Houston @ Portland preview

Houston rebounded from a disappointing effort with a 20-point victory last time out and hopes that will ignite a run in the Diamond Head Classic, starting with a first-round matchup against Portland on Sunday in Honolulu, HI. The Cougars managed 19 first-half points and shot 31.1 percent overall in a loss to Oklahoma State, but was dominant throughout in a 77-57 rout of UTEP on Thursday.

“This team is learning to play with each other,” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson told reporters. “You’re disappointed when you lose a game because we know how much we put into it, but we also know we just have to keep hitting that rock and keep getting better. We’ve gotten better just in the last three days of practice.” Sophomore guard Nate Hinton continues to emerge as a go-to player for the Cougars, coming within one rebound against Oklahoma State of four straight double-doubles, and registered 17 points along with with 10 boards in the win over UTEP. Houston aims to reach a semifinal game with either Georgia Tech or Boise State on Monday, but must first get past a Portland team that has cooled off since winning six of its first seven games - losing only to USC by 11. The Pilots have lost three of five since and should come to Hawai'i angry after losing at home 73-63 on Thursday against Jackson State, which won its first game against a Division I opponent.

TV: 3 p.m. ET, ESPNU

ABOUT HOUSTON (7-3): Hinton tops the Cougars in rebounding (9.3) and made 3-pointers (20) while sitting second in scoring (13.7) behind sophomore guard Quentin Grimes (13.9), who has been bothered by lower-body injuries. Freshman guard Caleb Mills is also stepping up, averaging 19 points the last three games to push his season mark to 12.0, while junior center Brison Gresham recorded his first double-double of the season Thursday (10 points, 12 rebounds, six blocks). “Brison was a horse,” Sampson told reporters. “Six offensive rebounds, six defensive rebounds and six blocked shots. That was pretty impressive. That’s the best we’ve had anybody play this year.”

ABOUT PORTLAND (8-4): Senior Isaiah White was just 3-for-9 from the field for eight points against Jackson State, but averages a team-high 14.8 (22 versus USC) and the 6-4 guard leads the Pilots with 16 blocked shots. Freshman guard Chase Adams had season highs of 15 points and six rebounds Thursday and scored 13.3 per game over the past three while junior guard JoJo Walker is second on the team in scoring (12.7) behind White, but 5-for-18 from the field the last two contests. Junior guard Malcolm Porter, the son of former NBA standout and Pilots coach Terry Porter, averages 10.2 points but missed the last two games with injury and his status for the tournament is uncertain.

TIP-INS

1. Houston junior G DeJon Jarreau (9.2 points) leads the team with four assists per game after posting a season-high nine Thursday.

2. Portland sophomore G Takiula Fahrensohn recorded his first career double-double Thursday (13 points, 10 rebounds).

3. Senior C Chris Harris is averaging 2.4 blocks in 15.6 minutes for the Cougars, who are 5-0 all time against the Pilots.

PREDICTION: Houston 78, Portland 64