Mar 7, 2020; Greenville, SC, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Matthew Mitchell gives directions during the first half against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-Imagn Images Jeremy Brevard-Imagn Images

Expectations for Houston Women's Basketball Remain High

Originally posted on Houston Cougars on SI
By Carson Wersal | Last updated Oct 15, 2025 10:13 AM ET

On Tuesday afternoon, both the men's and women's basketball programs at Houston held a media day in which the public could hear from both athletes and coaches ahead of the 2025 basketball season. The Houston Cougars finished the 2024-25 season with a record of 5-25 with their only conference win coming against Oklahoma State.

TK Pitts, Kierra Merchant, and Amirah Abdur-Rahim represented women's basketball on the podium, followed by newly hired head coach Matthew Mitchell. Before being hired by Houston in late March, Mitchell spent time at Kentucky, where he won the SEC Coach of the Year award three times during his time at Kentucky.

Not only did the Cougars go after a new head coach during the offseason, but they also hired hew assistant coaches, Damitria Buchanan, Anthony Anderson, DeNesha Stallworth, Marqu'es Webb, and Dominique Dillingham as well. It's an understatement to say that Houston is serious about women's basketball finding success on the court in the near future.

Rising Expectations for the Cougars?

Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Over the course of the last year, women's basketball has reached an all-time high in terms of viewership and public interest. With stars like Caitlin Clark, Paige Bueckers, and Hailey Van Lith making their mark on the game in recent years, it's no secret that the sport's popularity is on an upward trajectory.

During the women's basketball media availability, Pitts, Merchant, and Abdur-Rahim were asked a series of questions about the upcoming basketball season. After speaking on the new coaching hires for the Cougars, the three athletes were asked about their expectations for the 2025 season.

"We're going to be in that tournament, that NCAA Tournament," Pitts said. "We're going to shoot to win the conference. I have very high expectations for the team myself, and the team has very high expectations for themselves."

"Every day seeing what we're building come together, you know we're not where we want to be, but we're not where we used to be, so I'll see you all at the tournament," Pitts added.

Houston's most recent tournament appearance came in 2011, when the program, led by head coach Todd Buchanan, finished the season with an impressive 26-6 record. While making the NCAA tournament may seem like a lofty goal after last year, the Cougars could see a quick turnaround under Coach Mitchell.

When Mitchell took a job at Kentucky in 2007, the Wildcats were considered middle of the pack within the SEC. After the 2008-09 season where he finished the season 5-9 in conference play, Mitchell and the Wildcats quickly became a superpower within the conference as they went on to make the NCAA Tournament nine times in the next 10 seasons.

If anyone can turn the Houston Cougars' women's basketball program around, it's likely Coach Mitchell.

This article first appeared on Houston Cougars on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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