Houston-area college basketball fans have plenty to cheer about as the new season gets underway, with both the Rice University Owls and the University of Houston Cougars opening their campaigns with convincing victories.

Rice’s men’s basketball team wasted no time making a statement, recording a commanding win over Dallas Christian to open their season. The Owls’ performance set an encouraging tone for what fans hope will be a strong year ahead for the program.

Not to be outdone, the University of Houston Cougars men’s basketball team dominated La Salle in their own season opener, according to Click2Houston. The Cougars’ dominant showing gave the Houston faithful an early reason to believe this could be a special year for the program.

Adding to the excitement on the hardwood, Rice also notched a season-opening win over Houston Christian, with the Owls’ defense playing a starring role in stifling their opponents throughout the contest, per Rice University Athletics.

With three Houston-area college basketball programs hitting the ground running, the city’s hoops scene is off to a rousing start. Whether you root for the Owls or the Cougars — or both — there’s plenty of early-season momentum to get excited about as the weeks ahead promise more action at gyms across the city.

Sources: Rice University Athletics, Click2Houston, Rice University Athletics