the 26^th NCAA Tournament in school history in 2025.
• This marks the first time in school history that Houston will compete in seven consecutive NCAA Tournaments.
• This marks the third consecutive season in which the Cougars will play as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
• Houston is 40-30 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.
• Houston has advanced to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 or farther in each of the last five years. That is the nation's second longest active streak and trails only Gonzaga.

TUNE IN
• Fans can watch Thursday's game on TBS with Tom McCarthy (play-by-play), Debbie Antonelli (analyst), Steve Smith (analyst) and AJ Ross (reporter) calling.
• Fans can hear Thursday's game on 950 AM KPRC and the Varsity Network app with Jeremy Branham (play-by-play) and Elvin Hayes (analyst) calling. The pregame show begins at 12:45 p.m., Thursday.
• Fans can also can hear Thursday's game on Westwood One and on Sirius Ch., 211 and XM Ch. 204 with Ted Emrich (play-by-play) and Casey Jacobsen (analyst) calling.
• Fans can follow live stats from Thursday's game by clicking here.

NCAA TOURNAMENT HUB
For more information about pregame activities, hotel send-off, UHAA pep rallies and more, fans can visit the Cougars' Tournament Hub by clicking here.

TEAM HOTEL SEND-OFF
• Fans can send the Cougars off from their team hotel beginning at 10:30 a.m., Thursday.
• Fans can cheer for the Cougars as they make their way to the team bus from the lobby of Ambassador Hotel (104 South Broadway Ave., Wichita, KS 67202).

FIRST-ROUND PREGAME MEET-UP
• Fans are invited to prepare for tip off with fellow Cougar fans at the official University of Houston Alumni Association pregame party
• The fun begins at the Party Out Front at the Arena District (525 East Waterman St., Wichita, KS 67202), beginning at 11:15 a.m., Thursday.

MARCH MADNESS FAN FEST at NAFTZGER PARK
• Houston fans are welcome to join the March Madness Fan Fest at Naftzger Park (601 East Douglas, Wichita, KS 67202).
• The event features a DJ, food trucks, alcohol vendor, family-friendly games, and a Big-Screen Digital Board that will be showing the games.
• The fun begins at 10 a.m., and lasts until 10 p.m.

ABOUT SIUE
• SIUE brings a 22-11 overall record and 13-7 mark in Ohio Valley Conference play into Thursday's NCAA Tournament First-Round game.
• The Cougars finished second in the regular season and won back-to-back games at the Ohio Valley Conference Championship to win the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
• SIUE is 3-0 in neutral-site games and 10-8 in non-home games during the 2024-25 season.
• The Cougars have won their last three and five of their last seven games. Only a Feb. 27 loss (68-83) to Southeast Missouri State and a Feb. 22 road loss (68-82) at Southern Indiana prevents a longer streak.
• In its most recent action, graduate guard Ray'Sean Taylor posted game highs of 20 points, seven rebounds and four assists to lead the Cougars to a 69-48 win over Southeast Missouri State during the Ohio Valley Conference Championship inside Ford Center in Evansville, Ind., on March 8. Junior forward Ring Malith totaled 12 points with seven rebounds, an assist and blocked shot while junior guard Brian Taylor II totaled 10 points with seven rebounds and an assist in the win.
• This season, Taylor leads SIU with 19.4 points, 3.8 assists and 2.0 steals per game. Taylor stands second on the team with 12.0 points and 2.9 assists per contest. Malith is third with 11.5 points per game but leads the Cougars with 7.2 rebounds per contest. Junior center Arnas Sakenis tops the team with 1.8 blocks per game.
• Head Coach Brian Barone is in his sixth season at SIUE and as a collegiate head coach.
• Barone has built an 86-102 record during his career.
• Thursday's game will be the first time that Barone has faced Houston during his career.
• Thursday's game will be the first time that Barone has faced Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson during their careers.
• 2000 graduate of Marquette.

SERIES HISTORY vs. SIUE
• Thursday's game will be the first time that Houston has faced SIUE on the hardwood.

UP NEXT
• With a win against SIUE, the Cougars advance to the NCAA Tournament Second Round.
• There, Houston would face the winner of (8) Gonzaga-(9) Georgia on Saturday inside INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kan. Game time and broadcasting network would be announced later this week.

BUY TICKETS
Current season-ticket holders can renew their season tickets now through April 30 by clicking here and logging into their accounts.

Non-season ticket holders interested in purchasing season tickets are invited to place their names on the Season Ticket Wait List by clicking here.

SUPPORT YOUR COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Men's Basketball by supporting Linking Coogs – UH's NIL collective – and by joining the 50-50 Club, which provides financial support directly to Houston Men's Basketball for needs beyond its operating budget.

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.

STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarMBK on X 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 –

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