Quote:Cougars Ranked In AP Top 25 For the First Time In Nearly 12 Years
Houston is 25th in Today's AP Top 25 Poll after winning third straight game


Dec. 12, 2005

Houston, Texas- - The University of Houston men's basketball team has moved up to No. 25 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll after winning their third straight game, 68-46, over intrastate rival Sam Houston State last Saturday night.

"It is a great statement for our program and Conference USA," Houston head coach Tom Penders said. "It is an honor to be ranked by the AP poll, ranked , and it means we have a bigger target on our front and back. That is the next step to being a Top 25 team.

"At this point of the season, I am not sure who really deserves to be in the Top 25, but why not us. We have beaten two ranked teams, one on the road and one at home. We feel like it is not a gift something we earned."

The Cougars began the winning streak with an 84-83 victory at No. 25 LSU on November 29. It marked the first time Houston had beaten a ranked team on the road since February 25, 1987, when the Cougars upset 15th-ranked TCU, 84-65, in Fort Worth.

Houston returned home to beat 15th-ranked (AP) and 13th-ranked Arizona, 69-65, in a nationally-televised game on ESPN2 on December 3. That marked the first time the Cougars have won back-to-back games against nationally-ranked team since beating 16th-ranked Memphis and 19th-ranked Wake Forest at the Midwest Regional semifinal and final games in St. Louis on March 23 and 25, 1984.

The Cougars will travel to South Alabama this Saturday night to begin a three-game road trip before playing their next home game against Rhode Island on December 27. The Cougar play at UNLV on December 20 and at North Texas on December 23.

"I think that this is the perfect time of the season to (play three straight road games)," Penders said. "Coming out of final exams, it is tough to draw home crowds. To me, teams bond together on the road and it prepares you for conference better than being at home. If we are going to be a Top 25 team, we will know that we earned it by playing who and where we have played."

Congrats Coogs!!!!
I just hope that we stay focused and continue kicking playing well.
No more VCU surprises!!!