In a thrilling battle on Monday night, the Houston Cougars solidified their grasp on the Big 12 regular-season title by securing a hard-fought 69-61 victory over the 10th-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders in Lubbock, Texas. Milos Uzan led the charge for the Cougars with a stellar career-high performance, scoring 22 points to propel his team forward.
J’Wan Roberts made a significant impact as well, contributing 16 points and pulling down seven rebounds. This win served as a satisfying redemption for Houston, who had previously suffered their sole conference loss to Texas Tech. In that earlier matchup, the Red Raiders had narrowly triumphed 82-81 in overtime, even after losing their leading scorer, JT Toppin, and coach Grant McCasland to ejections.
For the undermanned Texas Tech team, both JT Toppin and Elijah Hawkins were essential, each scoring 14 points. Despite facing tough circumstances with only six players available, the Red Raiders were spurred on by a vibrant home crowd. Notably, NFL star and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was in attendance to support his alma mater.
The Red Raiders were missing key players Chance McMillian and Darrion Williams due to lower-body injuries, with McMillian being absent for the second game in a row. Emanuel Sharpe played a vital role for Houston by adding 10 points to the tally, and effectively knocked Texas Tech out of the Big 12 title race. Now, the only team left to challenge Houston’s nearly secure title is No. 22 Arizona.
Houston’s achievement marks a historic moment as they became the first team to capture a major conference title within just their first two seasons of joining a league, echoing a feat last achieved by Idaho in 1922-23. Despite Texas Tech’s challenges, including Toppin’s struggle with calf cramps during the second half—even though he still managed a double-double with 10 rebounds—the team battled valiantly.
The game reached a pivotal moment when the Red Raiders were trailing by three points in the final minute, and Uzan sunk a clutch three-pointer just as the shot clock was about to expire. Texas Tech’s shooting woes were evident, as they recorded a season-low shooting percentage of 30%, connecting on only 20% of their attempts from beyond the arc.
Next on the schedule, the Houston Cougars will host Cincinnati on Saturday, while the Texas Tech Red Raiders are set to play on the road against Kansas.
