PREVIEW: #2/2 Men’s Basketball Opens Season vs. Lehigh on Monday

Monday, November 3

Houston, Texas

7 p.m.

University of Houston

Lehigh

Tickets

PREVIEW: #2/2 Men’s Basketball Opens Season vs. Lehigh on Monday

11/1/2025 8:32:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Preview – Coach Kelvin Sampson (YouTube)Digital Game Program Watch (CBSSN)Listen (950 AM KPRC)Listen (Varsity Network app)Listen (Sirius XM Ch. 83)Live Stats Houston Game Notes (PDF)Lehigh Game Notes (PDF)Big 12 Notes (PDF)

Cougars play host to Mountain Hawks at 7 p.m., Monday, inside Fertitta Center

HOUSTON – The #2/2 University of Houston Men's Basketball program tips off its 2025-26 season when it meets Lehigh at 7 p.m., Monday, inside Fertitta Center in a game presented by HEB.

Prior to Monday's game, the Cougars will recognize their 2024-25 team with the unveiling of the team's NCAA Final Four banner on the concourse level across from the Houston bench. The recognition will be held prior to the starting lineup announcements around 6:55 p.m.

Houston enters Monday's opener following a 61-52 win over rv/– Mississippi State during The Preview CBB Exhibition inside Fort Bend Epicenter in Rosenberg, Texas, on Sunday.

Junior forward Joseph Tugler totaled 17 points with seven rebounds, two assists and two steals while senior point guard Milos Uzan added 13 points with six rebounds, including four offensive boards, and added four assists with three steals.

Senior guard Emanuel Sharp posted 12 points while freshman center/forward Chris Cenac Jr. fell just shy of a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds and a game-high four steals in his first game in the Red and White.

PROMOTIONS
• The first 1,500 fans at Monday's game will receive a commemorative Rally Towel and 2025-26 schedule magnets while supplies last.
• Prior to the game, fans can take photos with the 2025 NCAA Final Four trophy in the Cub Zone behind Section 108.
• Houston swimmer Jenna Kerkman will perform the national anthem.
• New Houston Women's Basketball Head Coach Matthew Mitchell will lead fans in the Whose House? Coogs' House chant on the court just before tipoff.
• The Spirit of Houston featured twirler will perform at halftime.
• Fans can view Monday's digital game program by clicking here.

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.

SEASON OPENER HISTORY
• With its 97-40 win over Jackson State on Nov. 4, 2024, inside Fertitta Center, Houston improved to 60-20 in season openers during its history.
• The win against Jackson State was the second-biggest season-opening win in school history, trailing only the 2004-05 team's 131-62 win over Florida Tech inside Hofheinz Pavilion on Nov. 22, 2005.
• The Cougars have won their last 16 and 20 of their last 21 season openers... Only a 65-63 loss to Georgia Southern on the first day of the 2K Sports Classic benefiting Coaches vs. Cancer in Durham, N.C., on Nov. 11, 2008, prevents a longer streak.

KELVIN SAMPSON in SEASON OPENERS
• With Houston's 97-40 win over Jackson State on Nov. 4, 2024, inside Fertitta Center, Head Coach Kelvin Sampson improved to 33-3 record in season openers during his award-winning career.
• In season openers, Sampson is 11-0 during his Houston tenure... Posted a 2-0 record at Indiana, an 11-1 mark at Oklahoma a 6-1 record at Washington State and a 3-1 mark at Montana Tech.
• With the win over Jackson State, Sampson's teams have won their last 16 season openers and 29 of his last 30... Only a 68-62 loss to Alabama at the AT&T Wireless Classic in New York on Nov. 14, 2002, prevents a longer streak.
• During his career, Sampson's teams have won by an average of 25.7 points per game (848 points in 33 wins).

ABOUT the COUGARS
Houston returns three starters and seven lettermen in 2025-26.

The Cougars will be boosted with the addition one of the nation's top recruiting classes with freshman guard Isiah Harwell, freshman forward Chris Cenac Jr., freshman point guard Kingston Flemings, freshman guard Bryce Jackson and senior forward Kalifa Sakho.

In 2024-25, the Cougars set a school single-season record with 35 wins and advanced to the NCAA Tournament National Championship Game inside Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

Houston, which finished #2 in both national polls, won 31 of its final 33 games to end the season and advanced to the NCAA Final Four for the seventh time in program history – and the second time under Sampson – with a resounding 69-50 win over #6/6 (2) Tennessee during the NCAA Elite Eight in Indianapolis on March 30.

The Cougars swept the Big 12 regular-season and tournament championships in their second year in the league and set school and league records with a 19-1 mark in conference games. Houston became the first school to join a major conference and win the regular-season title in each of its first two years in the league in more than 100 years.

Houston posted a perfect 10-0 record in road games in Big 12 play, becoming the first program in NCAA Division I history to accomplish that feat in a season, and enter the 2025-26 season with the nation's longest active road winning streak at 14 straight games.

TUNE IN
• Fans can watch Monday's game on CBS Sports Network with Tom McCarthy (play-by-play), Chris Walker(analyst), and Jon Rothstein (reporter) calling.
• Fans can hear Monday's game on 950 AM KPRC, Sirius XM Ch. 83 and the Varsity Network app 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 by clicking here.

ABOUT LEHIGH
• In 2024-25, Lehigh posted an 11-19 overall record and a 6-12 mark in the Patriot League.
• The Bulldogs tied for eighth in the Patriot League and before falling to Loyola (Md.) in the First Round of the Patriot League Tournament in Baltimore on March 4.
• A year ago, Lehigh posted a 3-14 record in road games.
• Nasir Whitlock returns as the Mountain Hawks' leader in points (10.5) and assists per game. Hank Alvey leads the returning players with 4.9 rebounds and 0.6 blocks per game while Joshua Ingram tops the team with 1.0 steals per contest.
• Head Coach Brett Reed is in his 19th season at Lehigh and as a collegiate head coach.
• Reed has built a 287-259 during his career and and at Lehigh.
• Reed is 0-1 against Houston during his career
• Monday's game will be the first time that Reed has faced Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson during their careers.
• 1995 graduate of Eckerd.

SERIES HISTORY vs. LEHIGH
• Houston holds a 2-0 lead against Lehigh in the series, which began during the 1993-94 season.
• In the most recent meeting, Houston took an 80-66 win inside Hofheinz Pavilion during the Progressive Legends Classic Regional Round on Nov. 17, 2013.
• In the first meeting of the series, Houston took a 96-74 win during the Hawkey Classic inside Carver-Hawkye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa, on Dec. 4, 1993.
at Home: Houston own a 1-0 lead against Lehigh in home games played on the Cougars' home court.
• In the lone previous home meeting, Houston took an 80-66 win inside Hofheinz Pavilion during the Progressive Legends Classic Regional Round on Nov. 17, 2013.
in Fertitta Center: Monday's game will be the first time that Houston has faced Lehigh inside Fertitta Center.

UP NEXT
• Following Monday's season opener, Houston continues its homestand when it plays host Towson at 2 p.m., Saturday, November 8. That game can be seen on ESPN+.
• It will be part of a busy day around Fertitta Center as the Houston Women's Basketball program faces UTSA at 7 p.m., Saturday.
• From there, the Cougars close their homestand when they meet Oakland at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 12, inside Fertitta Center. That game can be seen 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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