How to watch No. 8 Houston Cougars basketball vs. Louisiana: TV channel, live stream, prediction, odds
Kelvin Sampson learned a lot about his Houston team in Saturday's 74-69 loss to Auburn.
Now the Cougars get a chance to put those lessons into action when they face Louisiana on Wednesday night.
"We could've went and played one of those other games and be 2-0 and people would be running around here slapping us on the back telling us how good we are, knowing damn well we're not," Sampson said after the Auburn loss. "We got exposed on some areas that we've got to go back and figure out how we can get better and clear up some things."
A big emphasis for Sampson is getting forward Ja'Vier Francis back into game shape. Francis missed three weeks with a groin injury and only played nine minutes against Auburn.
"Ja'Vier's not ready to play," Sampson said. "I think his injury is getting better, he's just not in game shape. He hasn't done anything since October 11. I think he missed 20-something days. So it'll take him awhile to get in shape."
Francis, a 6-foot-8 senior with a 7-foot-5 wingspan, averaged 6.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 20.6 minutes per game last season. He combines with JoJo Tugler and J'Wan Roberts to give Houston one of the best frontcourts in the country.
No. 8 Houston enters Wednesday's home game vs Louisiana as 30.5-point favorites. Here are details on how to watch and follow Houston's nonconference matchup with Louisiana:
Auburn vs. Louisiana TV Channel, Live Stream, Betting Odds
Who: No. 8 Auburn (1-1) vs. Louisiana (1-1) in a nonconference men's basketball game
When: 7 p.m. CT | Wednesday, November 13
Where: Fertitta Center | Houston, Texas
Live Stream: Stream Auburn-Louisiana live on fuboTV (Start your free trial)
TV Channel: ESPN+
Our Prediction: Houston 87, Louisiana 59
Betting Odds: Houston is favored by 30.5 points per FanDuel Sportsbook
Live Updates, Highlights: Follow the game on Houston On SI for live updates and big-play highlights throughout Wednesday's matchup
Ben Sherman has been covering the sports world for most of his journalism career, including 17 years with The Oregonian/OregonLive. One of his favorite memories was covering the 1999 Fiesta Bowl - the first BCS National Championship Game - at Sun Devil Stadium.