PREVIEW: #8/8 Men’s Basketball Opens Big 12 Play on Saturday

Saturday, January 3

Cincinnati OH

1 p.m. CST

University of Houston

Cincinnati

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PREVIEW: #8/8 Men’s Basketball Opens Big 12 Play on Saturday

1/2/2026 7:08:00 AM | Men's Basketball

Preview – Coach Kelvin Sampson (YouTube)Digital Game Program Watch (FOX)Listen (950 AM KPRC)Listen (Varsity Network app)Listen (SiriusXM Ch. 161/199)Live Stats (StatBroadcast)Houston Game Notes (PDF)Cincinnati Game Notes (PDF)Big 12 Notes (January 2, 2026)

Cougars face Cincinnati at 1 p.m. (CST) Saturday, inside Fifth Third Arena

CINCINNATI – The #8/8 University of Houston Men's Basketball program opens its Big 12 Conference season when it meets Cincinnati at 1 p.m. (CST), Saturday, inside Fifth Third Arena.

Winners of its last six games, the Cougars enter this weekend's Big 12 opener following a 69-60 win over Middle Tennessee inside Fertitta Center on Monday.

Against the Blue Raiders, freshman point guard Kingston Flemings led the Cougars with 15 points and five rebounds with no turnovers in more than 38 minutes. Junior forward Joseph Tugler totaled 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting and tied with freshman center/forward Chris Cenac Jr. for team-high honors with six rebounds.

Senior guard Emanuel Sharp leads the Cougars and ranks among the Big 12 Top-15 leaders with 17.0 points and 3.0 3-point field goals per game.

The Tampa, Fla., native has made at least one 3-pointer in each of his last 28 games dating back to last season. That ties with guard Robert McKiver for the fifth longest streak in school history. Up next in the Houston records book is guard Corey Davis Jr., who made at least one trey in 29 straight games (November 20, 2017 to March 15, 2018).

TUNE IN
• Fans can watch Saturday's game on FOX with Brandon Gaudin (play-by-play) and Steve Smith (analyst) calling.
• Fans can hear Saturday's game on 950 AM KPRC, the Varsity Network app and SiriusXM Ch. 161/Ch. 199 with Jeremy Branham (play-by-play) calling. The pregame show begins at 12:45 p.m. (CST) Saturday.
• Fans can follow live stats from Saturday's game on StatBroadcast.

NOTES
• Saturday's Big 12 opener will be the Cougars' first true road contest of the season. Houston has won each of its last 14 road games for the nation's longest active streak and setting a Big 12 record.

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

• Saturday's game marks Houston Men's Basketball' 66th season as a conference member. The Cougars have posted a 40-25 in conference openers during their history with a 2-0 mark in the Big 12. Houston has won its last 10 conference openers and 17 of its last 18.

• With 12 regular-season non-conference wins, the 2025-26 Cougars have tied with the 2022-23 team and the 1954-55 squad for the second-highest total in school single season history. Only the 2023-24 team's and the 2018-19 team's 13 regular-season non-conference wins stands higher in school history.

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.

ABOUT CINCINNATI
• Cincinnati enters Saturday's game with an 8-5 overall record.
• The Bearcats have won two of their last three games. Only a 68-65 loss to Clemson during the Greenville Winter Invitational on December 21 prevents a longer streak.
• Cincinnati is 8-1 in home games inside Fifth Third Arena this season.
• In its most recent action, Cincinnati took an 89-62 win over Lipscomb inside Fifth Third Arena on Monday night.
• Against Lipscomb, sophomore center Moustapha Thiam led the Bearcats with 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting and grabbed five rebounds. Senior forward Baba Miller totaled 11 points with game highs of 21 rebounds, seven assists and two blocked shots. Junior guard Jizzle James added 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting with five assists, and graduate guard Kerr Kriisa finished with 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting from behind the arc.
• This season, James leads Cincinnati with 14.0 points per game. Miller stands second with 13.6 points per game and paces the Bearcats with 11.5 rebounds per contest. Graduate guard Day Day Thomas averages 12.8 points per game to rank third. Thiam is fourth on the team with 10.8 points per game, second with 7.1 rebounds per contest and leads the Bearcats with 1.9 blocked shots per game. Freshman guard Shon Abaev is the fifth Bearcat averaging double-digit points with 10.2 points per game while Kriisa leads the team with 4.1 assists per contest.
• Head Coach Wes Miller is in his fifth season at Cincinnati and his 15th year as a collegiate head coach.
• Miller has built a 90-64 record with Cincinnati and is 275-199 during his career.
• He previously posted a 185-135 record at UNC Greensboro (2011-21).
• Miller has posted an 0-9 record against Houston during his career.
• Miller has posted an 0-9 record Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson during his Cincinnati and Sampson's Houston careers.
• Miller is a 2007 graduate of North Carolina.

SERIES HISTORY vs. CINCINNATI
• Cincinnati owns a 33-17 lead in the series, which began during the 1957-58 season.
• Saturday's game will be the first of two regular-season meetings against the Bearcats. Cincinnati visits Fertitta Center in Houston on January 31.
• This marks the 13th straight season in which the Cougars will face Cincinnati as conference rivals. The two schools competed as American Athletic Conference rivals from the 2013-14 season through the 2022-23 and are in their third year together in the Big 12 Conference. The schools also regularly squared off as Conference USA members from 1996-97 through the 2004-05 season.
• Houston has won the last 12 meetings against the Bearcats. The Cougars have not lost to Cincinnati since a 64-62 setback in Cincinnati on February 1, 2020.
• In the most recent meeting, #4/4 Houston claimed a 73-64 win over the Bearcats inside Fertitta Center on March 1, 2025.
• In the series' first meeting, the Cougars dropped a 70-53 decision to #4 Cincinnati in Cincinnati on December 21, 1947
on Road: Cincinnati owns a 17-4 lead against Houston in road games played in Cincinnati during the series history.
• However, Houston can boast of the most recent success. The Cougars have won the last three road meetings against Cincinnati in Cincinnati. Houston has not lost in Cincinnati since a 64-62 setback inside Fifth Third Arena on February 1, 2020.
• In their most recent road win, the #5/5 Cougars enjoyed a 67-62 win inside Fifth Third Arena on February 10, 2024.
• In the first road game against the Bearcats, #7 Cincinnati took a 93-57 victory in Cincinnati on November 13, 1958.

UP NEXT
• Following Saturday's game, Houston opens its Big 12 home slate when it takes on #15/16 Texas Tech at 8 p.m., Tuesday, inside Fertitta Center. That game will air on FS1.
• From there, Houston hits the road again to face Baylor inside Foster Pavilion in Waco, Texas, at Noon, January 10. 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 rv/– 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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