Be front and center at the most important games and sports events in Houston in January 2016, from the Texans to the Rockets to the Cougars.
Also in January 2016
January is a bit of a slow month in the world of sports; the end of football season, no baseball or soccer and the middle stretch of the long basketball season.
The Houston Texans almost certainly will be hosting a playoff game on the weekend of Jan. 9-10, but since they haven’t technically clinched a postseason berth yet, I’m leaving them off this list so as not to jinx the hometown team. (Editors’ note 1/4/15: The non-jinx worked and the Texans did end up making the playoffs; this article has since been updated.)
Lots of Houston Rockets games on the schedule this month, along with a marquee basketball program visiting U of H and the Houston Astros’ annual FanFest.
Top 12 Sports Events to Attend this Month: January 2016
- Houston Texans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars at NRG Stadium | Sunday, January 3 – Despite losing Arian Foster and starting four – count ‘em, four – different QBs this season, the Texans are on the brink of their first playoff berth since 2012 as they approach their season finale. Win, and they’re in as the AFC South champs. Lose, and they’ve still got a great shot at the division title – the Indianapolis Colts would need to beat the Tennessee Titans and have eight other games go their way on Sunday to nudge the Texans in a tiebreaker. Tickets start at $45, but you may find cheaper, better or hard-to-get seats on TicketNetwork’s resale exchange. Noon.
- Houston Rockets vs. Utah Jazz at Toyota Center | Thursday, January 7 – The Jazz were two games below .500 as of December 31 but still in the playoff picture, just one spot behind the Rockets as the eighth seed in the Western Conference standings. Hurting from injuries to center Rudy Gobert and guard Alec Burks, Utah will be relying heavily on young forwards Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward on its visit to Houston. Tickets are $20 and up, but you may find cheaper, better or hard-to-get seats on TicketNetwork’s resale exchange. 7pm.
- AFC Wildcard Game: Houston Texans vs. Kansas City Chiefs at NRG Stadium | Saturday, January 9 – The Texans (9-7) did indeed clinch the AFC South title, dismantling the Jaguars 30-6 to earn the the No. 4 seed in the AFC and a home game against the Chiefs (11-5) in a rematch of the first game of the season. Kansas City won 27-20 in Houston on Sept. 13, but both teams look drastically different now. The Chiefs lost their next five games to fall to 1-5 only to finish the season with 10 consecutive victories, while the Texans won six of their last eight J.J. Watt and the NFL’s third-ranked defense after starting out 2-5. $123 and up on NFL Ticket Exchange; but you may find better or hard-to-get seats on TicketNetwork’s resale website. 3:35pm.
- Houston Rockets vs. Indiana Pacers at Toyota Center | Sunday, January 10 – Pacers All-Star forward Paul George is back to his prolific PG-13 self after a gruesome 2014 leg injury, posting MVP-type numbers through the first trimester of the season. His inspired play on offense and defense has helped lead coach Frank Vogel’s squarely into the thick of the standings atop the Eastern Conference. $20 and up, but you may find cheaper or better seats on TicketNetwork’s resale site. 6pm.
- Houston Rockets vs. Minnesota Timberwolves at Toyota Center | Wednesday, January 13 – Minnesota entered the month of January mired in a bad stretch of basketball, but they feature one of the most exciting young cores in the NBA – 2014 and 2015 No. 1 overall picks Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns, point guard Ricky Rubio and 2015 Slam Dunk Champion Zach LaVine. And T-Wolves legend Kevin Garnett turns 40 in May, so this may be one of his last games at the Toyota Center. $20 and up, but you may find cheaper or better seats on TicketNetwork’s resale exchange. 7pm.
- Houston Rockets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers at Toyota Center | Friday, January 15 – King James and the Cavs come to town for their first matchup with the Rockets of the season. Houston won the series 2-0 in 2015 and will look to keep that trend going against LeBron, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love and company in this mid-month showdown. $83 and up; but you may find cheaper, better or hard-to-get seats on TicketNetwork’s resale marketplace. 8:30pm.
- University of Houston Cougars (men’s basketball) vs. University of Connecticut Huskies at Hofheinz Pavilion | Sunday, January 17 – UConn was bounced in the first round of the NIT in 2015 after winning the NCAA title in 2014, but they entered this season as a top-25 team and had a 9-3 record as of the New Year. Kevin Ollie’s Huskies boast a balanced offensive attack with four starters – Rodney Purvis, Shonn Miller, Daniel Hamilton and Sterling Gibbs – averaging double digits in scoring, along with stalwart defensive center Amida Brimah. Sam Cassell’s son Sam Cassell Jr. also is a redshirt junior for UConn, so you never know who you might see in the stands. $5 and up. Tickets are expected to sell out, in which case you may be able to find hard-to-get seats on TicketNetwork’s resale marketplace. 1pm.
- Houston Rockets vs. Detroit Pistons at Toyota Center | Wednesday, January 20 – Star-in-the-making Andre Drummond has the surprising Pistons in playoff contention in the resurgent Eastern Conference. The 7’0”, 280-pound center leads the league in rebounds by a wide margin with 16.0 per game as of December 31, including an astounding five 20-20 games and 17 15-15 games – numbers not seen since the days of Moses Malone. Stan Van Gundy’s squad just got guard Brandon Jennings back from an Achilles injury to pair with Reggie Jackson in the backcourt, furthering bolstering this rising squad. $20 and up; you may find cheaper or better seats on TicketNetwork’s resale exchange. 7pm.
- Houston Rockets vs. Milwaukee Bucks at Toyota Center | Friday, January 22 – Despite sporting one of the worst records in the NBA, the Bucks were the first team to beat the Golden State Warriors this season – and as of December 31, the only team to beat the Warriors with Steph Curry in the lineup all season. With young point guard Michael Carter-Williams and center Greg Monroe leading the way under coach Jason Kidd, the Bucks are capable of being a dangerous opponent for any team in any given game. $20 and up; you may also find cheaper or better seats on the TicketNetwork resale marketplace. 7pm.
- Houston Astros FanFest at Minute Maid Park | Saturday, January 23 | FREE – Join the defending AL West champion Astros as they get ready to send their players off to Spring Training. Activities and offerings will include Astros Authentics merchandise, autograph sessions, batting practice, bullpen throws, face painting, a garage sale, live National Anthem Auditions, a photo booth, photos in the Dugout, PlazaFest featuring a Petting Zoo, and Run the Bases for all ages. Admission is free, but all fans must have an admission voucher to enter FanFest, and charges may apply to certain activities including autographs and batting practice. 11am to 4pm.
- Houston Rockets vs. Dallas Mavericks at Toyota Center | Sunday, January 24 – The Rockets’ in-state rival from that other city up north on I-45 got off to a strong start this season as one of the top teams in the Western Conference, highlighted by a dominant 114-91 victory over previously one-loss Golden State on December 30. Dirk Nowitzki recently passed Shaquille O’Neal for sixth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list, and at age 37 is still putting up big numbers for the Mavs. $39 and up; you may also find cheaper, better or hard-to-get tickets on the TicketNetwork resale marketplace. 2:30pm.
- Houston Rockets vs. Washington Wizards at Toyota Center | Saturday, January 30 – With Bradley Beal sidelined by injury since early December, John Wall and Marcin Gortat have led the way for the Wizards as they look to push for a playoff spot. This game is past the halfway point of the season – if the Rockets have started to make a surge in the standings and the Wizards have Beal back in the lineup by then, this could be one of the more exciting games of the month. $20 and up; you may also find cheaper or better seats on TicketNetwork’s resale exchange. 7pm.