#2/2 Men’s Basketball Hosts Rider for First Time

Thursday, November 20

Houston, Texas

8 p.m.

University of Houston

Rider

Buy Tickets

11/19/2025 3:46:00 PM | Men's Basketball

Listen (950 AM KPRC)Listen (Varsity Network app) Listen (SiriusXM Ch 84)Live Stats)Preview – Coach Kelvin Sampson (YouTube)

Cougars tip off vs. Broncs at 8 p.m., Thursday, inside Fertitta Center

HOUSTON – Winners of its first four games to open the season and 22 of its last 23, the #2/2 University of Houston Men's Basketball program returns to Fertitta Center to face Rider for the first time in school history at 8 p.m., Thursday.

The Cougars enter Thursday's game following a hard-fought 73-72 win over #22/25 Auburn during the RxBenefits Battleground 2k25 inside Legacy Arena at The BJCC in Birmingham, Ala., on Sunday afternoon.

Freshman point guard Kingston Flemings totaled a career-high 22 points with five rebounds and a game-high seven assists while freshman center/forward Chris Cenac Jr. added a career-high 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting and grabbed a team-high nine rebounds against the Tigers.

For his impressive performance, Flemings was named the Big 12 Conference Player and Newcomer of the Week and was honored as the Lute Olson Award National Player of the Week and as a USBWA Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week, all firsts in his young career.

The Cougars have won their last eight games and 41 of the last 42 home contests inside Fertitta Center. With a 36-1 home record since 2023-24, Houston owns the nation's best record during that span.

This season, Flemings leads Houston with 17.3 points and 5.3 assists per game and .692 field goal percentage. Senior guard Emanuel Sharp ranks second among the Cougars with 16.3 points per game and has drained at least one 3-pointer in each of his last 19 games.

Cenac tops the Cougars and ranks fifth in the Big 12 with 9.0 rebounds per game. He became the first Cougar freshman in school history to begin his career with back-to-back double-digit rebounding performances.

With 10 blocks and nine steals, junior forward Joseph Tugler is the first major-conference student-athlete to reach those totals through the first four games of a season since Washington's Matisse Thybulle in 2017-18.

GAME PROMOTIONS
• University of Houston students in student organizations are invited to check in at the Fertitta Center Student Entrance off Cullen Boulevard to sign in at the table near the top of Section 116. The organization with the highest turnout wins FREE pizza.
• Fans can purchase the latest team apparel at the UH Team Shop inside the Stadium Garage off Holman Street beginning at 6:30 p.m., Thursday.
• The Student Tailgate begins at 6 p.m., Thursday, at Cemo Plaza off Cullen Boulevard in front of the Fertitta Center. Free food and drinks will be served while supplies last.
• The University of Houston Concert Chorale will perform the national anthem before the game.
• Prior to tipoff, UH ROTC member Carter Hall will lead fans in the Whose House? Coogs' House chant.
• At halftime, fans are invited to stay in their seats for a Military Oath ceremony and a salute to all active-duty and veteran service members.

PEEKING at the POLLS
• Houston stood at #2 1 in both the Associated Press and USA TODAY Sports Coaches polls, released Monday.
• Houston has posted a 41-6 record when competing as the #2 (AP team) during its history and won 10 of its last 11 games in that position.
• This marked the 109^th consecutive week in which the Cougars stood among the AP Top 25. That is a school record and ranks as the nation's longest active streak.
• Houston has appeared in every AP Top 25 poll since Jan. 20, 2020.

TUNE IN
• Fans can watch Thursday's game on TNT with JB Long (play-by-play), Jim Spanarkel (analyst) and Nabil Karim (reporter) calling.
• Fans can hear Thursday's game on 950 AM KPRC, the Varsity Network app and SiriusXM Ch. 84 with Jeremy Branham (play-by-play) and Houston great Elvin Hayes (analyst) calling. The pregame show begins at 7:45 p.m., Thursday.
• Fans can follow live stats from Thursday's game by clicking here.

ABOUT RIDER
• Rider enters Thursday's game with a 1-3 overall record.
• The Broncs are 0-3 in road games this season.
• In its most recent action, Rider dropped a 99-65 decision at Texas on Tuesday night.
• Against Texas, sophomore guard Flash Burton led Rider with 16 points on 6-of-13 shooting. Senior forward/center Shemani Fuller came off the bench to grab a game-high seven rebounds while freshman guard Jamir McNeil dished out a team-high three assists.
• This season, Burton leads Rider with 14.0 points, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game. Senior guard/forward Zion Cruz stands second on the team with 10.5 points per game while junior guard Caleb Smith is tops with 8.0 rebounds per contest.
• Head Coach Kevin Baggett is in his 14th season at Rider and as a collegiate head coach.
• Baggett has built a 207-205 -0 record at Rider and during his career.
• Thursday's game will be the first time that Rider has faced Houston during his career.
• Thursday's game will be the first time that Baggett has faced Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson during their careers.
• 1989 graduate of Saint Joseph's.

SERIES HISTORY vs. RIDER
• Thursday's game will be the first time that Houston has faced Rider in Men's Basketball.

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.

Fans can purchase Houston Hoops Showdown tickets to watch the Cougars face Florida State inside Toyota Center on Dec. 6 by clicking here.

Non-season ticket holders interested in purchasing season tickets are invited to place their names on the Season Ticket Wait List by clicking here.

UP NEXT
• Following Thursday's game, Houston heads to Las Vegas to compete at the Players Era Championship on Nov. 24-26.
• The Cougars open the prestigious event at 5 p.m. (CST), Monday, Nov. 24, against Syracuse before facing #20/17 Tennessee at 5 p.m. (CST), Nov. 25.
• Both of those games will air on TNT.
• Houston's final Players Era Championship opponent will be determined by results from the first two days.
• From there, the Cougars meet Florida State during the Houston Hoops Showdown inside Toyota Center at 7 p.m., Saturday, December 6.
• 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.

– UHCougars.com –