PREVIEW: #8/8 Men’s Basketball Meets Middle Tennessee

Monday, December 29

Houston, Texas

7 p.m.

University of Houston

Middle Tennessee

Buy Tickets

PREVIEW: #8/8 Men’s Basketball Meets Middle Tennessee

12/26/2025 12:42:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Preview – Coach Kelvin Sampson (YouTube)Digital Game Program Watch (ESPN+)Listen (950 AM KPRC)Listen (Varsity Network app)Listen (Sirius XM Ch. 84)Live Stats (StatBroadcast)Houston Game Notes (PDF)Middle Tennessee Statistics (PDF)Big 12 Conference Notes (PDF)

Cougars close non-conference regular season schedule at 7 p.m., Monday, inside Fertitta Center

HOUSTON – The #8/8 University of Houston Men's Basketball program closes in non-conference regular-season schedule when it plays host to Middle Tennessee at 7 p.m., Monday, inside Fertitta Center.

Winners of its last five games and its last 11 games inside Fertitta Center, the Cougars enter Monday's game following a 94-85 win over #14/14 Arkansas during the Never Forget Tribute Classic inside Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., on December 20.

Against the Razorbacks, senior guard Emanuel Sharp poured in 22 points with a game-high three 3-pointers while freshman point guard Kingston Flemings totaled 21 points with six rebounds, five assists and three steals. For his performance, Flemings was named to the Big 12 Conference's Starting Five of the Week for the third time earlier this week.

This season, Sharp leads the Cougars with 17.6 points a 3.2 3-point field goals per game. With his trey total against #14/14 Arkansas, the Tampa, Fla., native moved into sole possession of sixth in Houston history with 27 consecutive games with at least one 3-point field goal.

Flemings stands second on the team with 15.3 points per game but leads the Cougars with a 58.8 field goal percentage (70-of-119). The San Antonio, Texas, native also is a close second on the team with 2.46 assist-turnover ratio and 4.9 assists per game.

Junior forward Joseph Tugler leads the Cougars with 1.9 steals per game and is second with 1.9 blocks per contest., The 2025 Lefty Driesell Award recipient – presented annually to the nation's top defensive player – is the only student-athlete to rank among the league's Top-10 leaders in both categories.

Freshman center/forward Chris Cenac Jr. tops the Cougars with 7.5 rebounds per game and has enjoyed a pair of double-doubles to lead the team/

PROMOTIONS
• Fans can view Monday's digital game program by clicking here.
• Current University of Houston students may claim two tickets for Monday's game by logging into their Student Ticket account and signing up or by clicking here.
• Sam Pyle will perform the national anthem before Monday's game.
• Prior to tipoff, UH Alumni Association Life Member Natalie Heard will lead fans in the Whose House chant.
• At halftime, Life Members of the University of Houston Alumni Association will be recognized. The UH Alumni Association encourage all alumni to become a life member to participate in future exclusive access opportunities. Fans can receive more information by emailing the UH Alumni Association at alumni@uh.edu.

NOTES
• Houston has won its last 11 home contests and 46 of its last 47 home games inside Fertitta Center. Only an 82-81 loss to 22/19 Texas Tech on Feb. 1, 2025, prevents a longer streak.
• The Cougars' 11-game home streak currently is tied for the 20^th-longest active streak in the nation. Houston owns the nation's longest current active road streak with 14 straight wins.
• The 2025-26 team is currently tied for the fifth-most regular-season non-conference wins in school single-season history. With a win against Middle Tennessee on Monday, the squad will tie the 2022-23 and 1954-55 for the third-highest single-season total. The 2023-24 and 2018-19 teams hold the school record with 13 victories.

TUNE IN
• Fans can watch Monday's game on ESPN+ with Garrett Jones (play-by-play), Galen Robinson Jr. (analyst) and Austyn Iven (reporter) calling.
• Fans can hear Monday's game on 950 AM KPRC, the Varsity Network app and SiriusXM Ch. 84 with Jeremy Branham (play-by-play) and Elvin Hayes (analyst) calling. The pregame show begins at 6:45 p.m. Monday.
• Fans can follow live stats from Monday's game on StatBroadcast.

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 MIDDLE TENNESSEE
• Middle Tennessee enters Monday's game with a 7-4 overall record. The Blue Raiders are tied for first in Conference USA with a 1-0 league mark.
• Middle Tennessee has won its last two games and three of its last four games. Only an 83-62 home loss to Belmont in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on December 7 prevents a longer streak.
• The Blue Raiders are 1-1 in road games this season.
• In its most recent action, Belmont rallied from a halftime deficit to take a 74-58 home win over Cumberland in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on Sunday.
• Against Cumberland, sophomore guard Jahvin Carter posted 20 points on 7-of-15 shooting and added five rebounds, two assists and a steal. Sophomore forward Torey Alston posted 19 points on 6-of-10 shooting and led all players with 10 rebounds and three blocked shots while graduate guard Sean Smith totaled 11 points with four rebounds and a team-high four assists and two steals.
• This season, Carter leads five Blue Raiders in double-digit points with 13.0 points per contest. He stands second on the squad with 3.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game.
• Alston and senior guard Kamari Lands are tied for second with 12.5 points per game with Alston's 8.3 rebounds leading the squad. Smith stands fourth with 10.5 points per game while graduate guard Savon Wykle averages 10.0 points per contest.
• Head Coach Nick McDevitt is in his eighth season at Middle Tennessee and his 13th year as a collegiate head coach.
• McDevitt has built a 111-122 record with Middle Tennessee and is 98-66 during his career.
• He previously posted a 98-66 record at UNC Asheville (2013-18).
• Monday's game will be the first time that McDevitt has faced Houston during his career
• Monday's game will be the first time that McDevitt has faced Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson during their careers.
• McDevitt is a 2001 graduate of UNC Asheville.

SERIES HISTORY vs. MIDDLE TENNESSEE
• Houston owns a 2-0 lead in the series, which began during the 2007-08 season.
• Monday's game will be the first time that the Cougars have faced Middle Tennessee since the 2007-08 season.
• In the most recent meeting, Houston claimed a 70-67 win over the Blue Raiders in Murfreesboro, Tenn., on December 2, 2008.
• In the first meeting of the series, the Cougars took an 83-68 win over Middle Tennessee inside Hofheinz Pavilion in Houston on December 1, 2007.
at Home: Houston owns a 1-0 lead against Middle Tennessee in home games played in Houston during the series history.
• In the lone previous home meeting, the Cougars enjoyed an 83-68 win inside Hofheinz Pavilion on December 1, 2007.
in Fertitta Center: Monday's game will be the first time Houston has faced Middle Tennessee inside Fertitta Center.

UP NEXT
• Following Monday's game, Houston begins its Big 12 Conference schedule when it meets Cincinnati at 1 p.m. (CST), Saturday, January 3, inside Fifth Third Arena in Cincinnati. That game will air on FOX.
• The Cougars open their Big 12 home slate when they take on #16/16 Texas Tech at 8 p.m., Tuesday, January 6, inside Fertitta Center. That game will air on FS1.
• From there, Houston hits the road again to face Baylor inside Foster Pavilion in Waco, Texas, at Noon, January 10. That game will air on Peacock.
• 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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