The Cougars are headed to Wichita in the Midwest Region against Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.

Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle

The University of Houston is the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Regional of the NCAA Tournament.

The Cougars open against No. 16 seed Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville

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The Cougars will play SIU-Edwardsville at 1 p.m. Thursday. 

The Cougars will start in Wichita, Kan.

The game will be broadcast on TBS with Tom McCarthy, Deb Antonelli, Steve Smith and AJ Ross.

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It will also be streamed on the NCAA March Madness app and Max.

SIU Edwardsville (22-11) received the automatic bid from the Ohio Valley Conference. The Cougars are coached by Brian Barone, the son of the late coach Tony Barone, who coached at Texas A&M.

UH would play the No. 8 Gonzaga vs. No. 9 Georgia winner in the second round. Texas is in the No. 11 seed play-in against Xavier.

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The Midwest Region also includes No. 2 Tennessee, No. 3 Kentucky, No. 4 Purdue and No. 5 Clemson.