Quote:First-year head basketball coach Tom Penders announced the University of Houston will play against 12 teams that appeared postseason tournaments last season.

The Cougars open their 2004-05 season at Columbia, Mo., when Houston plays in the 2004 Guardians' Classic on November 15-16. Houston will play against intrastate rival Sam Houston State in the first round and square off against either the host school, Missouri, or Brown in the second round.

The winners from Columbia, Ohio State and Creighton join one at-large team in the championship rounds in Kansas City, Mo. on November 23-24.

"I added the Guardians Classic to our schedule because I think it is a good event that could get our team going early in the season," Penders said. "I have found that teams come together when they travel on the road. "Sam Houston State is a good team that we were looking to play because they are well coached and play a similar style as we do. They will be a good test for us."

Houston will play its first home game against McNeese State on Friday, November 19. The Cougars also play host to Grambling State on November 27 before playing at Rice on November 30 and Lamar on December 4.

"Rice had a very good team last year and return most of their top players," Penders said. "Lamar signed one of the top recruiting classes in the country with nine new players and should be vastly improved."

Houston returns home to play host against New Orleans on December 16, Southeastern Louisiana on December 18 and LSU on December 24.

The Cougars play at Washington on December 24 and at Texas A&M on December 29 before opening their Conference USA schedule playing host to Louisville on January 5.

"I am a coach who stresses the importance of every game if you are playing to reach the NCAA Tournament," Penders said. "I feel that we have a chance to reach the NCAA Tournament this year and every game in November will be just as important as the games we play in January and February."

Houston will play its first C-USA road game at DePaul on January 8 before closing out their non-conference schedule against Centenary on January 11.

The Cougars return to C-USA play on January 15 when they play host to Southern Miss on January 15. Houston also had C-USA home games against Tulane on January 26, Saint Louis on February 2, Memphis on February 5, USF on February 16, TCU on February 19 and UAB on March 5.

The Cougars also travel to TCU on January 19, USF on January 22, Cincinnati on January 29, Charlotte on February 9, Southern Miss on February 12, East Carolina on February 26 and Marquette on March 2.

The Conference USA Tournament will be played in Memphis, Tenn. on March 6-9 and the NCAA Tournament begins on March 15.

The actual schedule has been pinned above and will be updated during the season with results. I am very excited about this team, I do not know about making the NCAAs but it would be great if basketball like football (American that is) got back in the habit of beating Rice.

I thought you'd at least wait until Monday to start looking forward to basketball season. Maybe you've seen the light after all...

Since we do not have football opponent this weekend worth worrying about, I thought this would be the best time to look ahead to basketball. Just happen that the athletic department agreed with me. :D