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University of Houston Athletics
Wednesday, January 15
Houston, Texas
7 p.m.
University of Houston
vs
rv/#25 West Virginia
PREVIEW: #10/8 Men’s Basketball Meets West Virginia on Wednesday
1/14/2025 8:18:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Preview – Coach Sampson (YouTube)Digital Game ProgramWatch (ESPN+)Listen (950 AM KPRC)Listen (The Varsity Network)Live Stats (StatBroadcast)Houston Game Notes (PDF)Big 12 Notes (PDF)
Cougars tip off vs. rv/#25 Mountaineers at 7 p.m., inside Fertitta Center
HOUSTON – Winners of its last eight and nine of its last 10 games, the #10/8 University of Houston Men's Basketball program returns to the Fertitta Center to play host to Big 12 Conference rival West Virginia at 7 p.m., Wednesday, in a game presented by TDECU.
The Cougars enter Wednesday's game following an 87-57 win over Kansas State in Manhattan, Kan., on Saturday. Sophomore forward Joseph Tugler posted 13 points with 10 rebounds and added two blocks and a pair of assists during the first double-double of his career while junior guard Emanuel Sharp led five Cougars in double-digit points with 15, thanks to 3-of-6 shooting from the arc.
This season, Sharp leads Houston, the Big 12 and the nation with his 48.8 3-point field goal percentage (41-of-84). The Tampa, Fla., native joins with graduate guard LJ Cryer to make Houston the only school with two student-athletes among the Big 12's Top-Five leaders in both 3-point field goal percentage and 3-pointers per game.
Houston has not allowed its opponents to score 60 or more points in each of the last eight games. That is the longest streak by the Cougars since a 12-game stretch at the end of the 2021-22 season (final three games) and the start of the 2022-23 season (first nine games).
HOUSTON in NCAA STATISTICAL LEADERS
• Houston leads the nation in field goal percentage defense (.347), scoring defense (54.2 ppg) and scoring margin (+22.9).The Cougars have led the nation in field goal percentage defense in each of the last four full seasons and topped the country in scoring defense a year ago.
• The Cougars rank third in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage at .415 and rank 10th with only 9.4 turnovers per game.
• Junior point guard Milos Uzan stands 10th nationally with a 3.65 assist-turnover ratio.
• Sophomore forward Joseph Tugler ranks 13th in the nation with 2.5 blocked shots per game.
• In addition to his 3-point shooting, junior guard Emanuel Sharp ranks 12th nationally with a .923 free throw percentage.
PROMOTIONS
• Wednesday's game is presented by TDECU.
• The first 2,000 fans at Wednesday's game will receive a FREE Jersey Rally Towel, sponsored by TDECU.
• At halftime, Shasta will face Air Coog on the Fertitta Center court in the Mascot Halftime Wrestling Match of the Century.
• Prior to tipoff, former Houston Basketball guard Landon Goesling will lead fans in the Whose House? Coogs' House chant.
MILESTONES ALERT
• Graduate forward J'Wan Roberts became the 52nd member of Houston's career 1,000 Point Club in its Jan. 11 win at Kansas State. Roberts now has 1,007 points and needs 19 more points to move past center Ken Spain (1966-69) into 50th in school history.
• Graduate forward J'Wan Roberts set the Houston career record by competing in his 150th game at Kansas State on Jan. 11. He broke out of a tie with forward Fabian White Jr., who competed in 149 games from 2017-22.
• Graduate guard Mylik Wilson needs only three points against West Virginia to to reach 1,000 points during his complete college career. Wilson now has 997 points after compiling 247 points with Houston (2022 – present); 81 points with Texas Tech (2021-22) and 669 points with Louisiana (2019-21).
NATIONAL POLLS
• The Cougars stood at #10 in the Associated Press poll and at #8 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches poll released Monday.
• This marked the 96th consecutive week in which Houston was ranked, the nation's longest active streak and extending its school record.
• Houston is 6-2 when playing as the #10 (AP) team during its history and has won its last three games as the #10 (AP) team.
• This marks the fifth poll in which Houston will compete as an AP Top-10 school during the 2024-25 season. It also marks the first time since the 2021-22 season in which the Cougars will play as the #10 (AP) team.
TUNE IN
• Fans can watch Wednesday's game on ESPN+ with James Westling (play-by-play) and Reid Gettys (analyst) calling.
• Fans can hear Wednesday's game on 950 AM KPRC and the Varsity Network app with Jeremy Branham (play-by-play) and Elvin Hayes calling. The pregame show begins at 6:45 p.m., Wednesday.
• Fans can follow live stats from Wednesday's game by visiting StatBroadcast.com and following the appropriate links or by clicking here.
ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA
• West Virginia brings a 12-3 overall record and 3-1 mark in Big 12 Conference play into Wednesday's game inside Fertitta Center.
• The Mountaineers are tied for fourth in the latest Big 12 standings.
• West Virginia is 2-1 in road games and 4-2 in non-home games during the 2024-25 season.
• The Mountaineers have won eight of their last nine games. Only a 75-56 loss to Arizona in Morgantown, W.Va,, on Jan. 7 prevents a longer streak.
• In its most recent action, West Virginia took a 78-70 win over Colorado inside CU Events Center in Boulder, Colo., on Sunday afternoon.
• Against Colorado, senior guard Javon Small scored 26 points with four rebounds and a game-high seven assists. Fifth-year guard Joseph Yesufu came off the bench to pour in 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field while freshman guard Jonathan Powell totaled 10 points with a pair of rebounds. Fifth-year center Eduardo Andre finished with 12 points, four rebounds and a game-high four steals while sophomore guard Sencire Harris topped the Mountaineers with five rebounds.
• This season, Small leads West Virginia and the Big 12 with 19.8 points per game and leads the Mountaineers with 5.0 assists and 1.8 steals per game. Senior guard Tucker DeVries is second on the team with 14.9 points per contest while sophomore forward Amani Hansberry paces the team with 5.9 rebounds per game.
• Head Coach Darian DeVries is in his first season at West Virginia and his seventh season as a collegiate head coach.
• DeVries has built a 162-58 record during his career and is 12-3 in his career at West Virginia.
• He previously compiled a 150-55 record at Drake (2018-2024).
• Wednesday's game will be the first time DeVries has faced Houston during his career.
• Wednesday's game will be the first time DeVries has faced Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson during their careers.
• 1998 graduate of Northern Iowa.
SERIES HISTORY vs. WEST VIRGINIA
• Houston owns a 1-0 lead against West Virginia in the series, which began during the 2023-24 season.
• Wednesday's game marks the second straight season in which the two schools will square off as Big 12 Conference rivals.
• In the lone previous meeting, Houston took an 89-55 win inside Fertitta Center in Houston on Jan. 6, 2024, in the Cougars' inaugural Big 12 Conference game.
at Home / in Fertitta Center: Houston owns a 1-0 lead against West Virginia in home games inside Fertitta Center.
• In the lone previous meeting, Houston took an 89-55 win on Jan. 6, 2024, in the Cougars' inaugural Big 12 Conference game.
UP NEXT
• Following Wednesday's game, Houston returns to the road to face UCF at Noon (EST)/11 a.m. (CST), Saturday, Jan. 18, inside Addition Financial Arena in Orlando. That game can be seen on CBS Sports Network.
• Houston returns to Fertitta Center to meet Utah at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 21. That game will air on ESPN+.
• From there, the Cougars meet Kansas inside Phog Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kan., at 5:30 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 25. That game can be seen on ESPN or ESPN2.
• All Houston Men's Basketball games can be heard on 950 AM KPRC and the Varsity Network app.
BUY 2024-25 TICKETS
Non-season ticket holders interested in purchasing season tickets are invited to place their names on the Season Ticket Wait List by clicking here.
SUPPORT YOUR COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Men's Basketball by supporting Linking Coogs – UH's NIL collective – 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, formerly known as Twitter, 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.
The Cougars enter Wednesday's game following an 87-57 win over Kansas State in Manhattan, Kan., on Saturday. Sophomore forward Joseph Tugler posted 13 points with 10 rebounds and added two blocks and a pair of assists during the first double-double of his career while junior guard Emanuel Sharp led five Cougars in double-digit points with 15, thanks to 3-of-6 shooting from the arc.
This season, Sharp leads Houston, the Big 12 and the nation with his 48.8 3-point field goal percentage (41-of-84). The Tampa, Fla., native joins with graduate guard LJ Cryer to make Houston the only school with two student-athletes among the Big 12's Top-Five leaders in both 3-point field goal percentage and 3-pointers per game.
Houston has not allowed its opponents to score 60 or more points in each of the last eight games. That is the longest streak by the Cougars since a 12-game stretch at the end of the 2021-22 season (final three games) and the start of the 2022-23 season (first nine games).
HOUSTON in NCAA STATISTICAL LEADERS
• Houston leads the nation in field goal percentage defense (.347), scoring defense (54.2 ppg) and scoring margin (+22.9).The Cougars have led the nation in field goal percentage defense in each of the last four full seasons and topped the country in scoring defense a year ago.
• The Cougars rank third in the nation in 3-point field goal percentage at .415 and rank 10th with only 9.4 turnovers per game.
• Junior point guard Milos Uzan stands 10th nationally with a 3.65 assist-turnover ratio.
• Sophomore forward Joseph Tugler ranks 13th in the nation with 2.5 blocked shots per game.
• In addition to his 3-point shooting, junior guard Emanuel Sharp ranks 12th nationally with a .923 free throw percentage.
PROMOTIONS
• Wednesday's game is presented by TDECU.
• The first 2,000 fans at Wednesday's game will receive a FREE Jersey Rally Towel, sponsored by TDECU.
• At halftime, Shasta will face Air Coog on the Fertitta Center court in the Mascot Halftime Wrestling Match of the Century.
• Prior to tipoff, former Houston Basketball guard Landon Goesling will lead fans in the Whose House? Coogs' House chant.
MILESTONES ALERT
• Graduate forward J'Wan Roberts became the 52nd member of Houston's career 1,000 Point Club in its Jan. 11 win at Kansas State. Roberts now has 1,007 points and needs 19 more points to move past center Ken Spain (1966-69) into 50th in school history.
• Graduate forward J'Wan Roberts set the Houston career record by competing in his 150th game at Kansas State on Jan. 11. He broke out of a tie with forward Fabian White Jr., who competed in 149 games from 2017-22.
• Graduate guard Mylik Wilson needs only three points against West Virginia to to reach 1,000 points during his complete college career. Wilson now has 997 points after compiling 247 points with Houston (2022 – present); 81 points with Texas Tech (2021-22) and 669 points with Louisiana (2019-21).
NATIONAL POLLS
• The Cougars stood at #10 in the Associated Press poll and at #8 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches poll released Monday.
• This marked the 96th consecutive week in which Houston was ranked, the nation's longest active streak and extending its school record.
• Houston is 6-2 when playing as the #10 (AP) team during its history and has won its last three games as the #10 (AP) team.
• This marks the fifth poll in which Houston will compete as an AP Top-10 school during the 2024-25 season. It also marks the first time since the 2021-22 season in which the Cougars will play as the #10 (AP) team.
TUNE IN
• Fans can watch Wednesday's game on ESPN+ with James Westling (play-by-play) and Reid Gettys (analyst) calling.
• Fans can hear Wednesday's game on 950 AM KPRC and the Varsity Network app with Jeremy Branham (play-by-play) and Elvin Hayes calling. The pregame show begins at 6:45 p.m., Wednesday.
• Fans can follow live stats from Wednesday's game by visiting StatBroadcast.com and following the appropriate links or by clicking here.
ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA
• West Virginia brings a 12-3 overall record and 3-1 mark in Big 12 Conference play into Wednesday's game inside Fertitta Center.
• The Mountaineers are tied for fourth in the latest Big 12 standings.
• West Virginia is 2-1 in road games and 4-2 in non-home games during the 2024-25 season.
• The Mountaineers have won eight of their last nine games. Only a 75-56 loss to Arizona in Morgantown, W.Va,, on Jan. 7 prevents a longer streak.
• In its most recent action, West Virginia took a 78-70 win over Colorado inside CU Events Center in Boulder, Colo., on Sunday afternoon.
• Against Colorado, senior guard Javon Small scored 26 points with four rebounds and a game-high seven assists. Fifth-year guard Joseph Yesufu came off the bench to pour in 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the field while freshman guard Jonathan Powell totaled 10 points with a pair of rebounds. Fifth-year center Eduardo Andre finished with 12 points, four rebounds and a game-high four steals while sophomore guard Sencire Harris topped the Mountaineers with five rebounds.
• This season, Small leads West Virginia and the Big 12 with 19.8 points per game and leads the Mountaineers with 5.0 assists and 1.8 steals per game. Senior guard Tucker DeVries is second on the team with 14.9 points per contest while sophomore forward Amani Hansberry paces the team with 5.9 rebounds per game.
• Head Coach Darian DeVries is in his first season at West Virginia and his seventh season as a collegiate head coach.
• DeVries has built a 162-58 record during his career and is 12-3 in his career at West Virginia.
• He previously compiled a 150-55 record at Drake (2018-2024).
• Wednesday's game will be the first time DeVries has faced Houston during his career.
• Wednesday's game will be the first time DeVries has faced Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson during their careers.
• 1998 graduate of Northern Iowa.
SERIES HISTORY vs. WEST VIRGINIA
• Houston owns a 1-0 lead against West Virginia in the series, which began during the 2023-24 season.
• Wednesday's game marks the second straight season in which the two schools will square off as Big 12 Conference rivals.
• In the lone previous meeting, Houston took an 89-55 win inside Fertitta Center in Houston on Jan. 6, 2024, in the Cougars' inaugural Big 12 Conference game.
at Home / in Fertitta Center: Houston owns a 1-0 lead against West Virginia in home games inside Fertitta Center.
• In the lone previous meeting, Houston took an 89-55 win on Jan. 6, 2024, in the Cougars' inaugural Big 12 Conference game.
UP NEXT
• Following Wednesday's game, Houston returns to the road to face UCF at Noon (EST)/11 a.m. (CST), Saturday, Jan. 18, inside Addition Financial Arena in Orlando. That game can be seen on CBS Sports Network.
• Houston returns to Fertitta Center to meet Utah at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 21. That game will air on ESPN+.
• From there, the Cougars meet Kansas inside Phog Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence, Kan., at 5:30 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 25. That game can be seen on ESPN or ESPN2.
• All Houston Men's Basketball games can be heard on 950 AM KPRC and the Varsity Network app.
BUY 2024-25 TICKETS
Non-season ticket holders interested in purchasing season tickets are invited to place their names on the Season Ticket Wait List by clicking here.
SUPPORT YOUR COOGS
Fans can make a direct impact on the success of Houston Men's Basketball by supporting Linking Coogs – UH's NIL collective – 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, formerly known as Twitter, 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 –
Players Mentioned
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