Houston Christian University Faces ULM in Rematch as 60th Basketball Season Continues
The Houston Christian University (HCU) Huskies prepare to host the University of Louisiana-Monroe (ULM) Warhawks this Thursday, November 13, 2025, at 7 pm CT in Sharp Gymnasium. This contest marks the 28th meeting between the two programs and the first of two consecutive home games for the Huskies.
HCU enters the matchup with a 1-1 record at the start of its 60th season of basketball. The Huskies recently suffered a 78-60 road defeat against UC San Diego on Saturday, November 9, 2025, in La Jolla, California. Despite a strong closing stretch, HCU was unable to overcome a 14-point halftime deficit.
The Huskies demonstrated resilience in the final minutes against the Tritons, outscoring them 22-10 over the last 5:46 and shooting 7-of-8 from the field during that span. Overall, HCU shot 44% from the floor and 32% from beyond the arc, but struggled with free throws, converting only 36%. UC San Diego’s 10 three-pointers and 23 points off 16 turnovers proved decisive, along with a rebounding advantage of 38-29.
D’Aundre Samuels led the Huskies in scoring with 12 points off the bench. Demarco Bethea contributed 10 points and five rebounds, while Kylin Green added nine points and four rebounds. Mambourou Mara and Obadiah Curtis each scored seven points, with Mara also recording five rebounds and three assists.
Head coach Doty is in his second season leading the Huskies, having guided the team to a 12-20 overall record and a 9-11 mark in Southland Conference play in the 2024-25 season. This represented a significant improvement from the previous season, doubling their win total and conference victories. HCU advanced to the Southland Tournament and saw Bryson Dawkins earn All-Conference honors.
Currently, senior guard Kylin Green is the only Husky averaging double-figure points with 13 per game, also leading the team in assists at five per game. Junior guard D’Aundre Samuels averages nine points per game and is the team’s leading three-point shooter, connecting on 50% of his attempts (4-of-8).
Grad student Trent Johnson and junior Mambourou Mara are providing versatile contributions. Johnson is averaging 7.5 points, four rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and one steal, while Mara contributes seven points, 5.5 rebounds, two assists, 2.5 blocks, and 1.5 steals per game.
The Huskies hold a 6-18 all-time series record against ULM, but have won the last six meetings, including a 74-68 victory in Monroe last season fueled by a career-high 32 points from Julian Mackey. Both schools were once members of the TAAC (now Atlantic Sun Conference), with ULM later joining the Southland Conference before moving to the Sun Belt Conference. The Warhawks currently stand at 1-2 on the season, having lost road games at Northern Illinois and Ole Miss before defeating Rust College on Monday, November 10, 2025.
ULM is led by first-year head coach Phil Cunningham and paced by sophomore guard Krystian Lewis, a local product averaging 15.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 2.0 steals. Redshirt junior guard MJ Russell (14.7 points) and sophomore forward Renars Sondors (10.7 points, 3.3 rebounds) also contribute significantly to the Warhawks’ offense.
Thursday’s game will be the 11th time HCU has played on November 13, with a historical record of 5-5 on this date. Their most recent game on November 13 was a loss at #14 Creighton University last year. The Huskies’ last victory on November 13 came in 2021, a resounding 122-44 win over Barclay College where they set a school record with 22 made three-pointers.
Following the game against ULM, HCU will have a week off before hosting College of Biblical Studies on November 20. The Huskies will then embark on a five-game road trip, including games on the East Coast surrounding Thanksgiving, and a December 6th Southland Conference opener at the University of New Orleans.
