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HOUSTON, Texas – The University of the Incarnate Word men's basketball team will look to bounce back from Wednesday's loss to Loyola Marymount, when the Cardinals hit the road for the first time this season to face the University of Houston on Saturday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. from H&PE Arena.

OPENING TIP

Surprisingly, Saturday will be the first meeting on the hardwood between the Cardinals and Cougars.

SCOUTING THE HOUSTON COUGARS
2017-18 Record: 3-1 overall, 0-0 The American
Last Game: W 78-73 vs. Wake Forest (11/19)
Head Coach: Kelvin Sampson
Key Players:
#32 Rob Gray – 3 GP, 26.3 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 52.7 FG%
#12 Wes Vanbeck – 4 GP, 13.5 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 5 STLS
#15 Devin Davis – 4 GP, 11.5 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 4 BLKS
Summary: Houston is playing its home games this season at Texas Southern's H&PE Arena while Hofheinz Pavilion is under renovation. Houston went 2-1 at the Paradise Jam in Lynchburg, Va., including a 78-73 win over the ACC's Wake Forest on Nov. 19. Cougar leading scorer, Rob Gray, paced the offense with 23 points.

Gray's 26.3 points per game on the season is the sixth-most in the nation. He is followed by Wes Vanbeck (13.3) and Devin Davis (11.5). On the boards, Davis and Breaon Brady have pulled down 7.0 boards per game. Davis is the team's shot blocker, tallying four of the team's 11 swats this season, while Vanbeck (5) and Galen Robinson, Jr. (4) have more than half of the Cougars' 16 steals. As a team, Houston is shooting 46.3 percent from the floor and holding the opposition to 38.4 percent.

THE CARDINAL FILE
2017-18 Record: 3-1 overall, 0-0 Southland
Last Game: L 91-87 vs. Loyola Marymount (11/22)
Head Coach: Ken Burmeister
Key Players:
#4 Christian Peevy – 4 GP, 15.0 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 72.0 FG%
#3 Simi Socks – 4 GP, 14.0 PPG, 4.5 RPG
#41 Shawn Johnson – 4 GP, 12.3 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 14 STLS, 8 BLKS
Summary: Redshirt freshman forward Christian Peevy scored a career-high 20 points and senior guard Shawn Johnson scored 19 points and pulled down nine rebounds Wednesday against Loyola Marymount, but both players fouled out late in the game and LMU took advantage, defeating the Cardinals, 91-87.

Peevy (15.0 ppg) leads four Cardinals average double figures on the season: Charles Brown III (14.0), Simi Socks (14.0), and Johnson (12.3). Johnson's 8.0 rebounds per game is fourth-best in the Southland Conference.
 
UP NEXT

UIW battles No. 17 Gonzaga next Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 8 p.m. CT.

STAY TUNED

The Cardinals return home to face Texas Lutheran on Tuesday, Dec. 5 at 7 p.m.

For the most up-to-date information on Incarnate Word Athletics visit uiwcardinals.com. Be sure to follow Incarnate Word Athletics on Twitter @UIWAthletics and like Incarnate Word Athletics on Facebook at UIW Athletics.