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[Chris Baldwin @ChrisYBaldwin]

University of Houston's basketball practice ended around 5:45 pm today, but transfer guard Corey Hadnot II was still on the court, completing extra shooting drills after 7:10 pm. Getting through the drills that assistant coaches Hollis Price, Anthony Goldwire and development coach Ryan Elvin prefer is not always for the faint of heart. With Hadnot going through what guys like Marcus Sasser and Quentin Grimes have gone through in the years before him.

So when Hadnot finally finished, Price, Goldwire, Elvin and all the managers staying late celebrated with the last guy in the gym for a moment.

[Chris Baldwin @ChrisYBaldwin]

Kevin Durant on how different the Houston Rockets are with Fred VanVleet and Marcus Smart: "Last year we started in our backcourt, Twin (Amen Thompson) and Josh Okogie. And a lot of time those guys are being left at the 3-point line. And their men are helping guard guys in the paint. So when we've got Fred and Marcus Smart out there who can keep the defense honest at the 3-point line and then Twin just roaming around just doing everything. Grabbing offensive rebounds, making assists, dunks, floaters, everything.

"That put everybody into a good position. That settle everybody into what they do best. You've seen how efficient Alpe (Sengun) was tonight. Bari (Smith Jr.). Everybody's just more efficient when they're just in their roles, doing what they do.

"Everybody had to play point guard by committee last year. And I think having a few natural point guards on our team, that's going to help everybody."

[Chris Baldwin @ChrisYBaldwin]

Houston Rockets point guard Fred VanVleet on turning to Texans QB C.J. Stroud, who was sitting court side, after one of his assists: "It was a nice pass. But I didn't get my full proper form. Saw him out there. Me and C.J. have developed a great relationship over the last few years.

"He's playing at an all-time level right now. So I just wanted to see what he thought of my quarterback pass."

Stroud's verdict? "He said it was good. He gave me two thumbs up."

[Chris Baldwin @ChrisYBaldwin]

Marcus Sasser finished with 17 points on 6-for-8 shooting in his return to Houston, the most points he's scored in an NBA game since last January 1st. A big season for Sasser, the final year of his rookie contract, is off to a promising start in his first game with the Mavericks.

[Chris Baldwin @ChrisYBaldwin]

Hall of Fame Houston Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich tells @PaperCityMag that people have been asking him about when a Rudy T's diner is going to open since those commercials teasing the new uniforms first aired. "It's a great idea and very creative," Tomjanovich says. "Then people started asking when it's going to open. Where it's going to be. My grandson called me up and said, 'Grandpa, how come you didn't tell us about this diner?'

"Now it's real. And here it is."

[Chris Baldwin @ChrisYBaldwin]

Championship Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich himself serving burgers and Dream Shakes at the new Rudy T's diner concession stand at Toyota Center for opening night. Tomjanovich has his diner hat and red Rudy T's apron on to the delight of the fans.

[Chris Baldwin @ChrisYBaldwin]

Oklahoma State coach Eric Morris on Houston coach Willie Fritz: "Just a ton of respect for how he does it. Just reminds me of my dad - a little bit of an old school coach - just growing up like that. He's a guy that sticks to his guns.

"(Fritz)'s teams are tough. They're gritty. They know what their plan is and they go out there and they execute. Really well coached on all three sides of the ball."

Eric Morris' dad is longtime Texas high school basketball coach Ray
Morris who retired with nearly 600 wins and won the state championship in 2004 with Eric Morris as one of his star players. Morris was responding to a @PaperCityMag question on Fritz.

[Chris Baldwin @ChrisYBaldwin]

Houston basketball guard Mercy Miller is a veteran of a program that's won 65 games and made a run to the national championship game during his first two seasons with the Coogs. But even Miller found himself caught up in the excitement of the UH football weekend: "It's major," Miller tells @PaperCityMag. ". . . I feel like Houston being one of the best Top 25 teams in the nation, there's no reason why we shouldn't sell out these games. I'm just excited to see all the buzz and everybody here gathering in the community."

[Chris Baldwin @ChrisYBaldwin]

University of Houston coach Willie Fritz on UH wearing an Unbreakable patch on its uniforms for this Saturday's game vs. Utah in memory of beloved strength coach Kurt Hester, who passed away last October 25: "Our great strength coach, great friend and great person. So we're going to honor him at the game.

"Because he's just such a great influence on our football program."

[Chris Baldwin @ChrisYBaldwin]

Kelvin Sampson's University of Houston basketball team comes in at No. 10 in the first AP College Basketball Preseason Poll of the season.

Sampson's Cougars have finished in the Top 7 of the final AP Top 25 for four straight seasons. And everyone in the program is quietly very excited about this revamped, more vintage Kelvin team.
📷 @fcarters

[Chris Baldwin @ChrisYBaldwin]

One of the best postgame moments of Houston's win over Oklahoma State was UH wide receiver Koby Young running up the stairs into the stands to celebrate with the student section. Young even borrowed a few students' phones and filmed videos of him and the college kids having fun, leaving some unforgettable memories on those devices.

"He's a special dude," UH quarterback Conner Weigman says of Young. "Special personality. Special talent. I can't say enough good things about Koby. He was a captain for us this week. What an honor it was for him when he got named the captain.

"I don't think he stopped smiling for 30 minutes."

It turned out to be a special night for Young in many ways. And he made sure the UH students felt like a big part of it.

[Chris Baldwin @ChrisYBaldwin]

Conner Weigman Wants His Respect, Houston Football Earns It On a National College GameDay Level and Willie Fritz Loves the “90 Percent Houston” Crowd Fever. @PaperCityMag
https://t.co/mMnqS3JiSy

[Chris Baldwin @ChrisYBaldwin]

Houston quarterback Conner Weigman when I ask if it motivates him that he never seems to be NFL mentioned while other QBs are touted and fawned over; "A little bit. It would be cool to just get a little bit of respect. I know I put myself behind the eight ball a few years ago. But if the eight ball doesn't go in the cup, you've got a puncher's chance and you just got to keep punching until y'all can't deny this ship."

[Chris Baldwin @ChrisYBaldwin]

Oklahoma State coach Eric Morris on the atmosphere at Houston's TDECU Stadium: "Yeah, it was awesome. Back in the day this was my first job (as a grad assistant under Kevin Sumlin and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury). It wasn't in this stadium, but over st old Robertson Stadium. I played in some great atmospheres here. Enjoyed it.

"That's what college football should be. That's what this town, they should come out and support this team. They've got a really good team here. And they're well coached. And they play extremely hard. That's great entertainment for everybody."

[Chris Baldwin @ChrisYBaldwin]

Willie Fritz's University of Houston team moves up to No. 16 in the new College Football Coaches Poll. And now a College GameDay Saturday showdown at No. 9 Utah looms.

The Utes are one of three Big 12 teams in the Top 10 with BYU zooming up to No. 3 and Texas Tech rising to No. 5.

[Chris Baldwin @ChrisYBaldwin]

Houston quarterback Conner Weigman, the game ball safely tucked under his arm, makes his way through happy Cougars. Weigman stops to pose for selfies with several groups of students who've made it onto the field. UH and its quarterback are very much alive in the College Football Playoff race.

Outplaying Drew Mestemaker, who is being touted as the first QB who should go in the NFL Draft by some draft experts, Weigman throws five touchdown passes. And Oklahoma State finds the task of stopping this Weigman directed offense to be impossible.

[Chris Baldwin @ChrisYBaldwin]

University of Houston football's slab walkout entrance for this Top 20 showdown with Oklahoma State. Not as much smoke machine action this time. Many more people watching in the stands.

[Chris Baldwin @ChrisYBaldwin]

Willie Fritz is playing to win in this Oklahoma State showdown, going for it on fourth-and-1 deep in his own territory and turning down a field goal to go for it on fourth-and-2 inside the Cowboys' 20-yard line. That turns into a touchdown and UH is up 14-3.

You do not contend for the College Football Playoffs by coaching scared. And Fritz certainly isn't.

[Chris Baldwin @ChrisYBaldwin]

Houston football's Saturday night home game with Oklahoma State is officially sold out, the school announces. UH gets what it's been pushing for and this Top 20 matchup gets the atmosphere it deserves.

[Chris Baldwin @ChrisYBaldwin]

University of Houston president and chancellor Renu Khator tells @PaperCityMag she's confident that UH's Saturday night football game will be a packed house. "Football is gong to be very exciting versus Oklahoma State. The stadium I know is going to be full. Everyone wants to go. And hope to have a really, really good game.

"I want everybody to be out there."