The University of Houston Cougars capped off their Presidents Day weekend with a significant victory against Iowa State on Monday evening, marking a pivotal moment in their season.
Ranked second in the nation, the UH Cougars faced off against the sixth-ranked Cyclones, both teams tied at 9-3 in conference play. However, by the end of the nationally televised match at Fertitta Center, the Cougars emerged victorious with a score of 73-65 over the Cyclones.
With this win, the Coogs (23-3) extended their home winning streak to 20 games and redeemed themselves from a previous loss to Iowa State on Jan. 9, which had been their first loss of the season.
Jamal Shead of UH led all scorers with 26 points, while Emanuel Sharp contributed 20 points to the victory.
Despite being out-rebounded 39-30, Houston secured the win by excelling at the free-throw line, making 24 shots out of 32 attempts.
The Cougars reclaimed the second spot after defeating the University of Texas Longhorns in a dominating fashion. Led by L.J. Cryer’s season-high 26 points and a double-double performance from Jamal Shead, Houston secured a 21-point victory and completed a season sweep of the Longhorns.
Last week’s second-ranked team, Purdue, suffered its third loss of the season against the Ohio State Buckeyes, allowing the Cougars to ascend to the second spot in both the Associated Press Top 25 and Coaches polls, matching their highest ranking of the season from Week 10.
However, despite their strong performance, Houston couldn’t secure a first-place vote in either poll, as the UConn Huskies claimed unanimous first-place rankings in both.
The Men’s College Basketball Power Index (BPI) considers Houston as the top team in the country as of Monday. The BPI ranks Houston as the best defensive team, with Iowa State closely following.
Looking ahead, Houston is favored to win the Big 12 Conference with an 87% chance, and they have promising odds in the March Madness tournament, including a near-90% chance of reaching the Sweet Sixteen.
ESPN’s Bracketology predicts Houston as a No. 1 seed in the South Region and forecasts potential matchups in the upcoming tournament.
The remaining schedule for the Cougars includes matchups against Baylor, Cincinnati, Oklahoma, UCF, and Kansas.
