PREVIEW: #1/2 Men’s Basketball Faces Auburn on Sunday

Sunday, November 16

Legacy Arena at the BJCC – Birmingham, Ala.

2 p.m.

University of Houston

Auburn

Tickets

PREVIEW: #1/2 Men’s Basketball Faces Auburn on Sunday

11/15/2025 10:09:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Fan Fest Tickets Watch (ESPN)Listen (950 AM KPRC)Listen (Varsity Network app)Listen (Sirius XM Ch.113/198)Live Stats Houston Game Notes (PDF)Auburn Game Notes (PDF)Big 12 Notes (PDF)

Cougars tip off vs. Tigers at 2 p.m., at RxBenefits Battleground 2k25 inside Legacy Arena in Birmingham

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – For the third straight season, the #1/2 University of Houston Men's Basketball program will meet #22/25 Auburn when it tips off at the RxBenefits Battleground 2k25 at 2 p.m., Sunday, inside Legacy Arena in The BJCC.

Winners of their first three games to open the season, the Cougars enter this weekend's contest following an impressive 78-45 win over Oakland in Fertitta Center on Wednesday. Freshman point guard Kingston Flemings scored a team-high 19 points and fell just shy of his first career double-double with a game-high nine assists with no turnovers while senior guard Emanuel Sharp totaled 19 points, thanks to 5-of-9 shooting from the 3-point line.

This season, Sharp leads Houston with 17.3 points per game. The Tampa, Fla., native has buried at least one 3-pointer in each of his last 18 games.

Freshman center/forward Chris Cenac Jr. paces Houston with 9.0 rebounds, including 3.0 offensive boards per game, and is tied for fourth in the Big 12 with the former total. After swatting four shots against Oakland earlier this week, junior forward Joseph Tugler tops the Cougars and the Big 12 with 3.0 blocked shots per game.

RxBENEFITS BATTLEGROUND 2k25 FAN FEST
• Basketball fans in Birmingham will want to join the Cougars and Auburn at Fan Fest on Saturday afternoon.
• The Fan Fest Experience begins at 3 p.m., Saturday at the City Walk – Green Amphitheater and features a live DJ and MC, food trucks, vendor booths, games and Kids Zones, giveaways and event merchandise.
• Houston Coach Kelvin Sampson, Auburn Coach Steven Pearl and student-athletes from both teams will participate in the press conference beginning at 4 p.m., Saturday, at the BJCC South Exhibit Hall.

TUNE IN
• Fans can watch Sunday's game on ESPN with Kevin Brown (play-by-play) and Fran Fraschilla (analyst) calling.
• Fans can hear Sunday's game on 950 AM KPRC, the Varsity Network app and SiriusXM Ch. 113 or Ch. 198 with Jeremy Branham (play-by-play) calling. The pregame show begins at 1:45 p.m., Sunday.
• Fans can follow live stats from Sunday's game by clicking here.

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.
• Houston has posted a 40-7 record when competing as the #1 (AP team) during its history and won seven of its last eight games in that position.
• 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.

ABOUT AUBURN
• Auburn enters Sunday's game with a 3-0 overall record.
• The Tigers are ranked #22 in the latest Associated Press poll and at #25 in Monday's USA TODAY Sports Coaches poll.
• Sunday's game will be Auburn's first neutral-site action of the season.
• In its most recent action, Auburn took a 93-62 win over Wofford inside Neville Arena in Auburn, Ala., on Tuesday.
• Against Wofford, senior guard Keyshawn Hall led the Tigers with 20 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, two steals and three blocked shots. Sophomore guard Elyjah Freeman posted a game-high 21 points with five rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals while junior guard Kevin Overton came off the bench to record 13 points with two rebounds and a game-high three steals.
• This season, Hall leads Auburn with 24.3 points and 11.0 rebounds per game. He is one of six Tigers averaging double-digit points.
• Senior forward KeShawn Murphy stands second with 17.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game while freshman forward Sebastian Williams-Adams is third with 12.3 points per contest. Freeman averages 11.36 points and 6.0 rebounds per game while sophomore guard Tahaad Pettiford posts 11.0 points with a team-high 3.7 assists per game. Overton averages 10.7 points and a team-best 2.7 steals per game.
• Head Coach Steven Pearl is in his first full season at Auburn and as a collegiate head coach.
• During the 2021-22 season, Pearl served as acting head coach for one game against North Alabama on Dec. 14, 2021, as his father, then-Head Coach Bruce Pearl, served an NCAA suspension.
• Pearl has built a 4-0 record at Auburn and during his career.
• Sunday's game will be the first time that Pearl has faced Houston during his career.
• Sunday's game will be the first time that Pearl has faced Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson during their careers.
• 2010 graduate of Tennessee.

SERIES HISTORY vs. AUBURN
• Houston holds a 7-2 lead in the series, which began during the 1961-62 season.
• This marks the third consecutive season in which the schools will play.
• The Cougars have won six of the last seven meetings.
• However, then #11/11 Auburn can boast of the most recent success after taking a 74-69 win over the fourth-ranked Cougars during the Mattress Firm Battleground 2k24 inside Toyota Center in downtown Houston on Nov. 9, 2024.
at Neutral Site: Houston owns a 2-1 lead in the series in games played at a neutral site.
• In the most recent neutral-site meeting, then #11/11 Auburn claimed a 74-69 win over the fourth-ranked Cougars during the Mattress Firm Battleground 2k24 inside Toyota Center in downtown Houston on Nov. 9, 2024.
• In the first neutral-site meeting, Houston took an 89-76 win during the Sugar Bowl classic inside Loyola Field House in New Orleans on Dec. 30, 1965.
in Legacy Arena: Houston owns a 1-0 lead in the series in games played inside Legacy Arena in The BJCC in Birmingham, Ala.
• In the lone previous meeting, #2/1 (1) Houston enjoyed an 81-64 win over (9) Alabama during the NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional Round of 32 on March 18, 2023.

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.

UP NEXT
• Following Sunday's game, 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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