Houston guard Milos Uzan (7) dribbles the ball during the second half of an NCAA college Men’s basketball game, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, in Houston, Texas. | Oscar Herrera/The Cougar
It seems like Dec. 30 was yesterday when No. 4 Houston men’s basketball traveled to Oklahoma State to open up conference play.
Fast-forward two months later, and they are sitting atop the Big 12 with their 16-1 conference record, with ambitions of playing basketball in April. Yet these final three games, beginning with Cincinnati on Saturday, will play a role in that quest.
The stakes for Houston
When the final buzzer rang and the shot clock reached triple zeros Monday night at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas, it signaled more than just another Big 12 win on the road for the Cougars.
It marked an achievement that hadn’t been realized since the 1923 Idaho Vandals: back-to-back conference championships within a team’s first two years of transitioning to a new conference.
While the Cougars have secured at least a share of the Big 12 title, another victory would cement them as the sole recipients of that honor.
Even more important is Houston’s opportunity to establish itself as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, as it did the previous year.
No. 3 Florida’s loss to unranked Georgia on Tuesday night aided Houston’s case, but they still might need to win out, making these final three games as urgent as the previous 28.
One player who is sure to play with determination is graduate forward J’Wan Roberts, who is creeping up on another accolade in a tenure full of them.
Roberts is 16 rebounds away from reaching 1,000 in his storied career, putting him amongst the likes of Elvin Hayes, Hakeem Olajuwon and Greg Anderson.
“I came into UH as a rebounder, but I didn’t think I was gonna have 1,000,” Roberts said. “Imma try to get that too in these next two games at home. But accomplishing that is kind of mind-blowing.”
The Bearcats’ situation
Cincinnati will enter the matchup having won five of its last seven games, including a 69-67 triumph over Baylor on Tuesday. According to ESPN’s models, the team’s tournament odds have increased to 24%, giving them little to no wiggle room.
While Cincy still has to face Kansas State and Oklahoma State after Saturday, no opponent would boost its tournament bid more than Houston, making this their last opportunity at a statement victory.
However, if they are to achieve the upset, it would involve breaking a curse that has loomed over them for several years. The curse is that the Bearcats have not defeated Houston since Wes Miller became head coach of the program in 2021.
In that span, Cincinnati is 0-8 versus the Cougars, losing by an average of just over 11 points in games played at the Fertitta Center.
Jizzle and Day Day leading the way
When sophomore guard Jizzle James faced Houston last year, he was a reserve, averaging only 20 minutes between the two contests. This year, he has seen his role expand, starting all 28 of the Bearcats’ games and increasing his scoring production from 8.8 points per game to a team-leading 12.6 a night.
James’ improved performance is one key reason for Cincinnati’s recent surge in their last seven matches. Over those games, he’s averaged 19.7 points per game and has shot 40% from beyond the 3-point line on 6.4 attempts per game.
“You can tell he’s worked on a lot this offseason because he’s playing with a lot of confidence”, graduate guard L.J. Cryer said.
Riding a hot stretch in that same span for the Bearcats is senior guard Day Day Thomas, who is averaging 13 points per game on 38.5% 3-point shooting across those seven games.
“One of the things Wes (Miller) did was open up his offense and put the ball in Jizzle’s hands, and Day Day Thomas,” coach Kelvin Sampson said. “Those two guys have become their offensive weapons.”
Junior transfer forward Dillon Mitchell has also been finding his stride lately, and has scored in double figures in his last three performances, after having only done that once in his previous seven outings.
The forward has averaged 8.7 rebounds per game, 3.3 of which came on the offensive glass, during that stretch, making him a threat to create extra possessions and scoring opportunities for Cincinnati.
Another player to look out for on the boards is fifth-year senior center Aziz Bandaogo, who has nine games this season with four or more offensive rebounds. The 7’0” center is also the Bearcats’ leading shot-blocker, coming into the game averaging 1.7 blocks a night.
Keys for the Cougars
One of the many areas where Houston’s defense creates havoc is by forcing other teams into uncharacteristic turnovers, ranging from shot clock violations to pick-pocketing the ball for a slam on the other end of the floor.
To varying degrees, several conference opponents this season have seen their turnover averages go up after a date with the Cougars.
Cincinnati, which will come into the matchup averaging 9.9 turnovers per game—second in the Big 12 to Houston at 9.4—could be the next name added to that list.
Another area where the Cougars can dictate the game rests in the hands of junior guard Milos Uzan.
Uzan, who has seen his numbers across the board rise as the season has gone on, has blossomed into a sure-handed floor general who is quickly realizing his potential as a scorer.
His career-high 22-point performance versus No.10 Texas Tech Monday night is just one of many over the past month in which the guard has shown his ability to take on the scoring load, by aggressively attacking the rim and knocking down outside shots in big moments.
As formidable as Houston has been on the road, with its 9-0 record, Sampson has stressed taking care of business at home and being just as great on their own floor to compete for a conference title.
Their dominance earned them a share of the Big 12 championship, but it’s going to take another game of greatness for celebration inside the Fertitta Center.
Houston squares off against Cincinnati Saturday, March 1, at 3:30 p.m. on CBS.
