3 Takeaways from Houston Basketball's Big Win over California
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Houston Cougars basketball took control and handily beat the California Golden Bears 86-68 in the Caesar's Lake Tahoe Classic at the Tahoe Blue Event Center in Stateline, Nevada. UH, who came in ranked No. 10, improved to 2-0 early in the season, while California dropped to 2-1.
In a neutral-site venue against a Power Four program, the Cougars got the early lead and maintained it the rest of the way. Here are three main takeaways.
Tugler's Big Contributions on Both Ends
Houston's star senior forward Joseph Tugler set the tone at the start and demonstrated why he can be the best player and leader of the team. His presence on defense with three early blocks and eight points out of the gate showed that he can now score on the offensive end with some form of consistency when he was on the court.
Tugler ended up with 16 points on seven out of 12 shooting from the field along with four blocks, three rebounds and two steals in 27 minutes. He also made both his free throws. This was a good bounce-back performance for him after nine points in 16 minutes in the season opener against La Salle.
Dedan Thomas Jr. Can Be That Offensive Leader
For the second straight game, the senior transfer point guard in Thomas Jr. led Houston in scoring. He also was the leader in scoring in the exhibition game against Michigan and played a big role in the scrimmage against Ole Miss.
Thomas put up 20 points on nine-of-15 shooting along with eight assists, two rebounds and two steals. He only got to the free-throw line once in this game, which shows his versatility in scoring points. As a point guard in coach Kelvin Sampson's system, Thomas does well at not turning the ball over and only had one turnover.
Although it can be hard to say who the leading scorer for Houston could be on any given night, Thomas looks like he could be a good bet.
Productive Defense
it's been known that Houston's defense leads to a good chunk of offensive scoring, and it a big part of how it wins. That was the case in this one, as the defense created some exciting opportunities in transition. Houston had 20 fast break points.
The Cougars forced 14 steals total and also blocked seven total shots. Houston got 16 turnovers and converted it into 22 points. Junior guard Mercy Miller forced three steals himself. Junior forward Braden East added two blocks off the bench. Additionally, senior guard Chendall Weaver made his Houston debut and made three steals.
Up next, Houston has a quick turnaround and will play Jacksonville State on Wednesday night at home.
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Maanav Gupta is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He graduated from the University of Houston in the summer of 2025 with his bachelor’s in journalism and a minor in Spanish. Gupta spent three years at the student newspaper, The Daily Cougar, and also covered the 2025 Final Four and National Championship as Houston beat writer for College Basketball Review. He also has his own YouTube channel, Maanav’s Sports Talk, where he has interviewed professional athletes and broadcasters like Jim Nantz, Jose Altuve, J.J. Watt, Rich Eisen, and Alperen Sengun. Gupta was also a contributor to the Houston athletic program as a student. You can find Gupta on X, Instagram and TikTok @MGSportsTalk.