HOUSTON VS. COLORADO
3 game-changing factors in Houston’s quest for Big 12 Tournament glory
Mar 13, 2025, 10:06 am
The Coogs square off with Colorado on Thursday! Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images.
For the second year in a row, Houston is the top-ranked team heading into the Big 12 Tournament and should be clear favorites to secure its first conference tournament title since joining the Big 12.
Last year, the Cougars came up just short in the conference championship game, but this time, Houston should be able to run through the tournament with ease thanks to an elite roster and having one of the best coaches in the nation.
Stellar guard play
Senior guard LJ Cryer is playing at an elite level and has been the offensive focal point for most of this season. The Katy native leads the team in scoring with 15.3 points per game and is the league’s top 3-pointer shooter, making 43.1% of his shots from beyond the arc.
Houston’s other guard, Milos Uzan has been a perfect pickup in the transfer portal and has become a solid point guard for the Cougars. The junior leads the team with 4.4 assists per game and has stepped up offensively when needed, as seen when he dropped a season-high 22 points against Texas Tech on February 24th.
With the combination of Cryer and Uzan in the backcourt and an elite roster around them, the Cougars have created an excellent recipe for success.
Elite roster
In addition to their backcourt, Houston can attribute their success to J’Wan Roberts.
The senior forward has been with the program for six seasons and is the unquestioned leader of this team. Roberts has been a staple of this rotation since becoming a starter during the 22-23 season. During his tenure, the 23-year-old has become the all-time winningest player in University of Houston men's basketball history, further solidifying his elite school legacy.
Roberts leads the team in rebounds with 6.4 per game and can create his own shots, averaging 11.1 points per game this season.
Complementing Roberts in the frontcourt are Emanuel Sharp and the current Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Joseph Tugler to round out the rest of the starting rotation.
Sharp is a perfect 3-and-D player for this team and Tugler has become the defensive anchor for the Cougars, contributing 2.0 blocks per game.
Houston’s other impact players Mylik Wilson, Terrance Arceneaux and Ja’Vier Francis help give the team depth and solidify their bench.
The Cougars usually play only eight players per game this season, but that is more than enough depth to give Houston a chance to win every game.
Defense and coaching
Current Big 12 Coach of the Year Kelvin Sampson led the Cougars to their second consecutive regular season title with a 27-4 record and are currently the number 2 ranked team in the nation.
Sampson's success can be attributed to a defense-first mentality and knowing how to get the most out of his players year after year.
The Cougars have always had a formidable defense every year since Sampson took over the program, and this season is no different, as Houston is the top-ranked team in defensive efficiency and hold their opponents to 58.1 points per game.
With Sampson at the helm, the Cougars will be well-prepared for the Big 12 Tournament and will have their eyes set on the NCAA Tournament next.
Houston will face Colorado on Thursday at 2 pm to start their Big 12 Tournament play.
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The Houston Texans continue to build one of the NFL’s most intriguing wide receiver rooms — and according to Yahoo Sports analyst Matt Harmon, their new rookie additions bring more than just depth. Harmon offered insight into how the Texans might creatively deploy second-round pick Jayden Higgins and third-rounder Jaylin Noel, two players with contrasting skill sets who could carve out meaningful roles in Nick Caley's (formerly with the Rams) offense.
At first glance, Higgins fits the traditional mold of an outside receiver. At 6-foot-4 and 214 pounds, he lined up mostly as an X receiver in college and looked the part physically. But Harmon suggests that Higgins might actually be a better fit as a power slot — a big-bodied interior option who can do damage against zone coverage, similar to how the Rams used Cooper Kupp in his prime.
That role makes sense in Houston. The Texans already have one of the league’s premier outside receivers in Nico Collins, and there’s no pressure to force Higgins into a role that doesn’t maximize his skill set. According to data from Reception Perception, Higgins struggled against tight coverage in college, finishing in just the 15th percentile in success rate versus man and 16th percentile versus press. Letting Higgins attack softer coverages from the slot could be the key to unlocking his full potential.
Still, Higgins might not even be the most impactful rookie receiver the Texans landed.
While Higgins came in with the size and profile of a prototypical NFL wideout, Noel quietly outproduced him in 2024 at Iowa State and was quite often more feared by opponents. Noel’s game is built around separation and quickness — and despite being under six feet tall, there's confidence that he can play both inside and outside at the pro level. His 74.1 percent success rate versus man coverage speaks to his advanced route-running, which could earn him early targets in Houston’s pass-heavy scheme.
With Collins, Christian Kirk, Higgins, and Noel, the Texans suddenly have a flexible, matchup-proof receiving group that can attack every level of the field. If C.J. Stroud takes another step in year three, this offense could become even more dangerous — with its rookie receivers helping push it over the top.
Be sure to check out the video below to watch Harmon's full breakdown of the Texans receivers, and much more!
*ChatGPT assisted.
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