The Mustangs enter the second half of Conference USA competition tonight as they tip off against the University of Houston at 7 p.m. at Moody Coliseum. The Mustangs (7-14, 1-7) are looking for their first victory over the Cougars (14-7, 5-3) since joining Conference USA in the 2005-2006 season.

“We are excited to play one of the better teams in our league at home,” said head coach Matt Doherty. “Houston is a tough team.”

The Cougars will prove to be a tough challenge for the Mustangs, as Houston enters the game as the top scoring team in the conference, with juniors Aubrey Coleman and Kelvin Lewis both ranking in the top five (first and fifth respectively) for points-per-game during conference games. As a team, the Cougars score 77.8 points-per-game and they average 44.8 percent in field goal shooting.

Fresh off their first win in six games, the Mustangs are looking to earn their first back-to-back victories since Christmas break when they defeated Texas A&M Corpus Cristi and the University of Colorado.

“We’ve played well and we haven’t won,” said Doherty. “Sometimes that can be tough, but our guys have come back every day in practice and in film sessions with great focus and great energy.”

Houston has been the focus of national attention within recent weeks, as Coleman was involved in a controversial play during the Cougar’s overtime loss at the University of Arizona. Coleman received a flagrant foul and was ejected from the game for stepping on Arizona forward Chase Buddinger. Coleman issued an apology after the game, but still received a one game suspension from Conference USA officials.

To make matters worse, Arizona rallied from a late deficit to win the game in overtime, then the Cougars lost their next two games.

However, Houston has rebounded for two straight wins. The Cougars blew out the University of Central Florida 97-69 on the road, then they returned home to defeat the Rice Owls 72-65 on Saturday.

The Mustangs next game is at 2 p.m. Saturday at the University of Alabama in Birmingham.