PREVIEW: #7/5 Men’s Basketball Meets #12/11 Kansas on Saturday

Saturday, January 25

Lawrence, Kan.

5:30 p.m.

University of Houston

#12/11 Kansas

Tickets

PREVIEW: #7/5 Men’s Basketball Meets #12/11 Kansas on Saturday

1/24/2025 9:29:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Digital Game Program Watch (ESPN)Listen (950 AM KPRC)Varsity Network app Live Stats (StatBroadcast)Houston Game Notes (PDF)Kansas Statistics (PDF)Big 12 Notes (PDF)

Cougars tip off vs. Jayhawks at 5:30 p.m., inside Phog Allen Fieldhouse

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Winners of its last 11 games overall and its last 16 Big 12 Conference games, the #7/5 University of Houston Men's Basketball program returns to action when it faces #12/11 Kansas at 5:30 p.m., Saturday, inside Phog Allen Fieldhouse.

The Cougars enter this weekend's game following a 70-36 win over Utah inside Fertitta Center in a game which was pushed back a day due to the severe winter weather that struck the nation earlier this week.

Houston forced 26 Utah turnovers, leading to 29 points, with a Fertitta Center-record 19 steals and blocked 11 shots. The 36 points allowed to the Utes tied the Big 12 record for scoring defense in conference games, set in Oklahoma's 81-36 win over Texas Tech on Jan. 28, 2015.

Junior point guard Milos Uzan posted a season-high 14 points with five assists and only one turnover while graduate guard LJ Cryer added 13 points, thanks to 3-of-4 shooting from the arc. Sophomore guard Terrance Arceneaux did a little of everything against the Utes with 10 points, six rebounds, three assists and a career-high four steals.

Houston's current 16-game Big-12 winning streak is the longest in league history by any school other than Kansas, is the longest in the conference since 2020 and is the fourth-longest in Big 12 history.

LONGEST WINNING STREAKS in BIG 12 CONFERENCE GAMES

Rk.	No.	School	Dates
1.	23	Kansas	Feb. 20, 2001 – Jan. 18, 2003
t2.	17	Kansas	Feb. 3, 2016 – Jan. 21, 2017
		Kansas	Jan. 14, 2020 – Dec. 22, 2020
4.	16	Houston	Feb. 6, 2024 – present
t5.	15.	Kansas	Jan. 24, 1998 – Jan. 18, 1999
		Kansas	Feb. 9, 2012 – Jan. 28, 2013

TUNE IN
• Fans can watch Saturday's game on ESPN with Jon Sciambi (play-by-play) and Fran Fraschilla (analyst) calling.
• Fans can hear Saturday's game on 950 AM KPRC and the Varsity Network app with Jeremy Branham (play-by-play) calling. The pregame show begins at 5:15 p.m., Saturday.
• Fans can follow live stats from Saturday's game by visiting StatBroadcast.com and following the appropriate links or by clicking here.

HOUSTON in NCAA STATISTICAL LEADERS
• Through games of Jan. 22, Houston leads the nation in field goal percentage defense (.353), scoring defense (53.9 ppg), scoring margin (+21.9) and turnovers per game (8.9). The Cougars have led the nation in field goal percentage defense in each of the last four full seasons and topped the country in scoring defense a year ago.
• The Cougars rank sixth in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage at .399 and rank fifth in turnover margin (+6.1).
• Junior point guard Milos Uzan leads the Big 12 and stands third nationally with a 4.14 assist-turnover ratio. The Las Vegas native has recorded one or fewer turnovers in 12 games in 2024-25.
• Sophomore forward Joseph Tugler ranks 13^th in the nation and third in the Big 12 with 2.3 blocked shots per game.
• Junior guard Emanuel Sharp leads the Big 12 and stands eighth nationally with a .459 3-point percentage. In addition to his long-range shooting, the Tampa, Fla., leads the league and is eighth nationally with his .92.7 free throw percentage.

NATIONAL POLLS
• The Cougars stood at #7 in the Associated Press poll and at #5 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches poll released Monday.
• This marked the 97^th consecutive week in which Houston was ranked, the nation's longest active streak and extending its school record.
• Houston is 29-5 when playing as the #7 (AP) team during its history and has won its last 13 games as the #7 (AP) team. The Cougars have not lost as the #7 (AP) since a 102-89 loss to Louisiana during the NCAA Tournament Midwest Region First Round in Wichita, Kan., on March 10, 1973.
• This marks the sixth week in which Houston will compete as an AP Top-10 school during the 2024-25 season.

ABOUT KANSAS
• Kansas brings a 14-4 overall record and 5-2 mark in Big 12 Conference play into Saturday's game.
• The Jayhawks are tied with Texas Tech for fourth in the latest Big 12 standings.
• Kansas is 9-1 in home games during the 2024-25 season.
• The Jayhawks have won their last two and five of their last six games. Only a 74-57 loss at Iowa State on Jan. 15 prevents a longer streak.
• In its most recent action, Kansas took a 74-61 win at TCU in Fort Worth, Texas on Wednesday night. The Jayhawks outscored the Horned Frogs, 41-26, in the second half.
• Against TCU, graduate center Hunter Dickinson led all players with 16 points on 7-of-10 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds. Senior guard Zeke Mayo posted 13 points with two rebounds and two assists while graduate guard Shakeel Moore finished with 11 points, two rebounds, two assists and a pair of steals. Freshman forward Flory Bidunga totaled 10 points with game highs of 10 rebounds and four blocks while junior guard AJ Storr came off the bench to score 12 points with six rebounds and three steals.
• This season, Dickinson leads the Jayhawks with 15.8 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. Mayo is a close second with 14.9 points per game while Dajuan Harris Jr. leads the team with 5.4 assists per contest.
• Head Coach Bill Self is in his 22nd season at Kansas and his 32nd season as a collegiate head coach.
• Self has built an 809-252 record during his career and is 602-147 during his career at Kansas.
• He previously compiled 78-24 record at Illinois (2001-02), a 74-27 mark at Tulsa (1997-00) and a 55-54 record at Oral Roberts (1993-97).
• Self has a 1-2 record against Houston during his career with a 1-1 mark with Kansas. He also was 0-1 against the Cougars with Tulsa.
• Self has a 3-5 record against Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson during their careers. That includes a 3-2 mark with Kansas and an 0-3 record with Oral Roberts.
• 1985 graduate of Oklahoma State.

SERIES HISTORY vs. KANSAS
• Kansas holds a 6-3 lead against Houston in the series, which began during the 1966-67 season.
• Saturday's game marks the second straight season in which the two schools will meet as Big 12 Conference rivals.
• Saturday's game is the first of two regular-season meetings in 2024-25. Kansas returns Fertitta Center in the Cougars' home finale on Monday, March 3.
• Kansas has won four of the last five meetings. However, Houston can boast of the most recent success following a 76-46 win inside Fertitta Center in Houston on March 9, 2024.
• In the most recent meetings, the two teams split the 2023-24 regular-season series. Kansas claimed a 78-65 win in Lawrence, Kan., on Feb. 3, 2024, before the Cougars took a 76-46 win inside Fertitta Center in Houston on March 9, 2024, in the regular-season finale for both teams.
• In the first meeting against Kansas, Houston took a 66-53 win during the NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional in Lawrence, Kan., on March 17, 1967.
on Road: The Cougars are 1-3 in home games against Kansas during the series history.
• Houston has lost each of its last three meetings against the Jayhawks in Lawrence, Kan.
• In the most recent road meeting, Houston dropped a 78-65 decision inside Phog Allen Fieldhouse on Feb. 3, 2024.
• In the first meeting in Lawrence, Kan., the Cougars enjoyed a 66-53 win during the NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional on March 17, 1967.

UP NEXT
• Following Saturday's game, Houston continues its road swing to close the month of January when it faces West Virginia for the second time this season, this time at 6 p.m. (CST), Wednesday, Jan. 29, inside WVU Coliseum in Morgantown, W.Va. That game will air on ESPN+.
• From there, the Cougars open the month of February when they play host to Texas Tech at 5 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 1. That game will air on ESPN or ESPN2.
• The Cougars will celebrate the retirement of Houston great Don Chaney's #24 jersey at halftime and wear their Houston Blue uniforms for the first time.
• All Houston Men's Basketball games can be heard on 950 AM KPRC and the Varsity Network app.

BUY 2024-25 TICKETS
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SUPPORT YOUR COOGS
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