PREVIEW: #8/8 Men’s Basketball Heads West in Big 12 Play

Saturday, February 7

Provo, Utah

9:30 p.m. CST

University of Houston

BYU

Buy Tickets

Fans, Students, Emanuel Sharp, Kingston Flemings, Joseph Tugler Heads

PREVIEW: #8/8 Men’s Basketball Heads West in Big 12 Play

2/6/2026 9:16:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Digital Game Program Watch (ESPN)Listen (950 AM KPRC)Listen (Varsity Network app)Listen (Siriux XM Ch. 84)Live Stats (StatBroadcast)Houston Game Notes (PDF)BYU Game Notes (PDF)Big 12 Notes (PDF)

Cougars start two-game road swing through Utah at #16/14 BYU on Saturday night

PROVO, Utah – Winners of 14 of its last 15 games, the #8/8 University of Houston Men's Basketball begins a two-game road swing through the state of Utah, starting the weekend.

The trip begins when the Cougars face #16/14 BYU inside Marriott Center at 9:30 p.m. (CST), Saturday, inside Marriott Center. It will be the long regular-season meeting against BYU during the regular-season series.

The Cougars (20-2, 8-1 Big 12) enter this weekend's game following a 79-55 win over UCF inside Fertitta Center on Wednesday evening. Freshman point guard Kingston Flemings poured in a game-high 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting and dished out a game-high six assists with only one turnover in more than 30 minutes.

It was the 11^th straight game and 14^th time in the last 15 contests that Flemings posted 5+ assists.

Freshman center/forward Chris Cenac Jr. posted 14 points and 10 rebounds for his fourth double-double and ninth game with double-digit rebounds, both team highs. Senior point guard Milos Uzan added 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting with two rebounds and a pair of assists against the Knights.

Fans can view Saturday's digital game program by clicking here.

Following Saturday's game, the Cougars will stay in the Beehive State and travel north to face Utah at 8 p.m., (CST), Tuesday, inside Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City.

TUNE IN
• Fans can watch Saturday's game on ESPN with Jon Sciambi (play-by-play) and Fran Fraschilla (analyst).
• Fans can hear Saturday's game on 950 AM KPRC, the Varsity Network app and SiriusXM Ch. 84 with Jeremy Branham (play-by-play). The pregame show begins at 9:15 p.m. (CST), Saturday.
• Fans can follow live stats from Saturday's game on StatBroadcast.

NOTES
• With Wednesday's win over UCF, the 2025-26 Cougars became the 32^nd team in school history to record 20 wins in a season.
• Wednesday's win marked the 11^th straight 20-win season in Houston history, all under Head Coach Kelvin Sampson. Sampson is the only coach in program history to lead the Cougars to five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10 and 11 straight 20-wins seasons as well as three and four consecutive 30-win seasons.
• Houston has been ranked in the last 119 Associated Press polls for the nation's longest active streak. The Cougars' 24 straight weeks in the AP Top 10 is the nation's second-longest current streak.
• Three Cougars recently received midseason recognition. Flemings was named a Top-10 Candidate for the Bob Cousy Award, presented annually to the nation's top point guard, while Sharp was recognized as a Top-10 Candidate for the Jerry West Award, which honors the nation's top shooting guard. Junior forward Joseph Tugler was named to the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award presented by MOLECULE Watch List.

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 four more 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.

ABOUT BYU
• BYU enters Saturday's game with a 17-5 overall record. The Cougars are 5-4 in Big 12 Conference play to tie for seventh with West Virginia.
• BYU has lost its last three games and four of its last five. Only a 91-78 win over Utah on January 24 prevents a longer streak.
• The Cougars are 9-1 in home games inside Marriott Center this season.
• In its most recent action, dropped a 99-92 decision at Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla., on Wednesday night.
• Against Oklahoma State, freshman forward AJ Dybantsa led all players with 36 points on 13-of-20 shooting and 5-of-8 shooting from behind the arc and added seven rebounds with four assists. Senior guard Richie Saunders totaled 20 points with four 3-pointers of his own to go with a game-high eight rebounds and three assists while sophomore guard Robert Wright III totaled 15 points with four rebounds and four assists.
• This season, Dybantsa leads BYU with 23.9 points per game and is second on the squad with 6.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per contest. Saunders is second on the squad with 19.5 points per game but leads the Cougars with 1.9 steals per contest. Wright is third with 17.4 points per game. Senior center Keba Keita leads the team with 7.6 rebounds per game.
• Head Coach Kevin Young is in his second season at BYU and as a collegiate head coach.
• Young has built a 43-15 record with UCF and during his career.
• Young has posted an 0-2 record against Houston during his career.
• He has posted an 0-2 record against Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson during their careers with BYU and Houston, respectively.
• Young is a 2004 graduate of Clayton State.

SERIES HISTORY vs. BYU
• Houston owns an 8-3 lead against BYU in the series, which began during the 1965-66 season.
• Saturday's game will be the lone regular-season meeting against BYU during the 2025-26 season.
• This marks the third straight season in which the two schools will square off as Big 12 Conference rivals.
• Houston has won the last three and six of the last seven games. Only a 72-71 loss inside Fertitta Center in Houston on November 15, 2019, prevents a longer streak.
• In the most recent meeting, #2/2 Houston claimed a 74-54 win over #17/18 BYU during the Phillip 66 Big 12 Championship Semifinals inside T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo., on March 14, 2025.
• In the series' first meeting, BYU took a 111-82 win in Provo, Utah, on December 4, 1965.
on Road: Houston owns a 3-1 lead in road games played in Provo, Utah, during the series history.
• Houston has won the last three road games in Provo. Only a 111-82 loss in Provo in the series' first game on December 4, 1965, prevents a longer streak.
• In the most recent road meeting, then-#4/4 Houston enjoyed a 75-68 win inside Marriott Center on January 23, 2024.
• In the first road encounter, BYU claimed a 111-82 win in Provo on December 4, 1965, during the series' first game.

UP NEXT
• Following Saturday's game, Houston continues its visit to the state of Utah.
• The Cougars meet Utah at 8 p.m. (CST), Tuesday, February 10, inside Jon M. Huntsman Center. That game will air on ESPN2.
• Houston returns to the Fertitta Center to face Kansas State at 3 p.m., Saturday, February 14. Fans and media should note the 3 p.m., start, in a change from earlier published schedules. That game will air on Peacock.
• From there, the Cougars take on #7/7 Iowa State at 8 p.m., Monday, February 16, inside Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. 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.

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