No. 10 Houston to Open Season Against La Salle Monday
The Cougars host the Explorers on Monday in the regular season opener for both programs.
Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in Basketball
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Ranked No. 10 in the AP preseason poll, Houston hosts La Salle on Monday for their regular season opener. The Cougars enter the matchup following a recent 83-66 victory over Michigan in an exhibition game.
Why it matters
The game serves as the first evaluation for a revamped Houston roster, while La Salle looks to implement a higher pace of play under coach Darris Nichols. Success for the Cougars hinges on the integration of several high-scoring transfers into the team.
Houston enters the season ranked No. 10 in the AP poll after defeating Michigan 83-66 in an exhibition. La Salle, which ranked 342nd in scoring offense last season, added Kam Burton, who shot 42.5% from beyond the arc.
The players
Kelvin Sampson
He is the head coach of the Houston men's basketball team entering his 13th season with the program.
Darris Nichols
He serves as the head coach for La Salle and is tasked with increasing the team's pace of play.
Dedan Thomas Jr.
He is a transfer guard for Houston who joins the team after averaging 14.6 points in his career.
The details
Houston has added transfers Dedan Thomas Jr., Delrecco Gillespie, and Corey Hadnot II to bolster their depth, while La Salle added Kam Burton and Vice Zanki to address perimeter shooting deficiencies. Coach Kelvin Sampson enters his 13th season with a roster that requires significant evaluation.
Timeline
The regular season opener takes place on Monday.
La Salle previously made a tournament run to the Sweet 16 in 2013.
Vice Zanki shot 38.5% from three-point range during the 2025-26 season.
Season Trajectory
This opening game provides an early indicator of how successfully Houston can integrate new transfers into its established high-level defensive system. For La Salle, the outcome serves as a benchmark for how well the team's new roster additions can elevate them within the Atlantic 10.
Houston enters the matchup with high expectations following a No. 10 ranking in the AP preseason poll. La Salle looks to improve upon a 342nd-ranked scoring offense by utilizing new shooters like Kam Burton and Vice Zanki.
The takeaway
The early season opener will test the integration of new transfer talent for both programs against different conference expectations. Coaches will use this initial competition to refine their rosters before deep-season conference play begins.
Further reading
For more on the upcoming campaign, visit the Basketball section.
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