The Houston Cougars are making themselves right at home in the Big 12-and doing it with authority.
With a 40-5 record in conference play, including tournament games, Houston hasn’t just joined the Big 12-they’ve dominated it. They’ve now beaten every team in the league at least twice, except Utah, which they’ve only faced once.
Against the trio of Texas, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State-the schools that have since jumped ship to the SEC-Houston went a clean 3-0. That’s a statement.
Here’s a look at how the Cougars have fared against their new conference rivals:
- Baylor: 4-0
- Cincinnati: 4-0
- West Virginia: 4-0
- BYU: 3-0
- Oklahoma State: 3-0
- UCF: 3-0
- Arizona: 2-0
- Arizona State: 2-0
- Colorado: 2-0
- Kansas State: 2-0
- Texas: 2-0
- Oklahoma: 1-0
Cincinnati has a chance to make some less-than-desirable history this weekend. If Houston takes care of business again, the Bearcats will become the first team to fall to 0-5 against the Cougars in Big 12 play.
Kingston Flemings: Freshman, But Playing Like a Vet
It’s not often a freshman carves out a spot in the record books this early, but Kingston Flemings is doing just that-and doing it in style.
Through 20 games, Flemings has already climbed to ninth on Houston’s all-time freshman scoring list. He’s just 106 points away from claiming the top spot, and if the season ended today, he’d already be the program’s all-time leader in points per game for a freshman at 17.5. That’s rare air.
And it’s not just scoring. Flemings is on the verge of passing Galen Robinson Jr. for sixth all-time in freshman assists-he needs just three more to do it.
His latest performance at TCU was another gem:
- 27 points
- 5 rebounds
- 5 assists
- 8-of-16 from the field
- 2-of-3 from deep
- 9-of-9 at the line
Since Saturday, Flemings has poured in 69 points, grabbed 7 boards, and dished out 11 assists while shooting 55% from the field and 50% from three. Wednesday marked his third straight 20-point game and his ninth of the season. For a freshman, that’s not just impressive-it’s elite.
Emanuel Sharp: Climbing the Record Books
While Flemings is making his mark as a freshman, Emanuel Sharp is etching his name among Cougar legends.
With two more threes in Fort Worth, Sharp now has 266 career triples-just 10 shy of Marcus Sasser’s all-time Houston record. And after dropping 23 points against TCU, he leapfrogged both Sasser and Gary Phillips on the program’s all-time scoring list, moving into 15th place. With 17 more points, he’ll crack the top 13.
Sharp’s ability to consistently hit from deep while producing at a high volume has been a cornerstone of Houston’s offense. He’s not just a shooter-he’s a scorer who shows up when it matters.
Chris Cenac Jr.: Rebounding Machine
Freshman forward Chris Cenac Jr. is earning his place in Houston’s rebounding lore. His 14-rebound performance at TCU marked the eighth time in 20 games he’s hit double digits on the glass. That means another signature on the team’s “rebounding bubble”-a tradition reserved for those who hit that 10-board mark.
With 158 rebounds so far, Cenac ranks 10th all-time among Houston freshmen. He’s now within 156 boards of tying the school’s freshman record, held by none other than Clyde Drexler. That’s legendary company.
Efficiency from the Line-and Room to Grow
In Big 12 play, Houston leads the conference in free throw percentage at a sharp .803. That kind of efficiency should be a major asset, especially come tournament time. But here’s the twist: they’re getting to the line nearly 10 times less per game than Arizona.
That discrepancy has had a real impact. Arizona has made 65 more free throws over eight games than Houston.
That difference accounts for nearly the entire scoring gap between the Wildcats (88.5 ppg, No. 1 in the league) and the Cougars (79.7 ppg, fifth). It’s a reminder that even when you’re efficient, volume matters.
Big Picture: Where Houston Stands
Houston currently sits at No. 6 in the KenPom rankings, which would project them as a 2-seed if the tournament started today. That’s still elite territory, but it would be their lowest finish in KenPom since the COVID-shortened season.
Still, with the way this team is playing-and the way its young stars are developing-there’s every reason to believe they’ll be a problem in March. Whether it’s Flemings lighting it up, Sharp climbing the ranks, or Cenac owning the glass, Houston has the pieces. And they’re putting them together at the right time.