University of Houston
1-0,0-0Big 12
La Salle
0-1,0-0Atlantic 10
| Team | 1 | 2 | F |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Salle | 23 | 32 | 55 |
| Houston | 43 | 51 | 94 |
11/2/2026 5:02:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Four Cougars score in doubles figures in 94-55 route of Explorers
Senior forward Delrecco Gillespie had 13 points — 11 in the first half — and sophomore forward Chase McCarty scored all 10 of his points in the opening 20 minutes as the Cougars built a 43-23 halftime lead. Freshman center Arafan Diane also scored 10 for Houston.
The Cougars (1-0) shot 54% and outrebounded the Explorers (0-1) 47-32. Houston also turned 19 turnovers into 25 points and had a 44-10 scoring advantage in the paint.
Kam Burton scored 15 points and Devin Booker added 12 for the Explorers. La Salle shot 25% and went 8 of 39 on 3-pointers.
The teams combined for 46 fouls, three technicals and one flagrant foul. Houston finished 27 of 37 from the free-throw line, while La Salle was 17 of 23.
Houston took a 20-3 lead on a layup by junior forward Braden East with 11 minutes left in the first half. La Salle responded with an 8-0 run to cut the lead to nine on a 3-pointer by Burton.
The Cougars outscored La Salle 23-12 to end the half, with McCarty scoring his 10 points over the final nine minutes.
BUY REGULAR-SEASON TICKETSRegular-season single-game home tickets for all games inside Fertitta Center are on sale now, and fans are encouraged to purchase quickly while supplies last. Houston will play host to 16 regular-season home games inside Fertitta Center with eight in non-conference play and nine in Big 12 action in 2026-27.
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POSTGAME NOTES
• Houston improved to 63-19 in season openers during its history.
• The Cougars have won their last 18 season openers and 22 of their last 23... Only a 65-63 loss to Georgia Southern on the first day of the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer in Durham, N.C., on Nov. 11, 2008, prevents a longer streak.
• Houston has won handily in recent history, winning its last 18 season openers by an average of 30.2 points per game (544 points in 18 games).
• Head Coach Kelvin Sampson improved to 35-3 record in season openers during his award-winning career.
• Sampson is 13-0 during his Houston tenure... He posted a 2-0 record at Indiana, an 11-1 mark at Oklahoma a 6-1 record at Washington State and a 3-1 mark at Montana Tech.
• With Monday's win over La Salle, Sampson's teams have won their last 18 season openers and 30 of the last 31... Only a 68-62 loss to Alabama at the AT&T Wireless Classic in New York on Nov. 14, 2002, prevents a longer streak.
• During his career, Sampson's teams have won by an average of 25.8 points per game (903 points in 35 wins).
• In his teams' 35 season-opening wins, only four teams have won by fewer than double digits... His first team at Houston in 2014-15 claimed a 77-74 win at Murray State on Nov. 14, 2014, in his most recent single-digit, season-opening win.
• Houston improved to 2-0 against La Salle in the series, which began during the 1975-76 season.
• In the lone previous meeting, Houston took a 90-87 win over the #20/– Explorers during a consolation game at the Las Vegas Holiday Classic inside the Las Vegas Convention Center on Dec. 30, 1975.
• Monday's game was the first time that the series was played on one of the schools' home courts.
UP NEXT
• Following Monday's game, Houston travels to meet California during the Caesars Lake Tahoe Classic inside Tahoe Blue Event Center at 7:30 p.m. (CST), Sunday.
• That game can be seen on CW.
• From there, the Cougars return to Fertitta Center to play host to Jacksonville State at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 11.
• That game can be seen on ESPN+.
• All Houston Men's Basketball games can be heard on 950 AM KPRC, SiriusXM and the Varsity Network app.
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Fans who join the 50-50 Club will receive embroidered Jordan Brand team apparel, invitations to exclusive events, regular updates about the program and much more.
STAY CONNECTED
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