The West Virginia Mountaineers will look to keep momentum on their side as they prepare to face No. 7 Houston on Tuesday after beating No. 22 Kansas at Hope Coliseum in Morgantown this past weekend.
The win over Kansas helped WVU to improve to 11-5 overall and 2-1 in Big 12 play, with a road loss to Iowa State and a win at home over Cincinnati making up the rest of their conference slate so far. The win over Kansas. The win was a statement victory in multiple ways – it not only proved they have what it takes to knock off the top programs in the conference for the first time this year, and also boosted their previously weak NCAA Tournament resume as they jumped 17 spots in the NET rankings and 14 spots in the KenPom rankings.
But as it often is with life in the Big 12, the Mountaineers will be tested again by a nationally prominent basketball program in the Houston Cougars. Here's all information you need on how to follow the action, and a look at the Cougars.
How to Watch WVU Basketball vs Houston
Date: January 13
Time: 8:30 PM EST
Venue: Fertitta Center, Houston, TX
TV: Fox Sports 1
TV Commentary: Jason Benetti, Bill Raftery
Radio: Mountaineer Sports Network/Varsity Network (pre-game coverage begins at 7:30 PM EST)
Radio Commentary: Tony Caridi, Brad Howe
WVU Record: 11-5, 2-1
Houston Record: 15-1, 3-0
Odds
Houston enters as 13.5-point favorites against the Mountaineers, and the over/under is set at 128.5 points.
Houston Preview
How They Got Here
After falling to Florida by a final score of 65-63 in the National Championship last season, the rebuilt Houston Cougars have their sights set on another deep run during March Madness. They currently have a 15-1 record and are a perfect 3-0 in conference play, with their lone loss this season coming against Tennessee in a neutral-site game in late November. In the non-conference, Houston has picked up notable wins over Auburn, Syracuse, Notre Dame, Florida State, and Arkansas.
Houston started their Big 12 slate with a 67-60 win on the road over Cincinnati. They followed that up with a 69-65 win at home over Texas Tech. On Saturday afternoon, the Cougars went to Waco and beat the Baylor Bears 77-55.
Numbers to Know
33 - Houston had 33 more shot attempts than Baylor in Saturday’s 22-point win. A discrepancy that large can be due to a variety of reasons, such as turnovers and free throw attempts. Baylor committed 16 turnovers and got to the charity stripe 31 times, making just 18 of their attempts. Despite the blowout win, Houston shot just 39% from the floor in 74 field goal attempts. However, Baylor shot 37%, making 15-of-41. If you have followed college basketball over the last few years, you know that Houston’s defense has been elite year-after-year. They are giving up just 60 points per game this season, slightly better than the Mountaineers, who are only allowing 62.3 points.
14.3 - The Cougars are among the best in the Big 12 on the offensive glass, averaging 14.3 offensive rebounds per game. They rank 17th nationally in the offensive rebounding department. The Mountaineers have looked impressive at times on the glass this year, including against Kansas. But they've also struggled mightily again several teams when it comes te rebounding. Which West Virginia team hits the glass could be important.
44.3, 33.6 - As elite as Houston is defensively, their offensive efficiency has taken a step back (compared to last season) so far this season, as far as where it ranks in the Big 12. Houston’s field goal percentage this season is just 44.3, which is next-to-last in the conference. From three-point territory, Houston’s 33.6% has them 14th out of 16 teams in the Big 12 in that department. With a renewed defensive focus, this is something the Mountaineers can use to their advantage.
Players to Know
Senior guard Emmanuel Sharp is a familiar face for the Cougars, leading the team in scoring with 16.1 points per game. Sharp is a solid shooter for the Cougars, attempting over seven three-pointers per game and making 39% of his looks from downtown
Freshman Kingston Flemings has been rather impressive through his first 16 games as a Cougar. He is averaging 15.7 points, 5.1 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game. The potential lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft is a major contributor to a Houston team that will likely be competing for another Big 12 title.
Milos Uzan, Chris Cenac Jr., and Joseph Tugler round out the starting lineup for a Houston Cougars team that relies heavily on the production they get from the talented starting five.