The No. 10 Houston Cougars basketball program will begin its 2026-27 season at home inside Fertitta Center against the La Salle Explorers with an 8 p.m. CST tip-off time on CBS Sports Network.

Houston looks quite different in the starting lineup this season with four new starters, two of those transfers. That doesn't mean the expectations change. The Cougars were still projected second in the Big 12 standings per the preseason media polls and are in the top 10 nationally.

The non-conference schedule tips off against La Salle, a team Houston hasn't faced since the 1975 season. The Explorers weren't too great in the Atlantic 10 Conference last season, but this isn't a scrimmage or exhibition and Houston will have to perform in a real game for the first time.

Preview of Houston in 2026-27

Oct 21, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Houston coach Kelvin Sampson and team sit on the interview stage during the big 12 Media Days at T-Mobile Center.…