2025-2026 Houston Cougars Basketball Season

Basketball
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I agree that I think Walker could thrive playing the 3 and may get starter minutes. He may not close the games (lack of offensive game) but he could start @3 early in the season.

Milos
Sharp
Walker
Tugler
Cenac

Flemings
Pop
Harwell
MacFarland
Mercy
McCarty

So much talent on our bench.

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225

Do we even know if Walker is coming back?

Also, there is no way Walker is getting starters minutes. Next year’s roster is loaded.

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226

He’s said he’s coming back - not sure why he wouldn’t.

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Is Walker coming back official? Did he get a medical redshirt?

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Not yet. But everyone in Coogfans assumes he’s coming back because everyone with a waiver usually wins it’s case these days. NCAA has gotten soft over the years.

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I guess it’s possible that things will change, but both Ramon and the school have said he’s coming back. And it’s not just people here posting about it - people within the program have a high degree of confidence that the waiver will be approved.

It seems pretty clear he’ll be back. He’s only been here since the 2021-2022 season, and he missed much of the 2022-2023 season for medical reasons. I thought he took a med-red for that one, but apparently not. In any event, he would only be getting a 5th year.

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230

I think an interesting storyline going in to the season is the minutes between McFarland and Sakho. If McFarland is able to go, he should be ahead in the rotation. UH has some good depth at the big position. Be interesting to see how it all works out.

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231

I wish this was the year for an overseas trip, this new group could use the reps.

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232

Cenac might be decent

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Cenac comes along in the program this summer and fall line we all want him to, he’s going to give us a dimension we’ve never had in the frontcourt.

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Man, I can’t wait to see this kid in a Coogs uniform. I love what all of our former front court players brought to the team, but this kid looks really special with his ability to drive and finish at the rim, not to mention his jumper. That’s something we just didn’t see from other bigs. They mostly played down low. Rarely did they step out on the pick and rolls to hit jumpers.

Cenac is different. He can shoot from the perimeter. Defenders will have to make a split decision to either stay with the ball screener that can shoot it or the guard exploding to the basket. And if they overextend the defense, he can quickly drive it to the basket for a dunk or layup. I can’t wait to see what this kid does in Sampson and Co. system.

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Teams will guard him as a 4 and Tugler as a 5. So it won’t change that much when the 2 of them are out

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cenac for all intent and purpose will be our 4 … and tugler our center

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237

I’ve been meaning to post this since I saw it the other day on Kingston’s Instagram

That’s twice I’ve seen him hit that turnaround jumper against quality competition. The last player I remember having that deadly of a turnaround was Craig Upchurch, but Chris is taller and more athletic

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238

Hmmm… Interesting take.

Depends on the matchup on defense.

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239

on almost every matchup… i cant think of scenerio tugler would better at the 4… tugler is an elite shot blocker rim/protecter… proven toughness…

cenac is an above average shot blocker, but overall isnt physical…but he has great agility…

you want tugler at the 5 most games to atler all the shots…tugler has a huge edge on post defense… while they are probably similar level perimeter defenders, so you can trust cenac on the perimeter

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240

this is my milos returning lineup (mid season) … which i think will be the best in the country by a margin

PG: 6’4 Milos
G: 6’3 Sharp (210lbs)
G: 6’6 Harwell
F: 6’11 Cenac
G: 6’8 Jojo (7’6 Wingspan)

Harwell starts, his defense is just too good… similar to last years duke last year, this team would overwhelm most teams on size alone… and duke ran a simple defense (straight man)… the monster with this line up is scary

Bench (Who i think is the rotation)

  • Pop- off the bench scoring options
  • Kingston
  • Mcfarland - likely lots of PT from foul trouble
  • Mercy* - has to show something offensively…completely out the lineup at 17% from 3
  • Mccarthy - Ramon over him to start the year, but i think he shoots his way over ramon by mid season
  • Lath - will get minutes in some games from foul trouble- over sahko, he isnt in the portal for a reason… 3.5 year in the program

even without major player improvement (everyone was just what they were last year) i think this team is stil the #1 team

  • defense (size) will dominate, most of players know the rotations (3 starters), the 2 that dont have elite positional size (6’6 at the 3, or 6’11 at the 4)
  • milos almost never turns the ball over
  • amazing size for rebounding… will return to having a big guard for rebouding… so even if the shooting percetnages arent great, we’ll clean up on the glass

that alone would make us #1- without improvements… and improvements are inevitable at this program

if milos does leave - improvements from players will definitely be needed to maintain ontop

  • sharp has to step up offensively
  • pops defense needs vast improvement (we cant just keep him out on unfavorable games)
  • cenacs toughness will needs to improved
  • 1 of miller, mccarty or ramon has to make a huge jump offensively…

if those happens we’d still be #1 imo

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241

Look how beautiful and complete this team would look like with Milos. National Champs no doubt.

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242

It has to come from injuries or not having a reliable backup 4. I can see Walker playing that backup 4 role. Especially with bigs getting in foul trouble

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Very fair. If McFarland is not ready.

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