Houston forward J’Wan Roberts (13) raises the Big 12 Championship trophy over his head while surrounded by the team after an NCAA men’s basketball game, Saturday, March 1, 2025, in Houston, Texas. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar
A familiar scene unfolded at Fertitta Center as No. 4 Houston’s men’s basketball team hoisted the Big 12 trophy and cut the nets for the second straight season after securing its 17th conference win Saturday.
Houston became the first team to win back-to-back titles within its first two years joining an existing major conference since Idaho accomplished the feat in 1923.
Winning has become apart of Houston’s DNA. The Cougars have won four straight conference titles and six of their last seven.
“It doesn’t (feel different),” graduate forward J’Wan Roberts said. “It really doesn’t matter what league we’re playing in; we try to play the same every night. We try to be relentless and consistent as ever.”
Graduate guard L.J. Cryer scored 20 points as Houston pushed past Cincinnati with a 73-64 win to secure the conference with two games remaining.
“I don’t know if I am surprised. I think I’m more shocked. I think that’s an honest assessment,” ESPN analyst Jay Williams said during College GameDay’s visit last week. “I thought it would take time to adjust to the caliber of the Big 12… I talk a lot about foundation, what that foundation is here, and how that’s portable. That can be dropped in any conference, and it will translate toward success. I think I’m shocked that it translated so quickly to dominance. This is dominance.”
Houston struggled early, starting 1-for-9 from the field but finished shooting 54%.
Cincinnati opened with a 10-0 run, but Houston responded with 14 straight points.
The Cougars extended their lead to 15, their largest of the half, when redshirt junior Emanuel Sharp knocked down Houston’s first 3-pointer with less than a minute left.
On the other end, Cincinnati’s leading scorer of the first half, senior forward Simas Lukosius, answered with a 3-pointer to bring the halftime score to 37-25.
Roberts got going in the second half, scoring six of Houston’s first nine points after the break.
Cryer knocked down Houston’s third and final 3-pointer, extending the lead to a game-high 19 points.
During the game, he reached 1000 Houston career points, a feat reached by only 52 other Cougars, including Roberts earlier this year.
Senior guard Day Day Thomas and sophomore guard Jizzle James combined for 31 of Cincinnati’s 39 second-half second half points.
Redshirt sophomore guard Terrance Arceneaux played a huge role off the bench for the Cougars, scoring 10 points on 5-for-8 shooting.
Sophomore forward Joseph Tugler continued to shine defensively, tallying two blocks and a steal. He also contributed six points, five rebounds and three assists.
Houston will close out its home schedule and celebrate its seniors with a game against Kansas on Monday, March 3, at 8 p.m.
