22 Jan 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Utah Utrah forward Keanu Dawes (8) tries to shoot when Houston Cougars forward J’wan Roberts (13) and guard Lj Cryer (4) defends during the second half at Fertitta Center. Cougars defeated excluding 70-36. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Immagn images No. 7 Houston seems to have a semi-permanent place on top of the national points defense leaders, and now Cougars comes from his most boring effort during the season.
Houston will once again rely on defense as it aims to stretch its winning line to 12 matches on Saturday night in a BIG 12 -showdown against No. 12 Kansas on Lawrence, can.
Cougars (15-3, 7-0) is first place in BIG 12 behind a system that enjoys being defensive pests. Houston allows a national low average of 53.9 points one game and has given up 45 or fewer on five occasions.
And the Feistiness was on a full screen while he allowed a season for points in Wednesday’s 70-36 home victory over Utah.
Cougars forced 26 turnover and allowed only 13 field goals in dismantling UTLs. Cougars had a 29-2 edge in points outside the turnover.
Houston had an easy time despite the outstanding guard Emanuel Sharp (ankle damage) who lacked the competition. Sharp is tied with LJ Cryer (13.8 points per match) for the team’s points.
No sharp are equal to no problems in Cougar’s coach Kelvin Sampson.
“There are only two things you can control during this lifetime: your attitude and your effort,” Sampson said. “We work so hard to make sure that body language, posture, be a good teammate and understand your role. Being part of something that is much more important than you are and playing for something much more important than you are. It’s not easy . If it was, everyone would do
Cougars made 19 steal and only committed five sales against Utah.
Milos Uzan got a season best 14 points in 6-of-9 shooting from the field and marked his first time he has been in double-digit since December 30.
“Coach (Sampson) and the staff have encouraged me to remain aggressive,” Uzan said. “The more I am aggressive, the more it opens my passing abilities. To just continue to be aggressive is to keep me a good flow and also protect on defense.”
This is the second season that National Powers Kansas (14-4, 5-2) and Houston are members of the same conference.
They shared last season’s two meetings. Jayhawks listed a 78-65 home victory in the first matchup, and Cougars returned served with a 76-46 home route later in the season.
Kansas has won six of the nine meetings all the time.
The Jayhawks have won five of its last six total matches, with the backlash when they were drilled 74-57 at then no. 2 Iowa State on 15 January.
On Wednesday, Kansas over-1-point’s first half deficit to have a 74-61 road victory over TCU.
Hunter Dickinson got a team best 16 points because the Jayhawks had five players in double -digit numbers. AJ Storr (12 points) and Shakeel Moore (11) were among the players who impressed Kansas coach Bill Self.
“Maybe this will be the first step,” Self said. “AJ was really good, he was fantastic and Shak was the best guard we had (Wednesday night). It was production that we have not become consistent, so it was fantastic to see.”
Jayhawks shot 55.6 percent from the field and moved the ball well with 21 assists. Kansas is 7-0 this season when they collect 20 or more assists.
Dickinson leads Kansas in points (15.8) and rebounding (10.2). Zeke Mayo (14.9) is the only other Jayhawk in two -digit numbers in points. He has made a team-high 40 3-points.
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