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The 2023 NCAA Tournament is in full swing as the Sweet 16 is set to get started on Thursday, March 23. There are some upsets in the first couple of rounds, but the best teams and best players typically rise to the top. If you make it to this point, you have some outstanding players and they’ve helped you get here.
Houston has been one of the best teams in the country from start to finish. Head coach Kelvin Sampson finally has his team in his image. They’ve struggled a bit as of late, but when you get to March, it’s all about surviving and advancing. Houston has done that thus far, but let’s take a look at some of the guys they’ve leaned on to get here.
Houston roster breakdown
Marcus Sasser
Sasser is Houston’s best player, but a groin injury has his status in the air, and even if he does play, his effectiveness could be limited. He suffered the injury during the conference tournament and has been trying to recover since. He only played 14 minutes in the first-round matchup against Northern Kentucky. He recovered nicely against Auburn to score 22 points in 31 minutes.
On the season, Sasser averaged 16.9 and 2.8 rebounds per game. He plays some pretty solid defense as well because you don’t really have a choice if you’re going to see the floor for Houston. Sasser is a senior, who has already used a redshirt, so he may be ready to move on. If he does decide to move on, he’s looked at as a late first-round pick or someone who goes in the early second.
Jamal Shead
Shead has been able to shoulder some of the loud left behind when Sasser went down. He averaged 10.4 points, three rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game this season. He will routinely play tough hard-nosed defense. As a junior, he will likely return to school for another year in hopes of helping Houston return as one of the best teams in college basketball.
Houston roster
| Player | # | Class | Pos | Height | Weight | Hometown | High School | RSCI Top 100 | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | # | Class | Pos | Height | Weight | Hometown | High School | RSCI Top 100 | Summary |
| Marcus Sasser | 0 | SR | G | 6-1 | 190 | Red Oak, TX | Red Oak HS | 16.9 Pts, 2.8 Reb, 3.1 Ast | |
| Jarace Walker | 25 | FR | F | 6-8 | 240 | New Freedom, PA | Susquehannock (PA); IMG Academy (FL) | 8 (2022) | 11.1 Pts, 6.7 Reb, 1.7 Ast |
| Jamal Shead | 1 | JR | G | 6-1 | 190 | Manor, TX | Manor HS | 10.4 Pts, 3.0 Reb, 5.4 Ast | |
| J'Wan Roberts | 13 | JR | F | 6-7 | 220 | St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands | Shoemaker (TX) | 10.3 Pts, 7.9 Reb, 1.2 Ast | |
| Tramon Mark | 12 | JR | G | 6-5 | 180 | Dickinson, TX | Dickinson HS | 75 (2020) | 10.0 Pts, 4.9 Reb, 1.8 Ast |
| Emanuel Sharp | 21 | FR | G | 6-3 | 205 | Tampa, FL | Bishop McLaughlin (FL) | 5.9 Pts, 2.3 Reb, 0.5 Ast | |
| Ja'Vier Francis | 5 | SO | F | 6-8 | 225 | New Orleans, LA | Montverde Academy (Fla.) | 4.4 Pts, 3.6 Reb, 0.2 Ast | |
| Terrance Arceneaux | 23 | FR | G | 6-5 | 195 | Beaumont, TX | Beaumont United (TX) | 45 (2022) | 3.8 Pts, 2.5 Reb, 0.6 Ast |
| Reggie Chaney | 32 | SR | F | 6-8 | 225 | Tulsa, OK | Findlay Prep | 2.9 Pts, 2.6 Reb, 0.4 Ast | |
| Ramon Walker | 3 | SO | G | 6-4 | 210 | Pearland, TX | Shadow Creek HS | 2.9 Pts, 2.5 Reb, 0.4 Ast | |
| Ryan Elvin | 20 | JR | G | 6-0 | 155 | Round Rock, TX | Cedar Ridge HS | 1.5 Pts, 0.3 Reb, 0.0 Ast | |
| Darius Bowser | 4 | SR | C | 6-9 | 250 | Gaffney, SC | Gaffney HS | 0.0 Pts, 0.3 Reb, 0.0 Ast | |
| Mylik Wilson | 24 | SR | G | 6-2 |