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The Big 12 finalists are gearing up for the big dance. Following Houston basketball's upset loss during the Big 12 finals, the team now moves on to its first March Madness game against Longwood basketball on Friday. And ahead of the matchup, the injury-depleted Cougars are receiving a pair of updates that would get any Houston fan excited. First up would be J'Wan Roberts.
The forward bruised his shin during Houston's semi-final outing against Texas Tech basketball last Friday. Asked about his ordeal heading into the first-round clash, Roberts made it clear that he wants to be on the court.
“(I'm) not planning on missing any games,” Roberts said, per Houston Chronicle's Joseph Duarte.
This season, Roberts is averaging 9.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per game for the Cougars.
While this is a good sign for Houston, more depth may even be available against Longwood. Ramon Walker, who suffered a torn meniscus last month, was seen practicing with the team recently. Per insider Jon Rothstein, the guard has a “chance” to play on Friday if cleared by the team trainer. (practice clip via KPRC 2's Chancellor Johnson)
The Houston Cougars could be getting back some much needed depth soon.
Forward Ramon Walker was back practicing with the team ahead of Houston’s first round match up against Longwood @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/dBVTUpHfxW
— Chancellor Johnson (@KPRC2Chancellor) March 21, 2024
J'Wan Roberts and other injuries that currently plague Houston
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Houston basketball is still strong on paper, but the recent concern surrounding the Cougars is their depleted lineup. Along with Roberts and Walker, Terrance Arceneaux and Joseph Tugler are also unavailable because of injuries. Arceneaux was ruled out with a torn Achilles in December while Tugler broke a bone in his foot at the start of this month.
Can the top-seeded team weather the storm? Looking at the South Regional Bracket, heavy competition such as Duke, Marquette and Kentucky are present. The Cougars are still one of the favorites, of course, but a potential matchup against one of the said schools will put the team to a grueling test. If Houston reaches the Sweet 16 and Duke wins their first two games as well, a clash between the two will be underway. On the other side of the region, Kentucky and Marquette are favored to make the elite eight. So in other words, the road to Phoenix will be an uphill climb.
Regardless, Houston basketball is still a force to be reckoned with
Nonetheless, Houston is a number-one seed for a reason. Just look at the way they play. Led by Jamal Shead and L.J. Cryer, the Cougars and their defense-first mindset have rattled opponents throughout the season. Houston only allows 57.0 opponent points per game — first in the entire nation in that category.
On the offensive side, their dynamic duo has been outstanding. Shead is averaging 13.1 points and 6.2 assists per game while Cryer tallies 15.3 points per game. Shead, in particular, just won the Big 12 Player of the Year and the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year awards.
All things considered, this Houston team is surely hungry for a national championship. Throughout history, the Cougars have appeared in the Final Four six times but they've never tasted gold yet. Maybe this year is lucky number seven. With a prospective J'Wan Roberts return, their chances this March are bigger than ever.
