New Orleans @ Houston preview

Houston's deep bench gives fourth-year coach Kelvin Sampson the luxury of mixing and matching players until he finds the right combination. Sampson will look for another hot hand Wednesday when his Cougars host New Orleans.

"As the game goes on, I start moving guys in and out and you start to see who's playing good," Sampson said after Saturday's win against the University of Incarnate Word. "I thought (point guard) Galen (Robinson Jr.) was good against Wake Forest but not so much tonight, but Corey (Davis Jr.) was outstanding tonight so I went with him longer. We have two (point guards) this year. They keep us playing fast." The Cougars' other strength has been on the boards with a plus-10.2 rebound margin. They have outrebounded each of their first five opponents and have advantages in second-chance points (plus-6.4) and points in the paint (plus-13.4). Senior forward Travin Thibodeaux leads a low-scoring Privateers squad with 14.6 points per game.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, FloHoops.com

ABOUT NEW ORLEANS (1-4): Senior forward Makur Puou (10.0 points, team-high 6.2 rebounds) is the only other Privateer averaging double figures for a team ranked 343rd out of 351 at 61.4 points per outing. Senior wing Michael Zeno adds 8.2 points and has a team-best eight steals while starting guards Ezekiel Charles and Matthew Jiles combine for only 5.8 points. The Privateers, whose only win is against Division III Spring Hill, have the fewest 3-pointers attempted (55) and made (14) in the country.

ABOUT HOUSTON (4-1): Senior Rob Gray leads the Cougars with an American Athletic Conference-leading 23.8 points and is shooting 54.2 percent from the 3-point line. Senior Wes VanBeck adds 13.8 points and senior Devin Davis -- who is coming off back-to-back double-doubles -- chips in 11.2 points and a team-best 7.6 rebounds. Freshman Fabian White recorded his first double-double Saturday and averages 5.0 points on a team-best 68.8 percent shooting and 4.2 rebounds off the bench.

TIP-INS


1. The Cougars rank 11th nationally at 15.2 offensive rebounds with four players having at least 10 offensive boards.

2. Davis, Gray and Robinson ranked 3-4-5 in assist-to-turnover ration the American Athletic Conference with a combined 53 assists and 17 turnovers in 345 minutes.

3. The last time Houston outrebounded six straight opponents was during the 2001-02 season.

PREDICTION: Houston 88, New Orleans 60