Although the University of Houston already had a women's basketball program, the Houston Cougars men's basketball program did not begin until the 1945–46 season. Alden Pasche was the team's first head coach.
The fact that the university had an existing women's basketball team did not preclude the introduction of its men's basketball program in the 1945-46 season, which was led by Alden Pasche as its first head coach.