Previewing Houston’s Home Game Against West Virginia

A 3-0 start to conference play. How does that sound, Houston fans?

That certainly is not a bad start to open up the Big 12. For a West Virginia program, a 2-1 start with a win against Cincinnati and No. 22 Kansas is a start they’d take any year.

Going into Tuesday night’s matchup with the Cougars, the Mountaineers only have a 12.3 percent chance to pull off a win as the numbers are not trending in their direction, according to ESPN Analytics.

Odds are once again on Houston's side, but that speaks to the success that coach Kelvin Sampson and his roster have had throughout the season in preparation for games at practice and the product they have displayed on the court. The same goes for coach Ross Hodge’s team, which is looking to be a contender this season.

The last time both schools met was back on January 29, 2025, when Houston convincingly won 63-49, the smallest margin of victory. The largest margin of victory was 89-55 in 2024, with an average of 77 points scored. The all-time series is 3-0 in Houston's favor right now, so West Virginia has a chance to respond with a major road victory at Fertitta Center.

Cougars vs Mountaineers Preview

.@UHouston students...

Student Ticket claim for our January 13 game vs West Virginia in Fertitta Center is now open

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Be loud, WEAR BLUE and Go Coogs!#ForTheCity x #GoCoogs pic.twitter.com/yImMd3T9MH
— Houston Men's Hoops 🏀 🐾 (@UHCougarMBK) January 7, 2026

Hodge is hoping to be the first since former head coach Bob Huggins led the Mountaineers to the NCAA Tournament in the 2023 season, where they lost in the first round to Maryland. The program has made only 11 Sweet 16s and three Elite Eight games, with a run to the Final Four occurring only twice.

The coach who was hired on March 25, 2025 leads an offense this season that knows how to shoot the basketball and is not scared to face some of the biggest branded teams in the entire sport. The Mountaineers are shooting 45.4 percent from the field, 68.9 percent from the charity stripe, and 36.2 percent from behind the arc. There are three players averaging double digits who have been the building blocks of this program.

As a scoring defense, they rank No. 5 with 61.5 points per game allowed. Defensively, West Virginia is also posting 7.1 steals and 3.1 assists per game, so it could be a hard night to knock down a ton of shots.

Meanwhile, Sampon’s group is 44.7 percent from the field, 76.3 percent from the free-throw line, and 34.1 percent from downtown. The Houston offense doesn't rank in the top 100 in scoring, but the defense is part of the reason they stick around and can run away with games.

As a defensive unit, Houston is No. 3 in scoring defense, allowing 60.3 points per game. Houston will make opponents they play turn the ball over, ranking No. 29 in the country in turnovers forced per game. They are No. 48 in the country in steals, averaging 8.9 per game, so that’s also something to keep an eye on as the game goes on.

Players To Watch

Eman doing what Eman does.

17 pts | 3 treys | 5 rebs | 2 asts | 1 stl pic.twitter.com/nIrAVJyGjF
— Houston Men's Hoops 🏀 🐾 (@UHCougarMBK) January 10, 2026

Hodge’s roster consists of a deep team that can fight no matter how long the game goes. There are seven guards, four forwards, and two centers listed. The ones that have had the most significance so far this season have been the two guards Honor Huff and Chance Moore, as well as forward Brenan Lorient.

As for the Cougars, there are seven guards listed, along with four forwards and two centers. The top three guards, leading scorers, include Kingston Flemings, Emanuel Sharp, and Milos Uzan, but the two big men who cannot be overcooked are Chris Cenac Jr. and Joseph Tugler.

West Virginia and Houston will be back in action on January 13 at 7:30 p.m. with the game televised on FS1.