1945–46 Houston Cougars men's basketball team
Encyclopedia
The 1945–46 Houston Cougars men's basketball team represented the University of Houston
in the college basketball
1945–46 season. It was their inaugural year of season play. The head coach for the Cougars was Alden Pasche
, who was serving in his 1st year in that position. The team played its home games at Jeppesen Gymnasium
on-campus in Houston and were members of the Lone Star Conference
. Houston captured its first conference regular season title, and competed in the postseason in the 1946 NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
where they were defeated by eventual national runner-up Indiana State
in the second round.
would later serve as an assistant for Houston from 1953–1956, and as head coach from 1956–1986.
!colspan=5|Regular season
|-
!colspan=5|NAIA Division I Tournament
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
in the college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
1945–46 season. It was their inaugural year of season play. The head coach for the Cougars was Alden Pasche
Alden Pasche
Herbert Alden Pasche was the first head coach of the Houston Cougars men's basketball team from 1946 to 1956. Pasche also served of as an assistant coach for the Houston Cougars football program as a line coach from 1946 to 1947. While at the university, Pasche served as an associate professor...
, who was serving in his 1st year in that position. The team played its home games at Jeppesen Gymnasium
Jeppesen Gymnasium
Jeppesen Gymnasium, also known as Jeppesen Fieldhouse, was a multi-purpose sports facility on the campus of the University of Houston in Houston, Texas. The facility was the first home to the Houston Cougars men's basketball team, and later home to the Cougars women's volleyball team...
on-campus in Houston and were members of the Lone Star Conference
Lone Star Conference
The Lone Star Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II. Member institutions are located in the southwestern United States, with schools in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico...
. Houston captured its first conference regular season title, and competed in the postseason in the 1946 NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
1946 NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1946 NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 9th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format...
where they were defeated by eventual national runner-up Indiana State
Indiana State Sycamores men's basketball
The Indiana State Sycamores basketball is the NCAA Division I men's basketball program of Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Indiana. They currently compete in the Missouri Valley Conference...
in the second round.
Roster
Charlie Manichia also served as Houston's first starting quarterback. Guy LewisGuy Lewis
Guy Vernon Lewis II is a former NCAA basketball coach who led the University of Houston Cougars program for 30 years from 1956-86.-Coaching career:...
would later serve as an assistant for Houston from 1953–1956, and as head coach from 1956–1986.
Schedule
|-!colspan=5|Regular season
|-
!colspan=5|NAIA Division I Tournament
1946 NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1946 NAIA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament was held in March at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. The 9th annual NAIA basketball tournament featured 32 teams playing in a single-elimination format...