Opponent Overall

The Houston Baptist University men’s basketball team, in just its second year of NCAA Division I provisional membership, will have difficulty improving upon its 13-15 record from 2007, as the team faces a daunting schedule. The Huskies have not started off the season positively, as they are 0-6 and have been outscored by an average of 21.2 points thus far.

Houston Baptist, which returns 10 seniors this year, would have had the potential for a record well over .500 had it not scheduled such difficult opponents. In this senior-laden squad, six of the seven leading scorers have also returned, along with the three top rebounders.

Senior Gordon Watt, who was draft eligible just a year ago, will carry much of the offensive load for HBU. The former Purdue transfer was the team leader last year with 16.4 points and 8.0 rebounds per contest.

Head Coach Ron Cottrell will rely on 6-foot-8-inch sophomore big man Jeremy Havard and 6-foot-9-inch junior Mario Flaherty to control the paint for the Huskies, as both gained valuable experience below the boards last season.

The Villanova Wildcats and the Huskies have yet to face off, but Houston Baptist did play a Big East foe when it was toppled by then-No. 16 Marquette 95-64 in its first regular season game.

Opponent Strength

The Huskies’ backcourt, led by the versatile Watt, has proved to be the spark in Houston Baptist’s offensive play so far this season. Watt leads the team in points per game (19.2), rebounds per game (nine) and steals (10).

Also turning heads this season is fellow senior guard Baron Sauls, who leads the team with 17 assists and 204 minutes played and is second to Watt with 16.2 points per contest. Sauls can make plays with his raw talent as well as creating plays for his teammates with his remarkable court vision.

The third- and fourth-leading scorers on the team can also be found in the Husky backcourt. Seniors Sean Morris and Andrew Puzyk account for 7.5 and 8.5 points per game, respectively. With these four seniors stepping up and shooting well over 40 percent from the field this season, the frequent mismatch against the Huskies in the paint is more easily managed.

Opponent Weakness

The interior of the Houston Baptist offense and defense has been its downfall in the early part of the season. Something must be wrong when your top two rebounders are the two starting guards (Sauls and Watt).

Senior big man Emanuel Willis has been out after offseason knee surgery. He was crucial below the boards for the team last year, and his presence is greatly missed.

Inexperienced Flaherty has been steadily pressured and taken advantage of by opponents. He, along with Havard, will toil to play with Villanova standouts Dante Cunningham and Antonio Peña.

Senior big man Emanuel Willis has been out after offseason knee surgery. He was crucial below the boards for the team last year, and his presence is greatly missed. If Watt and Sauls can’t get hot from the field, the undersized Houston Baptist squad will find keeping up with the rolling Wildcats difficult at the Pavilion. The frontcourt is where this game will most likely be decided.

‘Nova 97, Houston Baptist 68