Taking an Early Look at Challenges Houston Presents Arizona State

TEMPE -- The Arizona State Sun Devils (10-7, 1-3 Big 12) are aiming to earn a marquee victory on Sunday afternoon - this time against the seventh-ranked Houston Cougars (16-1, 4-0) in the second part of a two-pronged road trip.

The Sun Devils experienced an 80-65 loss to Kelvin Sampson's Cougars on February 18 of last year, so there is little doubt that head coach Bobby Hurley fully understands the challenges that Kelvin Sampson's program presents, even if the roster looks a bit different in 2025-26.

Arizona State on SI takes an early look at what makes this road battle an uphill climb for the Sun Devils come Sunday.

rgerhrh — Jan 10, 2026; Waco, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson reacts to a play against the Baylor Bears during the second half at Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

Cougars Remain Elite Defense

The revival of Houston basketball under Sampson has been built upon a consistent culture of hard-nosed defense that seems to carry over from year-to-year, regardless of personnel.

This has continued into this season, as they currently possess the third-best defensive rating figure in the country according to KenPom.

Houston's defenses tend to be relentlessly aggressive - built around phenomenal athletes who are equally disciplined and intelligent. The frequent usage of blitzing ball handlers, trapping off of pick-and-rolls - as well as reliably pristine rotations - make it incredibly difficult for the opposing team to generate quality looks on a consistent basis.

This translates to the Cougars allowing under 60 points per game - the Sun Devils will have their work cut out for them, especially with a likely eight-man rotation.

eefwwge — Jan 14, 2026; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils guard Moe Odum (5) shoots a three point shot over Arizona Wildcats guard Dwayne Aristode (2) during the second half of the game at McKale Memorial Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Houston's Three-Guard Scoring Attack

The area that potentially makes the Cougars especially dangerous this season is a higher ceiling offensively that is built in a rock-solid guard trio that all bring different strengths to the table offensively.

Point guard Kingston Flemings is a projected lottery pick in what is anticipated to be a stacked 2026 NBA draft. Flemings is posting 15.2 PPG and 5.2 APG on shooting splits of 51.6/38.5/79.6 across 17 appearances. The balance between explosiveness and perimeter shot creation make the freshman a high-ceiling scorer, while his court vision make him the best floor general the program has had in some time.

Senior Emanuel Sharp has taken the role as the go-to scorer of this team in his third season as a regular starter - he shoots 38.5% from three-point range on high volume, while also being a physical driver to the hoop.

Senior Milos Uzan is quite possibly the x-factor of this team, as his efficiency has dipped significantly after a 2024-25 season in which he shot over 40% from three-point range. It's incredibly challenging to secure a win over the juggernaut Cougars as is, but would be near-impossible if Uzan stepped up in a major fashion.

Read more on why the Arizona State men's basketball team will exceed expectations in the 2025-26 season here, and on why the bright future of the football program isn’t dimmed by the loss to Arizona here.

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