Everything You Need to Know About Houston’s Potential Big 12 Tournament Opponents

Now that the regular season finale has wrapped up, the Big 12 Tournament is ahead, and there are plenty of scenarios in which different schools could play multiple teams.

As it stands, Houston basketball is slated to play one of three teams that could try to upset them in the bracket, which would be a step closer to cutting the nets in Kansas City, Missouri.

For head coach Kelvin Sampson, there is no specific school they would want to meet, because there is so much depth on every roster. The lowest remaining seed is obviously the best answer for them to make an easier, deeper run. So, what is the scouting report about the three programs they could meet?

Kansas State

A historic #Big12MBB season has led us to this moment.

The OFFICIAL 2026 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament Bracket is here 👀 pic.twitter.com/tkKZYPWggt
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) March 8, 2026

The Wildcats are the No. 15 seed in the tournament with a 12-19 record in the Big 12. They are likely the weakest of the three teams the Cougars could face, but they will not be underestimated by the rest of the bracket.

As a unit, Kansas State is shooting 45.7 percent from the field, 35.9 percent from beyond the arc, and 71.1 percent from the charity stripe. As an offense , they are posting 79.2 points per game and averaging 34.2 rebounds per game, along with 16.9 assists.

Their best player on the roster is guard PJ Haggerty, who has been arguably the most valuable on the squad, too. He is averaging 35.1 minutes per game and 23.3 points per game, so he could be a tough test for the Houston defense if he can carry the program that far, but BYU’s shooters stand in the way.

BYU

One of the NBA’s top prospects for the upcoming draft is on the Cougars and could be a huge problem for the Houston defense if it gets to that point. Forward AJ Dybantsa has been one of the most talked about playmakers in this class and is making a case to be the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. He is posting 24.7 points per game while averaging 34.3 minutes on the floor.

Offensively, BYU is registering 84.3 points per game and is shooting 47.7 percent from the field. Beyond the arc, BYU is going 34.7 percent from three and is also converting 74.4 percent of its free throws.

One of the problems has been getting more production from a handful of players besides Dybantsa, so that will be the question entering the week and the NCAA Tournament. Can this team figure out how to get going after not playing its best basketball recently?

West Virginia

An 18-13 record for the Mountaineers isn’t too shabby in a season that could've been a lot worse than what it has been. As the No. 7 seed in the conference, the program is well-positioned to draw a couple of quality opponents in the tournament and build its resume to make a late run at cutting down the nets.

It’s going to take a lot to get to the championship, but the Cougars are standing in the way of the Mountaineers' shot at making a statement. The West Virginia offense wants to make a commanding statement against either BYU or Kansas State because that is the team they’ll see first, so they’ll have to wait and scout both teams.

As a unit, the Mountaineers are averaging only 69.9 points per game and shooting 44.2 percent from the field. Shooting the three isn’t their strongest suit, going only 33 percent, but the charity stripe is where they can go to work, with 67.9 percent of their shots going through the hoop from there. The work of guard Honor Huff is vital for a team that lacks a run, as his 15.8 points per game, which lead the team, and his 35.4 minutes per game on the floor, which also lead the team, are vital for a team that lacks a ton of elite scorers.

There’s no perfect matchup for Houston, but all three schools can easily pull off an upset or easily struggle against an offense that is capable of making a ton of highlight reels.