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University of Houston Athletics
Thursday, March 26
Toyota Center – Houston, Texas
9:05 pm
University of Houston
vs
Illinois
PREVIEW: #5/5 Men’s Basketball Set for Sweet 16
3/25/2026 11:48:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Watch (TBS/truTV)Listen (Varsity Network app)SiriusXM (Ch. 202/209)Listen (Westwood One/NCAA Radio)Live Stats (marchmadness.com)Houston Game Notes (PDF)Illinois Game Notes (PDF)Big 12 Notes (PDF)
(2) Cougars take on #13/12 (3) Illinois at 9:05 p.m., Thursday, inside Toyota Center
HOUSTON – After opening the NCAA Tournament with a pair of wins last weekend, the #5/5 (2) University of Houston Men's Basketball program opens the South Regional Sweet 16 when it faces #13/12 (3) Illinois at 9:05 p.m., Thursday, inside Toyota Center in downtown Houston.
The Cougars, who are competing as the #2 seed in the South Region, earned their seventh consecutive trip to the NCAA Sweet 16 with a pair of wins in Oklahoma City .
Houston opened the NCAA Tournament with a 78-47 win over (15) Idaho and followed that with an 88-47 victory against (10) Texas A&M inside Paycom Center to extend the nation's longest active Sweet 16 streak.
With that win, the Cougars recorded their school-record fifth straight 30-win season under Head Coach Kelvin Sampson. Houston tied the NCAA Division I record, first set by Gonzaga (2016-21).
Freshman point guard and consensus All-American Kingston Flemings leads the Cougars with 16.2 points, 5.2 assists and 1.6 steals per game. The San Antonio, Texas, native has led or tied for the team lead in scoring in 21 games and has already set the Houston freshman scoring and assists single-season records.
Senior guard Emanuel Sharp is second on the team with 15.4 points per game and became the Cougars' career 3-point field goa leader after draining a career-high eight treys in a road win at Utah mid-February. The Tampa, Fla., native ranks third in school history with 124 wins and stands ninth with 1,685 points scored in his career.
NCAA TOURNAMENT in HOUSTON
This will be the fourth time that Houston has played NCAA Tournament games in the city of Houston with the Cougars holding a 3-0 record.
In the most recent NCAA Tournament game in Houston, the #1 Cougars knocked off Maryland, 60-50, inside The Summit on March 19, 1983.
Prior to that, 18th-ranked Cougars took a 77-69 win over New Mexico State inside Hofheinz Pavilion on March 13, 1981.
In their first NCAA Tournament game in Houston, the Cougars claimed a 77-61 win over Marquette inside Delmar Gym on March 15, 1961.
PLAYING in TOYOTA CENTER
Houston will compete inside Toyota Center for only the fifth time in school history when it takes the court against #13/12 Illinois (3) on Thursday night. The Cougars own a 3-1 record in those games.
Earlier this season, Houston enjoyed an 82-67 win over Florida State during the Houston Hoops Showdown on December 6, 2025. Senior guard Emanuel Sharp poured in 27 points with six 3-pointers while freshman point guard Kingston Flemings added 12 points with five rebounds and eight steals.
In their first game inside Toyota Center, the Cougars enjoyed a 59-48 win over Rice on December 21, 2013.
TUNE IN
• Fans can watch Thursday's game on TNT with Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Stan Van Gundy (analyst), Robbie Hummel (analyst) and Lauren Shehadi (reporter).
• Fans can hear Thursday's game on SportsTalk 790 AM KBME and the Varsity Network app with Jeremy Branham (play-by-play) and Elvin Hayes (analyst). The pregame show begins at 8:55 p.m., Thursday.
• Fans also can hear Thursday's game on Westwood One/NCAA Radio with Spero Dedes (play-by-play) and Fran Fraschilla (analyst).
• Fans can follow live stats by visiting marchmadness.com and following the appropriate links or by clicking here.
BUY 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.
ABOUT ILLINOIS
• Illinois enters Thursday's Sweet 16 game with a 26-8 overall record. The Fighting Illini finished 15-5 in Big Ten play to tie for second in the league.
• Illinois is playing as a #3 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
• The Fighting Illini are ranked #13 in the Associated Press polls and at #12 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches poll as of March 15.
• Illinois has won four of its of last five games. Only a 91-88 loss to Wisconsin in overtime during the Big Ten Tournament inside United Center in Chicago on March 13 prevents a longer streak.
• The Fighting Illini are 4-3 in neutral-site games and 12-5 in non-home games in 2025-26.
• In its most recent action, Illinois claimed a 76-55 win over (11) VCU during the South Region Second Round inside Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C., on March 21.
• Against VCU, junior guard Andrej Stojakovic came off the bench to lead Illinois with 21 points and grabbed four rebounds. Freshman guard Keaton Wagler and junior center Tomislav Ivisic posted 14 points apiece with Ivisic's 11 rebounds leading all players. Senior guard Kylan Boswell added 12 points with four rebounds and three assists while freshman forward David Mirkovic led Illinois with four assists in the win.
• This season, Wagler leads Illinois with 17.8 points, 4.4 assists and 0.9 steals per game. Mirkovic stands second with 13.6 points per game but leads the Fighting Illini with 7.9 rebounds per contest. Stojakovic is third on the team with 13.5 points per game while Boswell is a close fourth at 13.1 points per contest. Ivisic is the fifth Illinois student-athlete averaging double-digit points with 10.2 per game.
• Head Coach Brad Underwood is in his ninth season at Illinois and his 13th year as a collegiate head coach.
• Underwood has built a 191-109 record with Illinois and is 243-134 during his career.
• He previously compiled a 20-13 record at Oklahoma State (2016-17) with a 32-12 mark at Stephen F. Austin (2013-16).
• Underwood is 0-1 against Houston during his career
• Underwood is 0-1 against Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson during their careers.
• Underwood is a 1986 graduate of Kansas State.
SERIES HISTORY vs. ILLINOIS
• The series against Illinois, which began during the 1967-68 season, is tied at 3-3.
• Thursday's game is the first meeting against the Fighting Illini since the 2021-22 season.
• In the most recent meeting, #15/15 Houston claimed a 68-53 over #19/16 Illinois during the NCAA Tournament South Region Sweet 16 inside PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh on March 20, 2022.
• That win snapped a two-game losing streak to Illinois.
• In the series first meeting, #2 Houston took a 54-46 win in Champaign, Ill., on December 9, 1967.
at Neutral Site: Houston owns a 2-0 lead against Illinois in games played at neutral sites during the series.
• In the most recent neutral-site meeting, #15/15 Houston claimed a 68-53 over #19/16 Illinois during the NCAA Tournament South Region Sweet 16 inside PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh on March 20, 2022.
• In the first neutral-site meeting, Houston enjoyed a 69-66 win at the Rainbow Classic inside Blaisdell Center in Honolulu on December 27, 1975.
at NCAA Tournament: Houston owns a 1-0 record against Illinois in games played during the NCAA Tournaments.
• In the lone previous meeting at the NCAA Tournament, • #15/15 Houston claimed a 68-53 over #19/16 Illinois during the NCAA Tournament South Region Sweet 16 inside PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh on March 20, 2022.
UP NEXT
• With a win against #13/12 (3) Illinois on Thursday, Houston would advance to the NCAA Tournament South Regional Elite Eight inside Toyota Center in Houston.
• There, the Cougars would face the winner of #15/14 (4) Nebraska -(9) Iowa on Saturday, March 28.
• Game time and network would be announced following Thursday's Sweet 16 games.
• Thursday's game can be heard on SportsTalk 790 AM KBME and the Varsity Network app.
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.
The Cougars, who are competing as the #2 seed in the South Region, earned their seventh consecutive trip to the NCAA Sweet 16 with a pair of wins in Oklahoma City .
Houston opened the NCAA Tournament with a 78-47 win over (15) Idaho and followed that with an 88-47 victory against (10) Texas A&M inside Paycom Center to extend the nation's longest active Sweet 16 streak.
With that win, the Cougars recorded their school-record fifth straight 30-win season under Head Coach Kelvin Sampson. Houston tied the NCAA Division I record, first set by Gonzaga (2016-21).
Freshman point guard and consensus All-American Kingston Flemings leads the Cougars with 16.2 points, 5.2 assists and 1.6 steals per game. The San Antonio, Texas, native has led or tied for the team lead in scoring in 21 games and has already set the Houston freshman scoring and assists single-season records.
Senior guard Emanuel Sharp is second on the team with 15.4 points per game and became the Cougars' career 3-point field goa leader after draining a career-high eight treys in a road win at Utah mid-February. The Tampa, Fla., native ranks third in school history with 124 wins and stands ninth with 1,685 points scored in his career.
NCAA TOURNAMENT in HOUSTON
This will be the fourth time that Houston has played NCAA Tournament games in the city of Houston with the Cougars holding a 3-0 record.
In the most recent NCAA Tournament game in Houston, the #1 Cougars knocked off Maryland, 60-50, inside The Summit on March 19, 1983.
Prior to that, 18th-ranked Cougars took a 77-69 win over New Mexico State inside Hofheinz Pavilion on March 13, 1981.
In their first NCAA Tournament game in Houston, the Cougars claimed a 77-61 win over Marquette inside Delmar Gym on March 15, 1961.
PLAYING in TOYOTA CENTER
Houston will compete inside Toyota Center for only the fifth time in school history when it takes the court against #13/12 Illinois (3) on Thursday night. The Cougars own a 3-1 record in those games.
Earlier this season, Houston enjoyed an 82-67 win over Florida State during the Houston Hoops Showdown on December 6, 2025. Senior guard Emanuel Sharp poured in 27 points with six 3-pointers while freshman point guard Kingston Flemings added 12 points with five rebounds and eight steals.
In their first game inside Toyota Center, the Cougars enjoyed a 59-48 win over Rice on December 21, 2013.
TUNE IN
• Fans can watch Thursday's game on TNT with Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Stan Van Gundy (analyst), Robbie Hummel (analyst) and Lauren Shehadi (reporter).
• Fans can hear Thursday's game on SportsTalk 790 AM KBME and the Varsity Network app with Jeremy Branham (play-by-play) and Elvin Hayes (analyst). The pregame show begins at 8:55 p.m., Thursday.
• Fans also can hear Thursday's game on Westwood One/NCAA Radio with Spero Dedes (play-by-play) and Fran Fraschilla (analyst).
• Fans can follow live stats by visiting marchmadness.com and following the appropriate links or by clicking here.
BUY 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.
ABOUT ILLINOIS
• Illinois enters Thursday's Sweet 16 game with a 26-8 overall record. The Fighting Illini finished 15-5 in Big Ten play to tie for second in the league.
• Illinois is playing as a #3 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
• The Fighting Illini are ranked #13 in the Associated Press polls and at #12 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches poll as of March 15.
• Illinois has won four of its of last five games. Only a 91-88 loss to Wisconsin in overtime during the Big Ten Tournament inside United Center in Chicago on March 13 prevents a longer streak.
• The Fighting Illini are 4-3 in neutral-site games and 12-5 in non-home games in 2025-26.
• In its most recent action, Illinois claimed a 76-55 win over (11) VCU during the South Region Second Round inside Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C., on March 21.
• Against VCU, junior guard Andrej Stojakovic came off the bench to lead Illinois with 21 points and grabbed four rebounds. Freshman guard Keaton Wagler and junior center Tomislav Ivisic posted 14 points apiece with Ivisic's 11 rebounds leading all players. Senior guard Kylan Boswell added 12 points with four rebounds and three assists while freshman forward David Mirkovic led Illinois with four assists in the win.
• This season, Wagler leads Illinois with 17.8 points, 4.4 assists and 0.9 steals per game. Mirkovic stands second with 13.6 points per game but leads the Fighting Illini with 7.9 rebounds per contest. Stojakovic is third on the team with 13.5 points per game while Boswell is a close fourth at 13.1 points per contest. Ivisic is the fifth Illinois student-athlete averaging double-digit points with 10.2 per game.
• Head Coach Brad Underwood is in his ninth season at Illinois and his 13th year as a collegiate head coach.
• Underwood has built a 191-109 record with Illinois and is 243-134 during his career.
• He previously compiled a 20-13 record at Oklahoma State (2016-17) with a 32-12 mark at Stephen F. Austin (2013-16).
• Underwood is 0-1 against Houston during his career
• Underwood is 0-1 against Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson during their careers.
• Underwood is a 1986 graduate of Kansas State.
SERIES HISTORY vs. ILLINOIS
• The series against Illinois, which began during the 1967-68 season, is tied at 3-3.
• Thursday's game is the first meeting against the Fighting Illini since the 2021-22 season.
• In the most recent meeting, #15/15 Houston claimed a 68-53 over #19/16 Illinois during the NCAA Tournament South Region Sweet 16 inside PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh on March 20, 2022.
• That win snapped a two-game losing streak to Illinois.
• In the series first meeting, #2 Houston took a 54-46 win in Champaign, Ill., on December 9, 1967.
at Neutral Site: Houston owns a 2-0 lead against Illinois in games played at neutral sites during the series.
• In the most recent neutral-site meeting, #15/15 Houston claimed a 68-53 over #19/16 Illinois during the NCAA Tournament South Region Sweet 16 inside PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh on March 20, 2022.
• In the first neutral-site meeting, Houston enjoyed a 69-66 win at the Rainbow Classic inside Blaisdell Center in Honolulu on December 27, 1975.
at NCAA Tournament: Houston owns a 1-0 record against Illinois in games played during the NCAA Tournaments.
• In the lone previous meeting at the NCAA Tournament, • #15/15 Houston claimed a 68-53 over #19/16 Illinois during the NCAA Tournament South Region Sweet 16 inside PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh on March 20, 2022.
UP NEXT
• With a win against #13/12 (3) Illinois on Thursday, Houston would advance to the NCAA Tournament South Regional Elite Eight inside Toyota Center in Houston.
• There, the Cougars would face the winner of #15/14 (4) Nebraska -(9) Iowa on Saturday, March 28.
• Game time and network would be announced following Thursday's Sweet 16 games.
• Thursday's game can be heard on SportsTalk 790 AM KBME and the Varsity Network app.
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 –
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Basketball
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