PREVIEW: #7/7 Men’s Basketball Opens Big 12 Home Slate on Tuesday

HOUSTON – Winners of its last seven games, the #7/7 University of Houston Men's Basketball program opens its Big 12 Conference home schedule when it plays host to #14/17 Texas Tech inside Fertitta Center at 8 p.m., Tuesday, in a game presented by Little Woodrow's.

Houston enters Tuesday's game following a 67-60 win over Cincinnati inside Fifth Third Arena on Saturday afternoon. It was the program's 13^th straight win over the Bearcats and marked the 11^th straight season in which the Cougars started 1-0 in conference play, including a 3-0 mark in the Big 12.

Freshman point guard Kingston Flemings led all players with 19 points, six assists and five steals and added three defensive rebounds with only one turnover in nearly 38 minutes of action. Senior point guard Milos Uzan added 18 points with four 3-pointers as the Cougars held Cincinnati scoreless for the final 3:51 to take the win.

Senior guard Emanuel Sharp leads the Cougars with 15.9 points per game 2.8 3-point field goals per game. The Tampa, Fla, native saw his streak of consecutive games with at least one 3-point field goal snapped at 28 games dating back to last season. That mark tied as the fifth-longest streak in Houston single-season history.

Junior forward Joseph Tugler continues to show why he is the defending recipient of the Lefty Driesell Award, presented annually to the nation's top defensive player and a National Defensive Player of the Year candidate in 2025-26. With 1.9 blocks and 2.0 steals per game, Tugler is the only student-athlete to rank among the Big 12's Top-Eight leaders in both categories.

The Cougars have won their last 12 home games inside Fertitta Center and 45 of their last 46. Only an 82-81 loss in overtime to #22/19 Texas Tech on February 1, 2025, prevents a longer streak.

PROMOTIONS
• Tuesday's game is presented by Little Woodrow's.
• Fans can view Tuesday's digital game program by clicking here.
• FREE red T-shirts will be provided to the first 1,000 current UH students at the game by the University of Houston Alumni Association.
• Prior to the game, Leyla Taghiyeva will perform the national anthem.
• Prior to tipoff, Houston Football junior defensive back Kentrell Webb and sophomore defensive back Jordan Allen will lead Houston fans in the Whose House? chant.
• At halftime, the UH Cheer team will give a competition performance.

NOTES
• Houston has posted a 43-22 record in conference home openers during its history. The Cougars have won their last 10 conference home openers, including their first two as a Big 12 Conference member, and 14 of their last 15. Only a 79-78 loss in overtime to Tulsa as a member of the American Conference on January 6, 2015, prevents a longer streak.

• Houston is the only school in the nation with active home AND road winning streaks of at least 12 games.

• The Cougars have been ranked in the Associated Press for a school-record 115 consecutive weeks, the nation's longest active streak. Houston also has stood among the AP Top 10 in each of the last 20 weeks, the nation's second-longest active streak.

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 conference games 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 Tuesday's game on FS1 with Jason Benetti (play-by-play) and Bill Raftery (analyst) calling.
• Fans can hear Tuesday's game on 950 AM KPRC, the Varsity Network app and SiriusXM Ch. 84 with Jeremy Branham (play-by-play) and Hall of Famer Elvin Hayes (analyst) calling. The pregame show begins at 7:45 p.m. Tuesday.
• Fans also can hear Tuesday's game on Westwood One Sports with Ryan Radtke (play-by-play) and PJ Carlesimo (analyst) calling.
• Fans can follow live stats from Tuesday's game on StatBroadcast.

ABOUT TEXAS TECH
• Texas Tech enters Tuesday's game with an 11-3 overall record. The Red Raiders are 1-0 in Big 12 Conference play to tie for first.
• Texas Tech is ranked #14 in both the Associated Press and USA TODAY Sports Coaches poll as of January 5.
• The Red Raiders have won their last four games and seven of their last eight games. Only a 93-86 loss to #17 Arkansas during the Revocruit Rematch in American Airlines Center in Dallas on December 13 prevents a longer streak.
• Texas Tech is 0-1 in road games this season.
• In its most recent action, Texas Tech took a 102-80 win over Oklahoma in Lubbock, Texas, on Saturday.
• Against Oklahoma State, Junior forward JT Toppin led all players with 23 points and 14 rebounds and added a team-best two steals. Sophomore guard Christian Anderson added 19 points with a game-high 13 assists while junior forward LeJuan Watts totaled 19 points and nine rebounds. Senior guard Donovan Atwell finished with 15 points, and freshman guard Jaylen Petty posted 12 points with six rebounds and three assists.
• This season, Toppin leads the Red Raiders with 21.2 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. Anderson stands second with 20.5 points per game but leads the Red Raiders with 7.5 assists and 1.8 steals per contest. Watts stands third on the team with 14.1 points per game, and Atwell averages 11.3 points per contest.
Head Coach: Grant McCasland is in his third season at Texas Tech and his 12th year as a collegiate head coach.
• McCasland has built a 62-23 record with Texas Tech and is 273-112 during his career.
• He previously posted a 135-65 record at North Texas (2017-12) with a 20-12 mark at Arkansas State (2016-17) and a 56-12 record at Midwestern State (2009-11).
• McCasland has posted an 1-3 record against Houston during his career with all four previous meetings coming during his Texas Tech tenure.
• McCasland has posted a 1-3 record Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson during his Texas Tech and Sampson's Houston careers.
• McCasland is a 1999 graduate of Baylor.

SERIES HISTORY vs. TEXAS TECH
• Houston owns a 32-18 lead in the series, which began during the 1960-61 season.
• Tuesday's game will be the first of two regular-season meetings against the Red Raiders during the 2025-26 season. Houston visits United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas, on January 24.
• At 60 games, the series against Texas Tech is seventh-most played in Houston history.
• This marks the third straight season in which the Cougars will face Texas Tech as Big 12 Conference rivals. The two schools competed as Southwest Conference rivals from the 1973-74 season through the 1995-96 campaign.
• Tuesday's game marks the sixth straight encounter in which both schools were ranked in the Associated Press poll. Houston owns a 4-1 record in those meetings.
• Houston won the last meeting and has won five of the last six encounters against the Red Raiders. Only an 82-81 loss in overtime inside Fertitta Center on February 1, 2025, prevents a longer streak.
• In the most recent meeting, #4/4 Houston took a 69-61 win over #10/10 Texas Tech inside United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas, on February 24, 2025.
• In the series' first meeting, the Cougars fell 69-67, to Texas Tech during the NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional Consolation inside Phog Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kan., on March 18, 1961.
at Home: Houston owns an 18-7 lead against Texas Tech in home games played in Houston during the series history.
• Texas Tech won the last meeting in Houston and has won three of the last four encounters in Houston. Only a 77-54 Houston win inside Fertitta Center on January 17, 2024, prevents a longer streak
• In their most recent home meeting, #22/19 Texas Tech became the seventh team to win inside Fertitta Center with an 82-81 victory in overtime on February 1, 2025.
• In the first home game against the Red Raiders, Texas Tech claimed a 75-73 win inside Hofheinz Pavilion in Houston on December 10, 1973.
in Fertitta Center: The series inside Fertitta Center against Texas Tech is tied 1-1.
• In the most recent meeting inside Fertitta Center, #22/19 Texas Tech took an 82-81 win in overtime on February 1, 2025.
• In the first meeting inside Fertitta Center, #5/5 Houston enjoyed a 77-54 victory over the 25th-ranked Red Raiders on January 17, 2024.

UP NEXT
• Following Tuesday's game, Houston hits the road again to face Baylor inside Foster Pavilion in Waco, Texas, at Noon, Saturday. That game will air on Peacock.
• The Cougars return to Fertitta Center to host a pair of home games against West Virginia (7:30 p.m., Jan. 13, FS1) and against Arizona State (TBA, Jan. 18, ESPN/2).
• 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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