For the first time in 37 years, the Houston Cougars will open a season ranked among the Top 25 in the AP preseason poll, perhaps the clearest indication of their ascent under veteran coach Kelvin Sampson. The 17th-ranked Cougars (23-8, 13-5 American Athletic Conference last season) have won 20-plus games in each of the past five seasons and have been ranked a total of 30 weeks during the past three seasons with three Top 25 finishes. Houston will open this campaign Wednesday hosting Lamar at the Fertitta Center as a fixture in the polls while seeking to maintain program momentum.