Houston Game Thread: Our true rival in the league
 

This is going to be a great game and I hope Fifth Third Arena is loud and Obnoxious from tip to finish.

Houston:

On Offense:

-Elite Offensive rebounders
-Top 20 offensive but mostly by way of the offensive rebound.
-In conference they are elite at drawing fouls
-Protect the ball fairly well in conference

On Defense:
-Number 3 Defense in conference play
-Fouls a crap ton like always
-Doesn't generate turnovers
-Best shot blocking team in conference play
-Protects the rim and the 3 point line.
-Elite Length and athleticism


Funny thing is Houston is #3 in the Nation in offensive rebounding BUT in conference UC is the best offensive rebounding team and a better defensive rebounding team.


Heres the thing:
-Houston Offense has shown the ability to eat through man to man defense but really really struggles against teams who zone them. Like Tulsa

-Houston/Kelvin Sampson's defensive philosophy is to double every paint touch. Vogt will need to make the right decision and our shooters have to be ready to shoot on the catch as the close outs will be coming from Long armed defenders like Grimes and Jarreau



Of Note: Nate Hinton and Caleb Mills were 2 guys Mick almost landed but Houston picked up instead. Mills is a stone cold killer. If this game comes down the the last 4 minutes, expect ISO plays ran for Mills and expect them to just go in, I've watched it all season.


I expect UC to win because its at home and because how well we've played at home

This years Houston team doesn’t have the weapons they did last year. If we don’t let them out work or out hustle us, we win. Keep the turnovers down. It’s pretty simple.

I disagree on the weapons part.

They have some of the best guard and wing talent in the country. They just don't make a ton of 3's but they have multiple guys who are capable of dropping 15 or 20 on you.


Nate Hinton: 113 offensive rating, elite rebounder for a wing, ALPHA, 37% from 3

Quentin Grimes: Has really struggled in Conference play, but has carried Houston in multiple games this year. Very Capable shooter and scorer. Defends well


Caleb Mills: 109.3 offensive rating in Conference play, Clutch as ever, gets his own shot and does it in crunch Time off the bench. Not a great defender and doesn't start, but finishes games for Houston.

Dejon Jareau: terrible shooter, but we have no one who can guard this dude. Gets fouled at will and gets to the rim at will.


And even less used guys like Fabian White, And Marcus Sasser ( 36% from 3) can hurt you.


I mean, Last year Cedric Alley JR played 45% of his positions minutes. This year, he only plays 17% and its because Mills, Sasser, Gorham and Chris Harris have stepped up to steal their minutes.

Last years Houston team would wipe the floor with with this years Houston team. No doubt about it. Grimes doesn’t impress me at all. Mills is good, jareau is good but there is also times when he makes a lot of mistakes. He also can’t shoot. Hinton works harder than any player I’ve ever seen but isn’t great offensively. Great rebounding. If you box him out He’s done. That’s not easy though. Of course they are still good and have good players but they aren’t last years Houston team. That team was great.

No one is our rival, we eat first and everyone else waits in line and feeds off the scraps after we’re done.

If Armoni Brooks stays, this team plus him is top 5

But even then they are top 20. They just happened to take a little long to gel all these new pieces and don’t have the defenders that Robinson and Davis were.

But I think Houston is the best team in the league, with the best coach in the league and they are my pick to win the league next season. This season they have their issues with shooting but they walked into an insane environment against the shockers and beat them easily.

They have a better roster then us.

But we are at home and we have the best player on the floor. Let’s just get it done

They are the best team in the league. I’ve said that all year. They are good. They are also very beatable. Much more than last year.

We can't afford to lose another home game this season and I don't expect us to do so tomorrow.

I agree that Houston has the best roster/future outlook in the league. Tomorrow might be the last time we're favored to beat them for awhile.

I look forward to Jarron making a big statement, and hopefully getting at least a satisfactory showing from his supporting cast.

Vogt has to be a big factor on offense. Get them in foul trouble and make them pay. I’m a little worried about their athletes but he will have a significant size advantage. He has to make them pay. Also if they want to shoot mid range jumpers, he has to let them. I’m guessing they will go really small at some point and see if that works for them.

If we are as active on D as we were against SMU I am not sure we can be beat. Unless we go absolutely stone cold is the only way