Winning three consecutive games has been an elusive feat for the Cougars this season.
The Cougars (10-6, 2-1 Conference USA) have won four of their last five contests but thus far have failed to win more than two straight games.
Sitting at fifth in C-USA, UH will have to be able to make winning streaks a habit in order to ascend in the conference standings.
Today’s contest marks the first game of the spring semester for the Cougars. During the winter break, UH went 3-2 over a five-game stretch, highlighted by a 76-71 home victory on Jan. 8 against then-ranked No. 18 UCF.
In order to maintain consistency, the Cougars will need to keep getting production from their senior starters.
Guard Adam Brown leads the team with 14.8 points per game, and shoots nearly 50 percent from three-point range.
Point guard Zamal Nixon has provided a steady flow to the game, managing the backcourt. He is averaging 8.4 points per game and 5.1 assists per game. He has also proven to be a pesky defender, averaging 2.3 steals per game. He is the only player who has started in all 16 games of the season.
Forward Maurice McNeil was suspended by head coach James Dickey in the Cougars’ last contest against SMU for an unspecified violation of team rules. He will be active against the Hurricane.
Tulsa (9-8, 2-1 C-USA) is coming off a 78-62 victory against UAB on Jan. 15. Prior to that, the Hurricane fell 69-59 to Arizona State. They average 72.8 points a game as a team.
The Cougars will look to shut down a balanced attack from the Golden Hurricane which features four players averaging more than 10 points a game.
Senior guard Justin Hurtt leads Tulsa with 20.9 points per game, while junior forward Steven Idlet provides a force down low averaging 13.8 points and 6.1 rebounds.
This marks the fourth C-USA game of the season for both schools. Since UH and Tulsa are tied with a 2-1 conference mark, the game has added significance.
With a win, the Cougars would jump to third in C-USA, tying them with Southern Miss. and UTEP who both hold a 3-1 record.
Forward Kirk Van Slyke (32) has been an efficient scorer for the Cougars, shooting 47 percent from the field. He has provided a spark for the offense by showing a steady hand from beyond the arc — making 15 of his 34 attempts. | File Photo/The Daily Cougar
