| Mode: | Basketball |
| Year: | 2008–09 |
| Prev Year: | 2007–08 |
| Next Year: | 2009–10 |
| Team: | Houston Cougars |
| Conference: | Conference USA |
| Short Conf: | C-USA |
| Record: | 21–12 |
| Conf Record: | 10–6 |
| Hc Year: | 5th |
| Asst Coach1: | Melvin Haralson |
| Asst Coach2: | Kevin Lewis |
| Asst Coach3: | Jerry Hobbie |
| Bowl Result: | first round |
The 2008–09 Houston Cougars men's basketball team, also known as the Houston Cougars, Houston, or UH, represented the University of Houston in the college basketball 2008–09 season. It was their 64th year of season play. The head coach for the Cougars was Tom Penders, who was serving in his 5th year in that position. The team played its home games at Hofheinz Pavilion on-campus in Houston, Texas. The Cougars played in the first game of the NCAA Division I season in the 2K Sports College Classic.
The 2007–08 Cougars finished with a 24–10 record, and were invited to compete in the inaugural College Basketball Invitational (CBI). Houston defeated Nevada and Valparaiso, but was defeated in the semifinals by Conference USA rival Tulsa.
|-!colspan=7|2K Sports College Classic|-!colspan=7|Regular season|-!colspan=7|Conference USA men's basketball tournament|-!colspan=7|College Basketball Invitational
| Name | Position | Height | Weight | Year | Home Town | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qa'rraan Calhoun | 41 | Forward | 6'8" | 215 | Junior | Hazlet, New Jersey |
| Aubrey Coleman | 12 | Guard | 6'4" | 200 | Junior | Houston, Texas |
| Sean Coleman | 1 | Forward | 6'8" | 190 | Senior | Houston, Texas |
| Marcus Cousin | 50 | Center | 6'11" | 250 | Junior | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Jason Hurns | 35 | Forward | 6'4" | 200 | Junior | Los Angeles, California |
| Kelvin Lewis | 0 | Guard | 6'4" | 190 | Junior | Fort Worth, Texas |
| Horace McGloster | 21 | Guard | 6'7" | 205 | Sophomore | Newark, New Jersey |
| Nick Mosley | 4 | Center | 6'9" | 220 | Junior | Beeville, Texas |
| Yan Moukoury | 15 | Forward | 6'7" | 213 | Sophomore | Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
| Zamal Nixon | 2 | Guard | 6'1" | 170 | Sophomore | Brooklyn, New York |
| Brockeith Pane | 23 | Guard | 6'2" | 195 | Sophomore | Dallas, Texas |
| Desmond Wade | 3 | Guard | 5'9" | 155 | Freshman | Linden, New Jersey |
| DaShaun Williams | 11 | Guard | 6'3" | 200 | Senior | Chicago, Illinois |
| Jamon Wilson | 20 | Guard | 6'0" | 190 | Junior | Houston, Texas |