University of Houston Athletics
Saturday, December 13
Houston, Texas
2 p.m.
University of Houston
vs
New Orleans
PREVIEW: #7/8 Men’s Basketball Faces New Orleans on Saturday
12/12/2025 8:06:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Digital Game ProgramWatch (ESPN+)Listen (950 AM KPRC)Listen (Varsity Network app)Listen (SiriusXM Ch. 137 or Ch. 198)Live Stats (StatBroadcast)Houston Game Notes (PDF)New Orleans Game Notes (PDF)Big 12 Notes (PDF)
Cougars tip off at 2 p.m., Saturday, inside Fertitta Center to cap homestand
HOUSTON – The #7/8 University of Houston Men's Basketball program wraps up its brief homestand when it faces New Orleans at 2 p.m., Saturday, inside Fertitta Center in a game presented by Lewis Jewelers.
Houston (9-1) enters Saturday's game following an 80-38 win over Jackson State in Fertitta Center on Wednesday night. Senior guard Emanuel Sharp led all players with 23 points and five 3-pointers for his second straight 20-point effort, and freshman guard Isiah Harwell added a career high 20 points with four rebounds in the win.
Redshirt freshman forward Chase McCarty snared a team-high and career-best seven rebounds, including four offensive boards, while freshman point guard Kingston Flemings topped all players with six assists in the win.
This season, Sharp leads the Cougars and ranks eighth in the Big 12 Conference with 18.1 points per game. Flemings stands second on the team with 14.8 points per game and a .611 field goal percentage but leads Houston and is tied for ninth in the league with 5.1 assists per contest.
PROMOTIONS
• Saturday's game is presented by Lewis Jewelers.
• Current University of Houston students can claim two tickets for Saturday's game by logging into the Student Ticket account or by clicking here.
• Fans can take photos with Shasta and Sasha Claus in the Cub Zone behind Sections 107-109 during pregame warmups.
• Rheana Collins will perform the national anthem prior to the game.
• A member of the University of Houston Class of 2025 will lead fans in the Whose House? Coogs' House chant prior to tipoff.
• At halftime, University of Houston Class of 2025 December graduates will be recognized in a special ceremony
NOTES
• Houston has won its last 10 home games inside Fertitta Center and 43 of its last 45. The Cougars have posted a 114-7 record inside Fertitta Center since the facility opened on December 1, 2018.
• Redshirt sophomore center Jacob McFarland made his collegiate debut in Wednesday's win over Jackson State. Now in his third season at Houston, McFarland sat out the 2023-24 season as a redshirt but practiced regularly with the team in his first year with the Cougars. He suffered a gruesome broken leg in practice in late October 2024 and was forced to miss the entire 2024-25 season. In mid-September 2025, McFarland underwent a second surgery to replace the rod in that leg with a larger rod to promote further healing, delaying his start to the 2025-26 campaign.
• With a game-high 23 points against Jackson State, senior guard Emanuel Sharp moved into 25th in Houston career history with 1,311 points. Sharp moved past guard Tim Moore (1,298 pts., 1993-96, 25th). Up next in the Houston records book is forward Larry Micheaux (1,322 pts., 1979-83, 24th).
• With five 3-point field goals, senior guard Emanuel Sharp moved into fourth in Houston career history with 245 3-pointers. Up next in the Houston records book is guard Kelvin Lewis (251, 2007-10, 3rd).
• With five 3-pointers against Jackson State, senior guard Emanuel Sharp recorded his 25th consecutive game with a 3-pointer dating back to last season. That tied with guard Robert McKiver for the ninth-longest streak in Houston history. Up next in the Houston records book are guard Corey Davis Jr. (Feb. 23, 2018 to March 30, 2019), guard Jherrod Stiggers (Feb. 5, 2014 to Jan. 15, 2015) and guard Kelvin Lewis (Nov. 13, 2006 to Feb. 19, 2017), who are each tied for sixth in school history with 26-game streaks.
• Junior forward Joseph Tugler is third in the Big 12 with 2.2 blocks per game and is tied for 13th in the league with 1.7 steals per contest. Through games of December 10, he is one of only two student-athletes to rank among the Big 12's Top-14 leaders in both categories. He joins TCU's David Punch (2.11 bpg, t-4th; 1.67 spg, t-9th).
FAMILY BUSINESS
• Sophomore guard Mercy Miller will square off against his father's team in Fertitta Center on Saturday afternoon.
• The elder Miller, better known as the rapper Master P before becoming a serial entrepreneur and philanthropist, joined the New Orleans staff in February 2025 as president of basketball operations and assistant coach.
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.
ABOUT NEW ORLEANS
• New Orleans enters Saturday's game with a 3-7 overall record and 1-1 mark in the Southland Conference.
• The Privateers took an 84-83 home win over UIW in New Orleans on Monday night to snap a six-game losing streak.
• New Orleans is tied for fifth in the Southland Conference through games of December 9.
• The Privateers are 2-6 in road games this season.
• In its most recent action, New Orleans claimed an 84-83 win over UIW inside Lakefront Arena in New Orleans on Monday.
• Against UIW, sophomore guard TJ Cope drained a jumper with 41 seconds left to give the Privateers the lead for good, and New Orleans forced a missed shot on the final play to take the win.
• Cope led four Privateers in double digits with 19 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field and added five rebounds with two assists and a pair of blocked shots. Senior guard Jakevion Buckley added 18 points with a game-high seven assists and three steals while sophomore forward MJ Thomas totaled 16 points with a game-high eight rebounds and added three assists and three steals. Freshman forward Panagiotis Pagonis came off the bench to score 14 points with a pair of assists.
• This season, senior guard Coleton Benson leads New Orleans with 15.1 points per game. Buckley stands second on the team with 14.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while Thomas ranks third with 10.2 points per game but leads UNO with 7.5 rebounds per contest.
• Head Coach Stacy Hollowell is in his second season at New Orleans and his 10th year as a collegiate head coach.
• Williams has built a 7-34 record with New Orleans and is 173-112 during his career.
• Previously posted a 166-78 record at Loyola (La.) (2014-22).
• Saturday's game will be the first time that Hollowell has faced Houston.
• Saturday's game will be the first time that Hollowell has faced Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson during their careers.
• Hollowell is 2001 graduate of St. Edward's.
SERIES HISTORY vs. NEW ORLEANS
• Houston owns a 4-1 lead in the series, which began during the 1972-73 season.
• Saturday's game will be the first time that the Cougars have faced New Orleans since the 2017-18 season.
• The Cougars have won the last two meetings against New Orleans.
• In the most recent meeting, Houston took a 75-66 win over the Privateers inside H&PE Arena on the Texas Southern campus in Houston on November 20, 2017.
• In the first meeting of the series, the #15 Cougars enjoyed a 92-71 win inside Hofheinz Pavilion in Houston on November 24, 1972.
• The Privateers' lone win in the series was a 71-64 victory in New Orleans on January 6, 1987.
at Home: Houston owns a 4-0 lead against New Orleans in the home games played in Houston.
• Wednesday's game marks the third straight season in which the two schools will face one inside Fertitta Center.
• In the most recent home meeting, Houston took a 75-66 win over the Privateers inside H&PE Arena on the Texas Southern campus in Houston on November 20, 2017.
• In the first home meeting of the series, the #15 Cougars enjoyed a 92-71 win inside Hofheinz Pavilion in Houston on November 24, 1972.
in Fertitta Center: Saturday's game will be the first time Houston has faced New Orleans inside Fertitta Center.
TUNE IN
• Fans can watch Saturday's game on ESPN+ with Matt Pedersen (play-by-play), Reid Gettys (analyst) and Austyn Iven (reporter) calling.
• Fans can hear Saturday's game on 950 AM KPRC, the Varsity Network app and SiriusXM Ch. 106 or Ch. 198 with Jeremy Branham (play-by-play) and Hall of Famer Elvin Hayes (analyst) calling. The pregame show begins at 6:45 p.m., Wednesday.
• Fans can follow live stats from Saturday's game on StatBroadcast.
UP NEXT
• Following Saturday's game, Houston faces #17/17 Arkansas inside Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., during the Never Forget Tribute Classic on December 20.
• That game tips off at 5:30 p.m. (EST) / 4:30 p.m. (CST) and will air on CBS and Paramount+.
• Houston closes its non-conference regular-season schedule when it meets Middle Tennessee at 7 p.m., Monday, December 29, inside Fertitta Center.
• That game will air on ESPN+.
• 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.
Houston (9-1) enters Saturday's game following an 80-38 win over Jackson State in Fertitta Center on Wednesday night. Senior guard Emanuel Sharp led all players with 23 points and five 3-pointers for his second straight 20-point effort, and freshman guard Isiah Harwell added a career high 20 points with four rebounds in the win.
Redshirt freshman forward Chase McCarty snared a team-high and career-best seven rebounds, including four offensive boards, while freshman point guard Kingston Flemings topped all players with six assists in the win.
This season, Sharp leads the Cougars and ranks eighth in the Big 12 Conference with 18.1 points per game. Flemings stands second on the team with 14.8 points per game and a .611 field goal percentage but leads Houston and is tied for ninth in the league with 5.1 assists per contest.
PROMOTIONS
• Saturday's game is presented by Lewis Jewelers.
• Current University of Houston students can claim two tickets for Saturday's game by logging into the Student Ticket account or by clicking here.
• Fans can take photos with Shasta and Sasha Claus in the Cub Zone behind Sections 107-109 during pregame warmups.
• Rheana Collins will perform the national anthem prior to the game.
• A member of the University of Houston Class of 2025 will lead fans in the Whose House? Coogs' House chant prior to tipoff.
• At halftime, University of Houston Class of 2025 December graduates will be recognized in a special ceremony
NOTES
• Houston has won its last 10 home games inside Fertitta Center and 43 of its last 45. The Cougars have posted a 114-7 record inside Fertitta Center since the facility opened on December 1, 2018.
• Redshirt sophomore center Jacob McFarland made his collegiate debut in Wednesday's win over Jackson State. Now in his third season at Houston, McFarland sat out the 2023-24 season as a redshirt but practiced regularly with the team in his first year with the Cougars. He suffered a gruesome broken leg in practice in late October 2024 and was forced to miss the entire 2024-25 season. In mid-September 2025, McFarland underwent a second surgery to replace the rod in that leg with a larger rod to promote further healing, delaying his start to the 2025-26 campaign.
• With a game-high 23 points against Jackson State, senior guard Emanuel Sharp moved into 25th in Houston career history with 1,311 points. Sharp moved past guard Tim Moore (1,298 pts., 1993-96, 25th). Up next in the Houston records book is forward Larry Micheaux (1,322 pts., 1979-83, 24th).
• With five 3-point field goals, senior guard Emanuel Sharp moved into fourth in Houston career history with 245 3-pointers. Up next in the Houston records book is guard Kelvin Lewis (251, 2007-10, 3rd).
• With five 3-pointers against Jackson State, senior guard Emanuel Sharp recorded his 25th consecutive game with a 3-pointer dating back to last season. That tied with guard Robert McKiver for the ninth-longest streak in Houston history. Up next in the Houston records book are guard Corey Davis Jr. (Feb. 23, 2018 to March 30, 2019), guard Jherrod Stiggers (Feb. 5, 2014 to Jan. 15, 2015) and guard Kelvin Lewis (Nov. 13, 2006 to Feb. 19, 2017), who are each tied for sixth in school history with 26-game streaks.
• Junior forward Joseph Tugler is third in the Big 12 with 2.2 blocks per game and is tied for 13th in the league with 1.7 steals per contest. Through games of December 10, he is one of only two student-athletes to rank among the Big 12's Top-14 leaders in both categories. He joins TCU's David Punch (2.11 bpg, t-4th; 1.67 spg, t-9th).
FAMILY BUSINESS
• Sophomore guard Mercy Miller will square off against his father's team in Fertitta Center on Saturday afternoon.
• The elder Miller, better known as the rapper Master P before becoming a serial entrepreneur and philanthropist, joined the New Orleans staff in February 2025 as president of basketball operations and assistant coach.
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.
ABOUT NEW ORLEANS
• New Orleans enters Saturday's game with a 3-7 overall record and 1-1 mark in the Southland Conference.
• The Privateers took an 84-83 home win over UIW in New Orleans on Monday night to snap a six-game losing streak.
• New Orleans is tied for fifth in the Southland Conference through games of December 9.
• The Privateers are 2-6 in road games this season.
• In its most recent action, New Orleans claimed an 84-83 win over UIW inside Lakefront Arena in New Orleans on Monday.
• Against UIW, sophomore guard TJ Cope drained a jumper with 41 seconds left to give the Privateers the lead for good, and New Orleans forced a missed shot on the final play to take the win.
• Cope led four Privateers in double digits with 19 points on 6-of-8 shooting from the field and added five rebounds with two assists and a pair of blocked shots. Senior guard Jakevion Buckley added 18 points with a game-high seven assists and three steals while sophomore forward MJ Thomas totaled 16 points with a game-high eight rebounds and added three assists and three steals. Freshman forward Panagiotis Pagonis came off the bench to score 14 points with a pair of assists.
• This season, senior guard Coleton Benson leads New Orleans with 15.1 points per game. Buckley stands second on the team with 14.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game while Thomas ranks third with 10.2 points per game but leads UNO with 7.5 rebounds per contest.
• Head Coach Stacy Hollowell is in his second season at New Orleans and his 10th year as a collegiate head coach.
• Williams has built a 7-34 record with New Orleans and is 173-112 during his career.
• Previously posted a 166-78 record at Loyola (La.) (2014-22).
• Saturday's game will be the first time that Hollowell has faced Houston.
• Saturday's game will be the first time that Hollowell has faced Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson during their careers.
• Hollowell is 2001 graduate of St. Edward's.
SERIES HISTORY vs. NEW ORLEANS
• Houston owns a 4-1 lead in the series, which began during the 1972-73 season.
• Saturday's game will be the first time that the Cougars have faced New Orleans since the 2017-18 season.
• The Cougars have won the last two meetings against New Orleans.
• In the most recent meeting, Houston took a 75-66 win over the Privateers inside H&PE Arena on the Texas Southern campus in Houston on November 20, 2017.
• In the first meeting of the series, the #15 Cougars enjoyed a 92-71 win inside Hofheinz Pavilion in Houston on November 24, 1972.
• The Privateers' lone win in the series was a 71-64 victory in New Orleans on January 6, 1987.
at Home: Houston owns a 4-0 lead against New Orleans in the home games played in Houston.
• Wednesday's game marks the third straight season in which the two schools will face one inside Fertitta Center.
• In the most recent home meeting, Houston took a 75-66 win over the Privateers inside H&PE Arena on the Texas Southern campus in Houston on November 20, 2017.
• In the first home meeting of the series, the #15 Cougars enjoyed a 92-71 win inside Hofheinz Pavilion in Houston on November 24, 1972.
in Fertitta Center: Saturday's game will be the first time Houston has faced New Orleans inside Fertitta Center.
TUNE IN
• Fans can watch Saturday's game on ESPN+ with Matt Pedersen (play-by-play), Reid Gettys (analyst) and Austyn Iven (reporter) calling.
• Fans can hear Saturday's game on 950 AM KPRC, the Varsity Network app and SiriusXM Ch. 106 or Ch. 198 with Jeremy Branham (play-by-play) and Hall of Famer Elvin Hayes (analyst) calling. The pregame show begins at 6:45 p.m., Wednesday.
• Fans can follow live stats from Saturday's game on StatBroadcast.
UP NEXT
• Following Saturday's game, Houston faces #17/17 Arkansas inside Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., during the Never Forget Tribute Classic on December 20.
• That game tips off at 5:30 p.m. (EST) / 4:30 p.m. (CST) and will air on CBS and Paramount+.
• Houston closes its non-conference regular-season schedule when it meets Middle Tennessee at 7 p.m., Monday, December 29, inside Fertitta Center.
• That game will air on ESPN+.
• 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.
– UHCougars.com –
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