Here's What Helped Houston Cougars Secure Win Over Florida State

It was the fast-break points that gave Houston the edge against the Seminoles.

Houston Cougars guard Milos Uzan celebrates with guard Kingston Flemings after a play during the second half against the Florida State Seminoles at Toyota Center. | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

On Friday night, the Houston Cougars moved to 8-1 on the season with an 82-67 win over the Florida State Seminoles in the Houston Hoops Showdown.

Emanuel Sharp and Kingston Flemings were the stars of the show on offense for the Cougars. Sharp recorded a season-high 27 points along with three assists and one steal. Flemings was more aggressive in the turnover game with 21 points, three rebounds, five assists, and eight steals.

While Sharp's excellent shooting and Chris Cenac Jr.'s double-double performance (15 points and 10 rebounds) were highlights in Houston's eighth win of the season, the Cougars' victory may have been driven even more by their ability to score in transition. As a team, Houston recorded 17 fast-break points compared to Florida State's five.

Fast-Break Dominance by the Cougars

Dec 5, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Florida State Seminoles guard Cam Miles (2) looks on as Houston Cougars guard Kingston Flemings (4) celebrates after scoring a basket during the first half at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Earlier this week, Kelvin Sampson spoke about the challenges that Florida State's defense presents. The veteran head coach specifically mentioned that they do a good job of causing chaos and forcing opposing offenses into uncomfortable situations.

“They try to create chaos,” Sampson said. “They’ll just go running trap. That takes a team out of their comfort zone, and we are going to have to be able to flow from whatever we’re doing offensively, and they’re gonna try to disrupt it being able to see.”

Instead of the Seminoles dictating the pace of the game with their chaotic style of play, it was the Cougars finding opportunities in transition all night. As a team, Houston recorded 15 steals leading to 17 points in the fast-break. Flemings led all Cougars with eight steals on the night.

Houston's defense also proved to be more than Florida State could handle. While Sampson's squad turned the ball over on 13 occasions, the Seminoles were only able to come away with five points in transition.

Are the Cougars Starting the Figure Things Out?

Dec 6, 2025; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Cougars guard Milos Uzan (7) celebrates with guard Emanuel Sharp (21) after a play during the first half against the Florida State Seminoles at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

After the Tennessee loss, Coog Nation was left wondering what this team's ceiling was. While the raw talent has been present, it still seems as though the lack of experience from Houston's playmakers has caused problems this season.

It was only a couple of weeks ago that the Cougars toppled a gritty Notre Dame team by a score of 66-56. While Houston's win over the Fighting Irish was a defensive clash, Flemings and Cenac Jr. still had troubles finding their rhythm offensively as the two freshmen only totaled five points combined.

Against the Seminoles, the Cougars played one of their more complete games this season. Sampson's squad has already shown it can win in defensive battles and high-scoring shootouts, and now they've added a solid performance in the fast-break game against a quality team.

If Houston can find a way to combine all three elements of the game, the Cougars could once again become one of the most feared teams in college basketball.