Houston Cougars guard L.J. Cryer (4) takes a free throw during the first half of an NCAA men’s college basketball game, Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, in Houston, Texas. | Oscar Herrera/The Cougar
For the first time in 44 weeks, the No. 17 Cougars find themselves on the periphery of the AP top 10, with losses to No. 2 Auburn, No. 9 Alabama and No. 24 San Diego State. But adversity doesn’t break the Cougars. It directs their next move.
The Cougars’ latest two defeats came in overtime at the Player’s Era Tournament. After letting games slip away, Houston knows what to expect: grueling practices that challenge them to their core. With an impending battle with Butler on Dec. 7, Houston is testing its limits.
“With about a week to prepare, we’ve been getting after it,” graduate guard L.J. Cryer said. “This adversity we’re going through, it’s all going to make us better in the end. We just have to handle it right now and stick together. Times like these show us what we’re really made of.”
The Cougars haven’t been that far off from winning. All three losses have been by five points or less.
It was the little things that made the difference. Things like being outscored 36-28 in the paint against Auburn, the 30 fouls that sent Alabama to the line 44 times and cost UH junior point guard Milos Uzan and redshirt junior guard Emanuel Sharp in crunch time, the fatigue against San Diego State that led Houston to blow an 11 point lead.
“Being in a position to win all those games means we’re doing something right, so we accentuate the positive and focus on the things we need to get better at,” coach Kelvin Sampson said.
Adaptation is at the forefront of the team’s to-do list.
With a new point guard in town, Uzan must adjust to Houston’s defensive intensity, while the team learns to play to his strengths.
In the meantime, Cryer has shown his ability to lead on the floor, as he did after Uzan fouled out after just 12 minutes of play against Alabama. He has also voiced his intent to become the team’s vocal leader.
“We’ve been trying to find that for a while. We all came to the conclusion, honestly, that it’s got to be me at the end of the day. I’ve been growing in that area, but I felt like I was taking baby steps,” he said. “Now it’s time for me to take that big leap and get out of my comfort zone and really kind of get this team wrapped around my finger like Jamal (Shead) had it.”
Despite being a fifth-year player and a leader for two college programs, being a vocal presence is something Cryer has never experienced before. His trial run during practice this week left him speechless at times and second-guessing himself at others.
“It’s uncomfortable. I’ve never really had to do this. I’ve already had a point guard who’s been vocal throughout my basketball journey,” he said. “Right now, Milos is still trying to find his way, and we can’t expect him to do that because he’s still figuring some things out on his own.”
Even Uzan has taken notice of Cryer’s new style of leadership.
“I definitely hear him a lot more, being more vocal trying to take on that leadership role,” he said. “Nobody likes to lose, so he’s trying to do whatever he can to help the team win.”
It will take time for the Cougars to find their rhythm, but they are optimistic they can get things moving in the right direction as the critical months of conference basketball approach. While a 4-3 start is not what many envisioned for the team, which ranked No. 4 in the AP preseason poll, Sampson is not shaken. The adversity the team is facing is, in part, by design.
“If you have the courage to play this kind of schedule, you know this can happen,” he said. “I think you have to use it to make you better and learn from it.”
