TCU's Desmond Bane and Vladimir Brodziansky helped the Horned Frogs get wins over SMU and Nevada last week. TCU/Facebook
TEXAS LONGHORNS (6-2)
Last week (1-0): W-@ VCU 71-67
This week: Tuesday vs. Michigan, Saturday vs. Louisiana Tech
Texas is already a better road team than they were last season. After going winless in true road games last season, this was Texas’ first win on an opponent’s court since March of 2016. It didn’t come easy, as Shaka Smart’s former team charged back from a 19 point deficit to take a lead with under 5 minutes to play. The Horns stiffened though, and got out with a 71-67 win. Andrew Jones had 19 and Mohamed Bamba filled the box score with 13 points, 13 rebounds and 4 blocks. Texas has home games against Michigan and Louisiana Tech this week.
TEXAS A&M AGGIES (8-1)
Last week (1-1): L- Arizona 67-64, W- Prairie View A&M 73-53
This week: Wednesday vs. Savannah State
Texas A&M ran into their first diversity of the season, losing 67-64 to Arizona on a neutral court, albeit in Phoenix. The Aggies struggled defensively in the 2nd half, but were able to take advantage of sloppy passing by Arizona to keep it close. They missed a long chance to tie at the buzzer. Tyler Davis had 21 points and 10 boards in the loss. It looked like the loss could have sent the Aggies into a tailspin, as they were struggling with Prairie View A&M early in the 2nd half, but they were able to pull away on the strength of a 48-34 rebounding edge. Robert Williams had 8 points and 16 rebounds in the win. This should be a light week, with only Savannah State on the schedule.
HOUSTON COUGARS (8-1)
Last week (2-0): W- Fairfield 88-66, W- @ Saint Louis 77-58
This week: Wednesday @ LSU, Sunday vs. Prairie View A&M
The train keeps rolling for the Cougars, picking up a win over Fairfield at home and a win against Saint Louis on the road. The Cougars dominated Fairfield from start to finish, paced by Rob Gray’s 20. More impressive was the winner over Saint Louis. While they aren’t having a great season, it was a convincing road win against an Atlantic 10 opponent. The Coogs won the rebounding battle, as they have in every game this season, 37-24. Gray led the team in points and rebounds, putting up a 24-6 line. A road trip to LSU and a home game against Prairie View await this week.
RICE OWLS (2-7)
Last week (0-1): L- Stephen F. Austin 81-62
This week: Thursday vs. Saint Edwards, Saturday @ Texas Tech
The Owls only played one game this week, and they weren’t competitive in it. The Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks dominated the Owls, and while there are plenty of reasons they lost, the 1-17 shooting performance from 3 point range and the 27 turnovers stand out. Kevon Harris put up 31 for the Jacks in the win. Robert Martin and Connor Cashaw each had 13 for the Owls in defeat. Rice gets mixed competition this week, taking on a Division II team(albeit a good one) in Saint Edwards, and a ranked Texas Tech squad on the road.
BAYLOR BEARS (7-2)
Last week (2-0): W- Sam Houston State 84-56, W- Randall 105-82
This week: Thursday vs. Texas Southern, Sunday vs. Savannah State
Baylor got back on track after losing their first two of the season with a couple of blowout wins. Baylor got double-digit efforts from 6 players in an 84-56 drubbing of Sam Houston State. The Bears hit 10 3-pointers in the effort. Randall University didn’t provide much competition for the Bears either, falling 105-82. The Bears only dressed 6 scholarship players, but had no problem with the much less physical Randall. Nuni Omot led the way with 30 points. Baylor gets Texas Southern and Savannah State in the week to come.
TCU HORNED FROGS (12-0)
Last week (2-0): W- SMU 94-83, W- Nevada 84-40
This week: Monday vs. Texas Southern, Friday vs. William & Mary
TCU stayed unbeaten with two solid wins over SMU and Nevada last week. The Frogs beat SMU 94-83 in a physical game between cross-Metroplex rivals. Kenrich Williams continued his outstanding season with 27 points in the win. TCU hit 12 of 24 from deep. The Frogs then got an 84-80 win over a tough Nevada team. TCU cruised early on, and Nevada made it close in the 2nd half, but were never able to take a lead. Jaylen Fisher led the Frogs with 20 points. Jamie Dixon’s team will look to finish the non-conference season unbeaten with games against Texas Southern and William & Mary this week.
TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS (7-1)
Last week (0-1): W- Nevada 82-76 (OT)
This week: Wednesday vs. Kennesaw State, Saturday vs. Rice
The Red Raiders bounced back from their first loss of the season by beating the 22nd ranked Nevada Wolfpack 82-76 in overtime. Texas Tech didn’t make a shot in the last 5 minutes of regulation, but hit their free throws and forced overtime. Keenan Evans scored 8 of his team-high 32 points in extra time to seal the win. Tech should continue their strong non-conference run against Kennesaw State and a struggling Rice team this week.
SMU MUSTANGS (7-3)
Last week (0-1): L- @ TCU 94-83
This week: Wednesday vs. New Orleans
SMU couldn’t put out the TCU fire from 3-point range en route to a 94-83 loss. The backcourt that had SMU riding high last week, struggled in this game, with Shake Milton making just 1 of his 8 3-point attempts on the day. The Ponies kick off their 5-game homestead with New Orleans on Wednesday in their only game this week.
LSU TIGERS (5-2)
Last week (1-0): W-UNC Wilmington 97-84
This week: Wednesday vs. Houston, Saturday vs. Stephen F. Austin
Duop Reath stayed hot, leading LSU to a 97-84 win with a 30 point performance that saw him make 13 of 17 attempts from the field. LSU took a 16 point lead into halftime, and were able to hold off UNCW in the 2nd half. This week will be tough for the Tigers, as they get matchups against the 8-1 Houston Cougars and the 9-1 Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks.
The Houston Astros closed out a powerful homestand with a statement series win over the Cubs, led by the continued emergence of Cam Smith and the lockdown stuff of Bryan Abreu. Smith, who seems to live for high-leverage moments, went toe-to-toe with Kyle Tucker and delivered again and again, further cementing his place in Houston’s growing offensive core. Meanwhile, Abreu was simply untouchable—striking out all four batters he faced in a lights-out appearance on Thursday and returning Sunday to toss two scoreless innings in front of Josh Hader’s 23rd straight save. The bullpen continues to impress.
As Houston heads west for a six-game road trip, starting with the Rockies and ending with the Dodgers, the rotation will remain under the microscope. On paper, the Rockies series should be a tune-up—Colorado owns the worst record in baseball. But even in a small three-game set, anything can happen. The Dodgers are a different animal entirely. They’ve been the class of the National League and pose a challenge that may mirror what the Astros saw from the Phillies and Cubs—but this time, Houston won’t have the advantage of home field. Considering the team’s elite pitching and recent play, the Astros should still feel confident, but they’ll need to prove they can sustain this level on the road.
Trade speculation is beginning to swirl, particularly around Baltimore’s Cedric Mullins. Mullins hasn’t lit it up this season—he’s hitting just .213—but his 12 home runs suggest some underlying pop. Houston may believe there's untapped potential in his swing that can be unlocked. It's a move that would fit the Astros’ track record: buying low on a talented player and letting their system do the rest.
Speaking of roster decisions, Christian Walker's bat is officially on watch. Despite showing flashes of life earlier this season, Walker hit just .221 in June and has been dropped to seventh in the lineup. Meanwhile, Jon Singleton has been crushing home runs in Sugar Land and waiting patiently for another big-league shot. The organization has to be thinking about giving Singleton a chance if Walker’s struggles continue.
But not every question has an immediate answer. Lance McCullers Jr.’s return from the injured list was rocky at best, surrendering eight runs in a short outing. Still, the reaction from fans calling for his release is premature at best and delusional at worst. Joe Espada left him in too long, and everyone knew it. It's still June, and McCullers is a proven postseason arm. He’s not going anywhere, not with that contract—and frankly, not with the upside he still offers.
More to the story
Then there's Jeremy Peña. The hope was that his sore ribs were nothing serious. That changed after the homestand, when further imaging revealed a small fracture and landed Peña on the 10-day IL. It’s a frustrating development, but credit the Astros’ medical staff for pushing for clarity—learning from the Yordan Alvarez situation this year. With superagent Scott Boras now representing him, it appeared negotiations were over. But Astros GM Dana Brown revealed on the pregame show this weekend that he’s already reached back out to Boras to reopen the conversation. Whether both sides can agree to new terms is a different story.
So while the Astros leave home riding a wave of momentum, the road ahead holds tougher matchups, key roster questions, and new injury concerns. They’ve shown they’re built to weather all of it. Now they’ll have to prove it.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
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