No. 4 UH basketball wins share of Big 12 title in revenge win over no. 10 Texas Tech: Three Takeaways

UH basketball (24-4, 16-1) got it done in Lubbock and beat no. 10 Texas Tech 69-61 on their home court for the first time since 1992 to clinch a share of the Big 12 conference regular season title for the second year in a row. 

The Cougars have won 20 out of their last 21 games became the first program in over a century to join a power conference and win consecutive regular season championships in the first two years, with the last team being Idaho in 1924. This is also the seventh straight conference title under Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson. 

“Coach is competitor you can tell how passionate he is about the game, I love playing for coach, great staff and great team,” Milos Uzan said. 

While Houston got out to the early 6-2 lead, Texas Tech responded and it went back and forth for the majority of the first half. After back to back threes from junior guard Emanuel Sharp, the Cougars took a five point lead that eventually became a 33-30 halftime lead. 

UH would maintain their lead in the second half, and every time Tech would get close, the Cougars had an answer. Houston took a 10 point lead, their largest of the game with under four minutes to go after graduate forward J’Wan Roberts made his presence felt in the paint with some late buckets. 

“I appreciate the load they are carrying for our conference, because what they’re doing defensively and with physicality, I have genuine respect for the way they win games,” Texas Tech head coach Grant McCasland said.

Takeaway #1: Milos Uzan’s career game

Houston’s junior point guard has been on a torrid stretch lately and has been one of the best guards in the nation the last few weeks. After a late Texas Tech 7-2 run, the lead was cut down to just three with 1:12 left. After a UH timeout, Uzan stepped up and drained the dagger three with 45 seconds left to effectively put the game away as the score was now 65-59. 

“That’s one of the best teams in the country, if not the best team now that the way Milos is playing,” McCasland said.

The Las Vegas native put up a career best 22 points along with a trifecta of threes, once again leading Houston in a tough road environment. 

“Every point guard that has played for this program is pulling for Milos,” coach Kelvin Sampson said.

In the second half, Uzan would make a huge shot multiple times to keep Houston in control when the lead was only two. A big second chance 3-pointer and layup helped maintain the advantage for the Cougars. Uzan also got out to a hot start with 12 first half points, that included multiple and-one plays. 

“This team has so much belief in me, I feel like I can knock down any shot,” Uzan said. 

Takeaway #2: Toughest Team Wins

After the Red Raiders beat Houston in Fertitta Center on Feb. 1, head coach Grant McCasland and sophomore forward JT Toppin took a picture in the visiting team locker room and the slogan after that game was “Toughest team won”. These words and the picture were then made into shirts that the Texas Tech student section wore. 

While TTU certainly played tough, the Cougars got the win and were the tougher team. Houston made sure to remember it as the white board in the visiting team locker room after the game said “Back-to-back Big 12 Champs! Toughest team won!”

UH basketball won their 13th straight conference road game, which extends the longest streak in Big 12 history. 

Houston had a great shooting night and consistently made the tough shots throughout the night. UH basketball shot 50% from three (6/12) and were 83% from the free throw line (19/23). Roberts also had 16 points and made a career high 10 free throws in a hostile road environment, a category that hurt the Cougars in the last matchup vs Tech. 

UH basketball had 26 points in the paint compared to 16 for the Red Raiders, showing their physicality. Sophomore forward Joseph Tugler also had a powerful dunk that silenced the crowd in the second half. 

Takeaway #3: Great effort from Texas Tech

Even without two of their top three scorers in senior guard Chance McMillian and junior forward Darrion Williams, the Red Raiders put together a really strong effort and brought it right down to the wire. With former Tech quarterback and three time Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes in the house, the environment was electric. 

“That crowd and that old Red Raider quarterback (Patrick Mahomes) that showed up had to be worth at least 10 points,” Sampson said.

The Texas Tech defense forced 13 Houston turnovers and made it difficult for them at times. TTU out rebounded the Cougars by seven as well, including dominating 17-7 on the offensive glass, giving UH a taste of their own medicine. 

Sampson even acknowledged how there is an asterisk next to this win. The Red Raiders had four players in double digits, including 14 from Toppin and senior point guard Elijah Hawkins, but had one of their worst shooting nights, as they only made 6/30 from beyond the arc (20%) and shot just 29.8% from the field overall. Tech is now eliminated from the Big 12 conference title hopes.

“That’s a team that can go a long way in March, I think they’re really good,” Sampson said.

Up next for UH basketball: vs Cincinnati (16-11, 6-10), March 1 at 3:30 p.m. CST

The Cougars will look to outright win the Big 12 regular season title in this game.

Up next for Texas Tech basketball (21-7, 12-5): at Kansas (19-9, 10-7), March 1 at 1 p.m. CST