HOUSTON – The University of Houston Men’s Basketball program was ranked #4 in the Associated Press preseason poll, released Monday.
The Cougars collected 1,343 points with four first-place votes in the poll to be ranked for their school-record 86th consecutive poll dating back to the 2019-20 season. That stands as the nation’s longest active streak.
This also marked the eighth straight season under the leadership of Head Coach Kelvin Sampson in which the Cougars were ranked for at least one week. Houston also earned its third straight AP Preseason Top-10 ranking under Sampson.
Monday’s poll marked the Cougars’ fourth-highest AP preseason ranking in school history trailing only the #2 ranking in 1967-68 and a pair of #3 rankings ahead of the 2022-23 and 1983-84 seasons.
Four starters and nine lettermen return from the Cougars’ 2023-24 squad which posted a 32-5 overall record, captured the Big 12 Conference regular-season championship with a 15-3 mark despite a 1-2 start in the league, advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the sixth straight season and competed in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 for the fifth consecutive year.
Last week, the Cougars were picked to finish a close to in the Big 12 Conference Coaches Preseason Poll. Graduate stars J’Wan Roberts and LJ Cryer were named to the Preseason All-Big 12 First Team, making Houston the only school to earn that distinction.
It was the sixth consecutive season in which Houston was tabbed among the Top Two in its conference preseason poll. The Cougars were picked as favorites in each of their final four seasons in the American Athletic Conference.
The USA TODAY Sports Coaches Preseason Poll is scheduled to be released next week.