Kingston Flemings Powers Houston Past Texas Tech In Big 12 Thriller
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Houston basketball defeated the Texas Tech Red Raiders 69-65 on Tuesday night at the Fertitta Center.
Freshman guard Kingston Flemings showed the world why he is a projected first-round lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, as he led the team in scoring and hit multiple clutch shots down the stretch.
With the win, Houston improves to 13-1 and 2-0 in the Big 12 Conference.
Houston vs Texas Tech Game Recap
Houston basketball only committed one turnover in the entire first half, showing the team’s emphasis on ball security has improved.
Unfortunately for the Cougars, freshman guard Jaylen Petty got off to a hot start, and his 14 points in the first half were enough to tie the score at 31 at halftime.
For Houston, its guard play once again was the key to scoring against a stout Texas Tech defense.
Flemings has proved that he can contribute on both sides of the ball, no matter who the team is, and he showed out once again tonight.
Afer a 2-for-9 start from the field, the young playmaker went into takeover mode, and he led Houston to a big victory over its rival at home.
Flemings led all scorers with 23 points, and his two clutch three-pointers were enough to pull past Texas Tech late in the game.
He also proved his worth in several other categories, as he dished out five assists, grabbed three rebounds and played tough defense all night long.
Senior guard Emanuel Sharp look much more comfortable tonight, still dealing with a finger and back injury.
He ended the game with 17 points, and he was vitally important in this hard-fought victory.
Sharp made his biggest contribution on defense, where he guarded Texas Tech’s best players and caused several turnovers.
The veteran guard held Texas Tech’s top scoring guard, Christian Anderson, to just seven points on 3-for-11 shooting.
The Cougars found their most production in the lane tonight, as they scored 28 points in the paint, which is a huge jump from their season average.
Junior forward Joseph Tugler posted a double-double tonight, ending his night with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
He also played Texas Tech’s best player JT Topin extremely tough down low, and he recorded two steals.
Freshman forward Chris Cenac Jr. also posted a double-double, finishing with 11 points and 11 boards.
Overall, the Cougars had a huge test tonight on their home floor, and they showed several areas of improvement that Houston fans should be excited about.
Ashton Grissom is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He is currently a senior at the University of Houston and majoring in Sports Media Production with a minor in Marketing and Spanish. He also works for two student organizations: The Cougar and CoogTV. You can find Grissom on his Instagram (@ashtonagrissom8) or Twitter (@ashtongrissom8).