The Houston Cougars are navigating choppy waters after their recent loss to the Kansas Jayhawks, marking their third consecutive defeat against Big 12 foes. Coach Kelvin Sampson's squad struggled to find their rhythm in Lawrence, and it showed on the scoreboard.
Offensively, the Cougars have hit a wall. Outside of Kingston Flemings, the team struggled to generate any significant scoring threats.
This lack of production has become a concerning pattern, as Houston has faced critical scoring droughts in their last three outings. They went scoreless in the final five minutes against Iowa State and endured an eight-minute dry spell in the second half against Arizona.
This marks the first time since 2017 that the Cougars have faced a three-game losing streak. Their current record against top-5 Big 12 teams stands at 1-4, a stat that looms large as they approach the end of conference play and the upcoming tournament. The Cougars' ability to break this slump and secure a victory against a projected protected seed will be crucial.
Just a week ago, Houston was riding high as a potential No. 1 seed in Sporting News’ bracketology. However, Arizona's recent wins over BYU and Houston have pushed them to the top of the seed line. Bill Bender of Sporting News now projects Arizona among the No. 1 seeds, alongside Duke, Michigan, and Iowa State in his latest Field of 68 update.
Looking ahead, the Cougars are set to face Colorado next, followed by matchups against Baylor and Oklahoma State. Meanwhile, the Jayhawks will take on the No. 2-ranked Arizona Wildcats and the Arizona State Sun Devils before wrapping up their regular season against Kansas State.
The road ahead is challenging, but the Cougars have the talent to turn things around. It's all about finding that offensive spark and regaining their footing as they head into the critical stretch of the season.