2 Big 12 Games That Houston Fans Should Watch This Weekend

The Cougars are undefeated in conference play and need to watch these Big 12 games for the upcoming events against these teams.

Jan 13, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars forward Kalifa Sakho (14) center Chris Cenac Jr. (5) guard Milos Uzan (7) and guard Emanuel Sharp (21) react while they watch their teammates play against the West Virginia Mountaineers in the second half at Fertitta Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Houston basketball keeps getting more interesting.

One of the best parts about it? Getting to watch the other teams they are about to play, and this weekend, there are two Big 12 games that should matter to them.

Why? It’s because they play the Red Raiders next, then the Horned Frogs in a couple of weeks.

Can the Cougars find a way to escape Sunday's game against the Sun Devils before having all week to prepare for the next couple of games?

That will be determined soon, but being intrigued by these two matchups should matter because of what the standings look like down the stretch.

No. 11 BYU @ No. 15 Texas Tech

16-1 overall
4-0 in @Big12Conference

On to the next one

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— Houston Men's Hoops 🏀 🐾 (@UHCougarMBK) January 15, 2026

Not long ago, Houston found a way at home to defeat the Red Raiders, 69-65. In a week from Saturday, they'll square off again, and this time it will be in Lubbock, Texas. BYU is in Lubbock this weekend, taking on Texas Tech, and it could have major implications on what the Big 12 standings look like in several weeks from now, especially when it comes down to head-to-head matchups.

A reason to keep an eye on this game for Houston fans is that it is hard to beat a team once, and it is even harder to beat a team that is now familiar with you to beat them twice. When it comes to seeding in the NCAA Tournament, all three of these schools look like they pass the eye test, so this could be a battle for a better seed in the conference tournament and in March Madness.

Texas Tech’s offense is currently shooting 46.8 percent from the field, 68.9 percent from the free throw line and 37.8 percent from three. As for BYU, they are going 49.3 percent from the field, 74.8 percent from the charity stripe, and 35.7 percent from deep. Houston has to go against both of these offenses, so it’s going to be fun watching how this pans out.

TCU @ Utah

Another good game Houston can look forward to playing down the line. In two games from now, the Cougars will be playing the Horned Frogs, so this should draw people’s attention to what is upcoming.  

Utah is currently 8-9 and 15th in the Big 12, while TCU is 11-6 and 10th. Both teams are hoping to stay on track before it is way too late. Offensively, that is going to need to happen as the two best players in this game have to create momentum.

TCU’s forward, David Punch, is the leader of the team in scoring with 13.7 points per game. He’ll go against Utah’s guard, Terrence Brown, who is averaging above 20 points a game and is hard to stop. Houston’s defense will face both of these players, so taking a few minutes to watch them will be intriguing for the future.