Take this one, and the next four AAC games are certainly winnable, followed by X @ 5th/3rd. That would build some serious momentum and a move up in the top 25. Lose it, and fall behind in this season's low profile conference race and out of the national rankings.

I'm guessing Houston fans finally show up Saturday night and make some noise. Sampson is a solid game coach but to me represents the dark side of college basketball. Mick runs a clean program and does it right on and off the court. It's an interesting study in contrasts and a subplot to what should be a great story. I expect UC to prevail. UC fans should expect a regular season conference crown--it's there for the taking this year with UCONN stumbling badly. Anything less with this team's blend of experience and talent will be disappointing.

Quote:Take this one, and the next four AAC games are certainly winnable, followed by X @ 5th/3rd.

Are you forgetting a very good SMU team coming to 5/3 next?

I absolutely want to destroy Houston. I can't stand that school, and their fans...that said...I have had a bad feeling about this game all week.

I think they lose. It's hard to get up for a game when there's two hundred people in the stands.

^^^ This and I don't like the long layoff either. On Saturday, it will have been six days since we had played our last game. Guys like Kevin Johnson and Jarron Cumberland had the hot hand and it is just natural for them to not stroke it like they were last week.

The other issue is UC still has yet to play well on the road against a team with a pulse in a couple years (yeah we beat Iowa State, but we did not play well). Hopefully we buck that trend tomorrow.

(01-06-2017 08:50 AM)ctipton Wrote:  

Quote:Take this one, and the next four AAC games are certainly winnable, followed by X @ 5th/3rd.

Are you forgetting a very good SMU team coming to 5/3 next?

No, not at all. They're very good. I just believe all AAC home games played at 5th/3rd are winnable this season. UC could have/should have swept SMU last season.

Well, Mick hangs his hat on defense, shut down defense on Gray and Dotson will be imperative. Cannot let the "Chickenman " go off for twenty, seems to play well against UC.

god, that sounds depressing

Not sure this game is Pivotal, but it'd be a big road win and really start opening the door for a high seed.

I think that we are primed to beat them. They are not a great team. This is not like playing at Butler. We should have our legs back, and Caupain or someone else is due to go offf. We will not overlook this game. Houston is good enough to get our attention.

(01-06-2017 08:44 AM)OKIcat Wrote:  Sampson is a solid game coach but to me represents the dark side of college basketball. Mick runs a clean program and does it right on and off the court. It's an interesting study in contrasts and a subplot to what should be a great story.

This is not the main point of your post, but still, I love how sanctimonious college basketball fans can be. Sampson broke the rules on making phone calls to recruits. Now, he broke those rules again after he was caught the first time. But come on, the seedy underbelly of college basketball is . . . making unauthorized phone calls?

Anyway, Houston's Chicken Knowles has a great name, and he was the Homeschool Player of the Year in high school, which is also great and a thing I didn't know existed.

(01-06-2017 10:24 AM)levydl Wrote:  

(01-06-2017 08:44 AM)OKIcat Wrote:  Sampson is a solid game coach but to me represents the dark side of college basketball. Mick runs a clean program and does it right on and off the court. It's an interesting study in contrasts and a subplot to what should be a great story.

This is not the main point of your post, but still, I love how sanctimonious college basketball fans can be. Sampson broke the rules on making phone calls to recruits. Now, he broke those rules again after he was caught the first time. But come on, the seedy underbelly of college basketball is . . . making unauthorized phone calls?

Anyway, Houston's Chicken Knowles has a great name, and he was the Homeschool Player of the Year in high school, which is also great and a thing I didn't know existed.

Agree. Compare the phone calls to Louisville hooking players up with Strippers, UNC creating a class/grades for their athletes, etc.... sounds pretty trivial in comparison.

(01-06-2017 10:24 AM)levydl Wrote:  

(01-06-2017 08:44 AM)OKIcat Wrote:  Sampson is a solid game coach but to me represents the dark side of college basketball. Mick runs a clean program and does it right on and off the court. It's an interesting study in contrasts and a subplot to what should be a great story.

This is not the main point of your post, but still, I love how sanctimonious college basketball fans can be. Sampson broke the rules on making phone calls to recruits. Now, he broke those rules again after he was caught the first time. But come on, the seedy underbelly of college basketball is . . . making unauthorized phone calls?

Anyway, Houston's Chicken Knowles has a great name, and he was the Homeschool Player of the Year in high school, which is also great and a thing I didn't know existed.

great post. kelvin sampson was tutored in back alley of marseilles. chicken knowles seems like he's been around forever

So far we're 0-2 in potential "launch games" this season. Lost to Rhode Island, Lost at Butler. Win this game and we can build some serious momentum going into the crosstown. I'm optimistic they had a good week of practice and come out hungry. Let's eat em alive in the paint! Time for Kyle Washington to re-emerge.

That being said, I'm still expecting a loss.

Texans play at home 4:30 Saturday. Actually may be no one there.

(01-06-2017 12:22 PM)BcatMatt13 Wrote:  Texans play at home 4:30 Saturday. Actually may be no one there.

So what you're saying is their attendance will drop from 500 to 325?

When I saw the thread title, I initially thought someone bumped a football thread.

(01-06-2017 12:01 PM)DownOnRohs Wrote:  So far we're 0-2 in potential "launch games" this season. Lost to Rhode Island, Lost at Butler. Win this game and we can build some serious momentum going into the crosstown. I'm optimistic they had a good week of practice and come out hungry. Let's eat em alive in the paint! Time for Kyle Washington to re-emerge.

That being said, I'm still expecting a loss.

Why are Rhode Island and Butler potential "launch games" but Iowa State was not?

Houston is giving away free tix to H.S. students like we did over the break.

(01-06-2017 10:24 AM)levydl Wrote:  

(01-06-2017 08:44 AM)OKIcat Wrote:  Sampson is a solid game coach but to me represents the dark side of college basketball. Mick runs a clean program and does it right on and off the court. It's an interesting study in contrasts and a subplot to what should be a great story.

This is not the main point of your post, but still, I love how sanctimonious college basketball fans can be. Sampson broke the rules on making phone calls to recruits. Now, he broke those rules again after he was caught the first time. But come on, the seedy underbelly of college basketball is . . . making unauthorized phone calls?

Anyway, Houston's Chicken Knowles has a great name, and he was the Homeschool Player of the Year in high school, which is also great and a thing I didn't know existed.

I have friends from IU who suggested what Sampson was penalized for there was merely the tip of the iceberg. The fallout eventually took down their university president. Phone calls may have been the documented violation. Interesting to note though, the longest section of his Wikipedia biography is dedicated to "NCAA Violations" so I don't think it's a stretch to suggest he has earned an unsavory reputation. His career trajectory might suggest the same: OK to IN to...Houston.