#3 Men’s Hoops Ready to Host Cincinnati on Saturday

HOUSTON – Coming off its sixth road win of the season, the #3/3 University of Houston Men's Basketball program meets Cincinnati for the second time in 2022-23 when it tips off at 1:15 p.m., Saturday, inside the Fertitta Center in Houston.

The Cougars enter this weekend's contest following an 82-71 win at UCF on Wednesday in Orlando. Redshirt freshman guard Emanuel Sharp came off the bench to pour in a game-high 18 points, thanks to 4-of-6 shooting from the arc. Guards Marcus Sasser and Jamal Shead posted 14 points apiece with Shead recording the seventh double-double of his career with a game-high 10 assists.

This season, junior forward J'Wan Roberts leads the Cougars and ranks third in the American Athletic Conference with a 62.9 field goal percentage. The U.S. Virgin Islands native also is averaging 7.1 rebounds per game to rank seventh in the league.

Sophomore center Ja'Vier Francis tops the team and ranks fourth in the league with 1.7 blocked shots per contest. The New Orleans native has blocked at least one shot in all but five games this season with multiple blocks in 11 games.

Houston looks to sweep the regular-season series against the Bearcats after taking a 72-59 win inside Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati on Jan. 8.

BUY 2022-23 TICKETS
Fans may purchase single-game tickets for the Cougars' 18 regular-season home games inside the Fertitta Center. Supplies are limited, and fans are encouraged to purchase soon before they run out.

To purchase single-game tickets, fans may call the Athletics Ticket Office at 713-GO-COOGS (462-6647) during regular business hours or click here any time.

For the third straight season, the Cougars sold out of their season tickets for home games inside the Fertitta Center.

Fans who were unable to purchase season tickets in 2022-23 are invited to join the team's 2023-24 Wait List as the Cougars prepare to enter the Big 12 Conference. To join the 2023-24 season tickets Wait List, fans can click here.

TUNE IN
• Fans can watch Saturday's game on CBS with Ian Eagle (play-by-play) and Jim Spanarkel (analyst) calling the action.
• Fans can hear Saturday's game on 950 AM KPRC or the Varsity Network app with Jeremy Branham (play-by-play) and Hall of Famer Elvin Hayes calling the action. The pregame show begins at 1 p.m., Saturday.
• Fans can follow live stats by visiting StatBroadcast.com and following the appropriate links or by clicking here.

ABOUT CINCINNATI
• Cincinnati brings a 14-7 overall record and 5-3 mark in American Athletic Conference action in 2022-23 into Saturday's game.
• The Bearcats are fifth in the latest league standings through Jan. 26.
• Cincinnati owns a 3-2 record in road games this season.
• The Bearcats have won three of their last four games entering this weekend's contest. However, Cincinnati dropped a 75-68 decision to Memphis in Cincinnati on Jan. 22 in its most recent action.
• Against Memphis, sophomore forward Viktor Lakhin led Cincinnati with 22 points on 11-of-14 shooting with 10 rebounds and three steals. Senior guard Landers Nolley totaled 18 points with three 3-pointers, six rebounds and four assists while graduate guard David DeJulius posted 15 points, thanks to 10-of-11 shooting from the free throw line, with a team-high six assists.
• This season, Nolley leads the Bearcats with 15.5 points per game and a 44.3 3-point field goal percentage. DeJulius stands second with 14.5 points per game but tops the team with 4.2 assists per contest. Lakhin stands third with 12.6 points per game and leads the team with 7.5 rebounds per game.
• Head Coach Wes Miller is in his second season at Cincinnati and his 12th season as a collegiate head coach.
• Miller has built a 32-21 record at Cincinnati... Previously compiled a 185-135 record at UNC Greensboro (2011-21).
• Miller has posted an 0-4 record against Houston during his career with all four previous meetings coming during his Cincinnati tenure.
• Miller has posted an 0-4 record against Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson during their careers with all four previous meetings coming during his Cincinnati and Sampson's Houston tenures.
• 2007 graduate of North Carolina.

SERIES HISTORY vs. CINCINNATI
• Cincinnati owns a 33-12 lead against Houston in the series, which began during the 1957-58 season.
• Saturday's game is the second of two regular-season meetings in 2022-23. The Cougars claimed a 72-59 win inside Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati on Jan. 8.
• Houston has won the last seven games and nine of the last 11 meetings against the Bearcats. Only a 64-62 Bearcat win in Cincinnati on Feb. 1, 2020, prevents a longer Cougar winning streak.
• This marks the ninth straight season in which the two schools will play at least once.
• Teams played at least once every year from 1957-58 through 59-60 as members of Missouri Valley Conference... Teams continued rivalry as Conference USA foes from 1996- 97 through 2004-05... Series resumed during the 2013-14 season when Houston joined the American Athletic Conference.
• Series started with a 70-53 Cincinnati win in Houston on Dec. 21, 1957. The Bearcats dominated the early series, winning 27 of the first 28 games against the Cougars.
in Houston: Cincinnati owns a 14-7 lead in the series against Houston in games played in Houston.
• The Cougars have won the last five and six of the last seven meetings in Houston. Only a 67-58 Cincinnati win inside Hofheinz Pavilion on Jan. 7, 2017, prevents a longer Houston winning streak.
• In the most recent home meeting, the Cougars took a 71-53 win inside the Fertitta Center on March 1, 2022.
in Fertitta Center: Houston owns a 4-0 lead in the series against Houston in games played inside the Fertitta Center.
• The Cougars have won each of the last three home meetings by 13+ points.
• In the most recent meeting inside the Fertitta Center, the Cougars took a 71-53 win on March 1, 2022.
• In the first meeting inside the Fertitta Center, Houston enjoyed a 68-58 win on Feb. 10, 2019.

UP NEXT
• Following Saturday's game, the Cougars open the month of February with a road contest at Wichita State at 8 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 2, inside Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kan. That game will air on ESPN2.
• The Cougars then meet Temple at 5 p.m. (CST), Sunday, Feb. 5, inside the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia. That game can be seen on ESPN.
• The Cougars look to split the regular-season series against falling against the Owls on Jan. 22 inside the Fertitta Center in Houston.
• Houston faces Tulsa at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 8, inside the Fertitta Center in a game played on ESPN+.
•The Cougars took an 89-50 win over the Golden Hurricane in Tulsa, Okla., on Dec. 28, to open the American Athletic Conference season.
• All Houston Men's Basketball games can be heard on 950 AM KPRC.

SUPPORT HOUSTON RISE
Join Houston Rise, a $150 million fundraising campaign for Houston Athletics dedicated to championship success in the Big 12 Conference.

Every Houston Rise contribution prepares our Cougars to compete and win when we start Big 12 competition in July 2023. Click here to rise and be counted.

JOIN the 50-50-CLUB
Fans are invited to join the 50-50 Club to support Houston Men's Basketball. 50-50 Club members help fund program necessities and enhance the experience for our student-athletes.

Fans who join the 50-50 Club will receive embroidered Jordan Brand team apparel, invitations to exclusive events, regular updates about the program and much more.

For more information or to sign up, fans may visit uhcougars.com/5050club or click here. To join the 50-50 Club, fans may call Cougar Pride at 713-743-GoUH (4687).

STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarMBK on Twitter and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at UHCougarMBK or by visiting the team's Instagram page at UHCougarMBK.

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