PREVIEW: #1/2 Men’s Basketball Meets Oakland on Wednesday

Wednesday, November 12

Houston, Texas

7 p.m.

University of Houston

Oakland

Tickets

Fans, Students, Newspapers, Sasha, Spirit, Students

PREVIEW: #1/2 Men’s Basketball Meets Oakland on Wednesday

11/10/2025 4:29:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Preview – Coach Kelvin Sampson (YouTube)Digital Game Program Watch (ESPN+)Listen (950 AM KPRC)Listen (Varsity Network)Listen (SiriusXM Ch. 84)Live Stats

Cougars face Golden Grizzlies for first time since 2011-12 season at 7 p.m., inside Fertitta Center

HOUSTON – Winners of its first two games to open the season, the #1/2 University of Houston Men's Basketball program wraps up its season-long homestand when it plays host to Oakland at 7 p.m., Wednesday, inside Fertitta Center.

The Cougars (2-0) enter Wednesday's game following a 65-48 win over Towson last weekend inside Fertitta Center. Freshman point guard Kingston Flemings totaled 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting and added two rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals.

Flemings became the first Cougar freshman to score 20+ points in his first two games since point guard Tramon Mark accomplished the feat against Lamar during the 2020-21 season opener inside Fertitta Center on Nov. 25, 2020.

Freshman center/forward Chris Cenac Jr. grabbed a game- and career-high 13 rebounds, including four offensive boards, for his second straight game with double-digit rebounds. He became the first freshman to record double-digit rebounding performances in each of the first two games to open the season in school history and the first Cougar to accomplish that since forward Devin Davis in 2016-17.

Cenac's 23 rebounds is the highest combined, two-game total to open a season since forward TaShawn Thomas snared 30 rebounds (20, 10) in the first two games of the 2012-13 season against Florida A&M (Nov. 9, 2012) and at San Jose State (Nov. 13, 2012).

COACHING CLASH
• Wednesday's game features two of the winningest and most tenure head coaches the NCAA Basketball.
• Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson is one of 17 coaches (among those with 10+ years in NCAA Division I) to reach 800 wins and is the fourth-winningest active coach with 801 victories.
• Sampson also stands fourth among current active Division I coaches with 1,155 games coached in more than 36 years on the sideline.
• Oakland Head Coach Greg Kampe is the most-tenured active Division I coach, having worked 1,272 games in more than 41 seasons at Oakland. Kampe leads all active coaches with his games total.

PROMOTIONS
• Fans can view Wednesday's digital game program by clicking here.
• Fans are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items and deposit at the collection units at the Fertitta Center entrances.
• Cougar Brass will perform the national anthem before the game.
• Just before tipoff, XXX will lead fans in the Whose House? Coogs' House! chant.
• At halftime, BASE Breakdancers will perform.

PEEKING at the POLLS
• Houston rose to #1 in the Associated Press and remained steady at #2 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches polls, released Monday.
• This was the fifth season in which the Cougars were ranked #1 for at least one week.
• It marked the earliest Houston reached the top ranking in the program history and topped the previous best of the third poll of the 2022-23 season, released on Nov. 28, 2023.
• Houston has posted a 39-7 record when competing as the #1 (AP team) during its history and won six of its last seven games in that position.
• This marked the 252^nd week in which the Cougars were ranked in the AP Top 25.
• It also marked the 108^th consecutive week in which the Cougars stood among the AP Top 25. That is a school record and ranks as the nation's longest active streak.
• Houston has appeared in every AP Top 25 poll since Jan. 20, 2020.

BUY TICKETS
Single-game home tickets for all games inside Fertitta Center are now on sale, and fans are encouraged to purchase quickly while supplies last. The two-time defending Big 12 Conference Champions, Houston will play host to 16 home games inside Fertitta Center with seven in non-conference play and nine in Big 12 action in 2025-26.

Fans interested in purchasing group tickets may complete this form to be contacted by a member of the Houston Athletics Tickets Sales staff.

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

TUNE IN
• Fans can watch Wednesday's game on ESPN+ with Matt Pedersen (play-by-play), Reid Gettys (analyst), and Austyn Iven (reporter) calling.
• Fans can hear Wednesday's game on 950 AM KPRC, the Varsity Network app and the SiriusXM Ch. 84 with Jeremy Branham (play-by-play) and Elvin Hayes (analyst) calling. The pregame show begins at 6:45 p.m., Wednesday.
• Fans can follow live stats from Wednesday's game by clicking here.

ABOUT OAKLAND
• Oakland enters Wednesday's game with an 0-2 overall record.
• The Golden Grizzlies will play three straight Top-Seven opponents to open the 2025-26 with #7/7 Michigan (L, 78-121; Nov. 3); #1/1 Purdue (L, 77-87 Nov. 7) and the #1/2 Cougars on Wednesday.
• Oakland is 0-2 in road games this season.
• In its most recent action, Oakland dropped an 87-77 decision at Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind., on Friday night.
• Against Purdue, all five Oakland starters scored double-digit points with senior guard Ziare Wells leading the way with 21 points on 9-of-16 shooting and 12 rebounds. Sophomore guard Nassim Mashhour posted 15 points with five rebounds while fifth-year forward Tuburu Naivalurua and senior guard Brody Robinson tallied 11 points and a team-high four assists apiece. Junior forward Isaac Garrett totaled 10 points with five rebounds and three assists in the loss.
• Head Coach Greg Kampe is in his 42nd season at Oakland and as a collegiate head coach.
• Kampe has built a 715-557 career record.
• Kampe is 1-0 against Houston during his career
• Wednesday's game will be the first time that Sampson has faced Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson during their careers.
• 1978 graduate of Bowling Green.

SERIES HISTORY vs. OAKLAND
• Oakland holds a 1-0 lead in the series, which began during the 2011-12 season.
• In the lone previous meeting, the Golden Grizzlies claimed a 76-74 win inside Hofheinz Pavilion in Houston on Nov. 22, 2011.
at Home: Houston has posted an 0-1 record in home games in Houston against Oakland during the series history.
• In the lone previous meeting, the Golden Grizzlies claimed a 76-74 win inside Hofheinz Pavilion in Houston on Nov. 22, 2011.
in Fertitta Center: Wednesday's game will be the first time that Houston has faced Oakland inside Fertitta Center.

UP NEXT
• Following Wednesday's game, the Cougars meet #20/22 Auburn at 2 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 16, during the RxBenefits The Battleground 2k25 inside Legacy Arena at The BJCC in Birmingham, Ala. That game will air on ESPN.
• From there, Houston returns to Fertitta Center to play host to Rider at 8 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 20. That game will air on TNT.
• Houston then heads to Las Vegas to compete at the Players Era Championship on Nov. 24-26.
• The Cougars open the prestigious event at 5 p.m. (CST), Nov. 24, against Syracuse before facing #18/17 Tennessee at 5 p.m. (CST), Nov. 25.
• Houston's final Players Era Championship opponent will be determined by results from the first two days.
• All Houston Men's Basketball games can be heard on 950 AM KPRC, the Varsity Network app and Sirius XM Radio.

SUPPORT YOUR COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Men's Basketball by providing NIL opportunities 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.

STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarMBK on X 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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