
Houston Cougars guard Emanuel Sharp (21) drives the ball down the court while TCU Horned Frogs guard Noah Reynolds (21) defends during the second half of an NCAA men’s college basketball game, Monday, Jan. 6, 2025 in Houston, Texas. | Oscar Herrera/The Cougar
No. 5 Houston men’s basketball redshirt junior guard Emanuel Sharp will not play in the team’s next two games to give his ankle injury time to heal.
It isn’t easy to keep Sharp off the floor, and he rarely doesn’t give coach Kelvin Sampson the thumbs up to put him in, but this week the Cougars are airing on the side of caution, hoping to expedite his recovery.
“I didn’t ask him this time,” Sampson said. “He’s too valuable to us.”
Since sitting out against Utah, one of the nation’s best 3-point shooters has only averaged five points per game and totaled three 3-pointers across the three games.
“I want to be out there on the court. I am not the type of guy to find a way out of playing,” Sharp said. “I am going to do whatever it takes… If I am out there I don’t want to be hurting my team.”
Sharp is currently in a boot to promote healing.
“I just got to give myself some time to heal,” Sharp said. “It’s not a bad injury. I could play right now, but it’s just prolonging the recovery.”
This week Houston will face teams sitting at 14th and 16th in the Big 12: Oklahoma State (3-7) on Feb 4. and Colorado (0-10) on Feb. 8. The odds point to Houston, the top team in the Big 12, winning these battles even without their sharpshooter.