PREVIEW: #15/12 Men’s Basketball Opens Big 12 Play on Monday

STILLWATER, Okla. – Winners of its last four games and five of its last six, the #15/12 University of Houston Men's Basketball program closes the year 2024 and opens its Big 12 Conference schedule when it meets Oklahoma State at 7 p.m., Monday, inside Gallagher-Iba Arena.

Houston enters its conference opener following an 87-51 win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi inside Fertitta Center on Dec. 21. That victory extended the Cougars' home winning streak to 29 straight games – longest in the nation – and was the 100^th win since the $60 million facility opened on Dec. 1, 2018.

Against the Islanders, junior guard Emanuel Sharp totaled 18 points, thanks to 9-of-9 shooting from the free throw line, while graduate guard LJ Cryer totaled 17 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the arc. Graduate guard Mylik Wilson posted eight points with two assists and a pair of steals and snared a game-high 11 rebounds in the win.

This season, Cryer leads the Cougars with 14.8 points per game with Sharp a close second at 14.7 points per contest. Cryer and Sharp are ranked among the Big 12 Top-10 leaders in both 3-point field goal percentage and 3-point field goals per game.

TUNE IN
• Fans can watch Monday's game on ESPN+ with James Westling (play-by-play) and King McClure (analyst) calling.
• Fans can hear Monday's game on 950 AM KPRC and the Varsity Network app with Jeremy Branham (play-by-play) calling. The pregame show begins at 6:45 p.m., Monday.
• Fans can follow live stats from Monday's game by visiting StatBroadcast.com and following the appropriate links or by clicking here.

CONFERENCE OPENER HISTORY
• With its 89-55 win over West Virginia in Fertitta Center on Jan. 6, 2024, Houston improved to 39-25 during its conference opener history.
• The Cougars have won their last nine conference openers and 16 of their last 17. Only a 73-54 loss at Memphis on Dec. 31, 2014, prevents a longer Houston winning streak.
• Houston has posted a 1-0 record in conference openers in the Big 12, a 9-1 mark in the American Athletic Conference, a 7-10 record in Conference USA, an 11-10 mark in the Southwest Conference, an 8-2 record in the Missouri Valley Conference, a 1-0 mark in the Gulf Coast Conference and a 2-2 record in the Lone Star Conference.
in Big 12 Conference: Houston is 1-0 in Big 12 openers after its 89-55 win over West Virginia in Fertitta Center on Jan. 6, 2024.
in Conference Road Openers: Houston is 28-36 in conference road openers during its history.
• This includes an 0-1 mark in the Big 12 Conference, an 8-2 mark in the American Athletic Conference, a 3-14 record in Conference USA, a 10-11 mark in the Southwest Conference, a 4-6 record in the Missouri Valley Conference, a 1-0 mark in the Gulf Coast Conference and a 2-2 record in the Lone Star Conference.
• Despite its Jan. 9, 2024, loss at rv/rv Iowa State, the Cougars have won four of their last five Conference road openers.

NATIONAL POLLS
• The Cougars stood at #15 in the Associated Press poll and rose to #12 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches polls released Monday.
• This marked the 93^rd consecutive week in which Houston was ranked, the nation's longest active streak and extending its school record.
• Houston is 18-4 when playing as the #15 (AP) team during its history and has won nine of its last 10 games as the #15 (AP) team.

ABOUT OKLAHOMA STATE
• Oklahoma State brings an 8-3 record into Monday's game in Stillwater, Okla.,
• Monday's game will be the Big 12 Conference opener for both schools.
• The Cowboys have won their last two and four of their last five games. Only an 80-65 loss to Oklahoma in Oklahoma City on Dec. 14, prevents a longer streak.
• In its most recent action, Oklahoma State took an 86-74 win over Oral Roberts in Stillwater, Okla., on Dec. 22.
• Against Oral Roberts, fifth-year forward Abou Ousmane led four Cowboys in double-digit scoring with 19 points and paced the team with seven rebounds and two blocked shots. Graduate guard Bryce Thompson totaled 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting while senior guard Khalil Brantley and Jamryon Keller chipped in with 10 points apiece.
• This season, fifth-year forward Marchelus Avery leads Oklahoma State with 13.0 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Ousmane stands second among the Cowboys with 12.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game but leads the team with 1.1 blocks per contest. Thompson is third with 10.5 points per game while junior guard Arturo Dean paces the team with 3.0 assists per game.
• Head Coach Steve Lutz is in his first season at Oklahoma State and his fourth year and as a collegiate head coach.
• Lutz has built a 77-38 record during his career and his 8-3 at Oklahoma State.
• Lutz previously compiled a 22-12 record at Western Kentucky (2023-24) and a 47-23 mark at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (2021-23).
• Monday's game will be the first time Lutz has faced Houston.
• Monday's game will be the first time that Lutz has faced Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson during their careers.
• 1995 graduate of Texas Lutheran.

SERIES HISTORY vs. OKLAHOMA STATE
• Oklahoma State owns a 13-10 lead against Houston in the series, which began during the 1950-51 season.
• Monday's game will be the first of two regular-season meetings against Oklahoma State. The Cowboys visit Fertitta Center on Feb. 4, 2025.
• The Cougars have won the last two games and three of the last four meetings against the Cowboys. Only a 61-55 loss to Oklahoma State inside Fertitta Center on Dec. 15, 2019, prevents a longer streak.
• Houston has not won three straight games against Oklahoma State during the series history.
• In the most recent meeting, Houston took a 79-63 win inside Fertitta Center on Feb. 6, 2024, in the first meeting of the schools as Big 12 Conference rivals.
• In the first meeting against the Cowboys, Oklahoma State took a 61-52 win in Houston on Dec. 21, 1951.
on Road: Oklahoma State owns an 8-1 record against Houston in games played on the Cowboys' home court during the series history.
• However, the Cougars can boast of the most recent success after taking a 63-53 win inside Gallager-Iba Arena on Dec. 8, 2018.
• In the first road meeting, Oklahoma State took a 57-39 win over the Cougars in Stillwater, Okla., on March 7, 1951.

UP NEXT
• Following Monday's game, Houston returns home to open Big 12 play in the Fertitta Center and the year 2025 against BYU at 1 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 4.
• That game will air on ESPN+.
• The Cougars continue their conference homestand as they host TCU at 8 p.m., Monday, Jan. 6, inside Fertitta Center.
• That game will air on ESPN2.
• From there, the Cougars hit the road to face Kansas State at 5 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 11, inside Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan, Kan.
• That game can be seen on ESPN+.
• All Houston Men's Basketball games can be heard on 950 AM KPRC and the Varsity Network app.

BUY 2024-25 TICKETS
Non-season ticket holders interested in purchasing season tickets are invited to place their names on the Season Ticket Wait List by clicking here.

SUPPORT YOUR COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Men's Basketball by supporting Linking Coogs – UH's NIL collective – and by joining the 50-50 Club, which provides financial support directly to Houston Men's Basketball for needs beyond its operating budget.

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.

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