The UH men’s basketball will begin the season as the No. 7-ranked team in the country, according to the AP Preseason Poll which came out Monday morning.
Entering their first season in the Big 12 Conference, the Cougars are the second highest-ranked team in the conference, behind the No. 1 Kansas Jayhawks. The other ranked Big 12 teams are No. 18 Texas and No. 20 Baylor.
The Cougars are also picked to finish second in the Big 12, also behind Kansas, receiving two first-place votes from the media.
Houston is coming off of a 33-4 season in which the Cougars secured the American Athletic Conference regular championship and a fifth straight Sweet 16 birth.