AP Photo/Michael Wyke

The second-ranked University of Houston men’s basketball team is expected to be one of the nation's top teams after falling to Florida 65-63 in the national title game last season.

The Cougars, who were 35-5 overall and 19-1 in the Big 12 Conference last year, return three starters and seven lettermen from a team that won 31 of its final 33 games last season to advance to the Final Four for the seventh time in program history and second under coach Kelvin Sampson. Houston's 35 wins were a school record, and the team won both the regular season Big 12 title and the conference tournament in its second year in the league.

RELATED: University of Houston ranked second in AP preseason college basketball poll

Players to watch

Emanuel Sharp (senior, G, 6-3, 12.6 ppg). S

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