The Good, Bad, and Ugly from Houston's Decisive Win Over Jackson State

The Cougars remain undefeated at home as they dominate the Tigers for their third win in a row.

Dec 10, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars guard Emanuel Sharp (21) attempts a free throw after a technical foul during the first half against the Jackson State Tigers at Fertitta Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Head coach Kelvin Sampson and the Houston Cougars moved to 9-1 on the season with an 80-38 win over Jackson State. The Cougars took the lead with 15:36 left in the first half and never looked back.

The Cougars have continued to dominate at home. In fact, Houston has now won 10 straight games at their home stadium, dating all the way back to the middle of the 2024-25 season. The last time the Cougars were handed a loss at Fertitta Center was in February, when Texas Tech narrowly beat them 82-81 in overtime.

Even in a blowout against Jackson State, there was still a mix of good, bad, and ugly takeaways for Houston. The defense was as dominant as ever and the offense found some strong performances from key players, but the Cougars also showed some inconsistencies on offense.

The Good- Emanuel Sharp is Elite

Dec 10, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Jackson State Tigers head coach Mo Williams reacts as Houston Cougars guard Emanuel Sharp (21) shoots the ball during the first half at Fertitta Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Emanuel Sharp is quickly turning into one of the most explosive scorers in college basketball. In the first three minutes against the Tigers on Wednesday night, the senior guard scored Houston's first eight points with two made three-point shots and a pair of free throws.

Sharp ended the game shooting 8 of 11 from the floor, totaling a team-high 23 points. He was also an impressive 5 of 8 from the three-point line. Isiah Harwell was right behind the senior guard with a career-high 20 points. On a night where both Kingston Flemings and Chris Cenac Jr. struggled to find open shots, both Sharp and Harwell helped carry Houston to their third straight win.

Sharp is now averaging over 17 points per game and is shooting over 43 percent from the floor for the Cougars.

The Bad- Trouble From Beyond the Arc

Dec 10, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars guard Kingston Flemings (4) reacts after a play during the first half against the Jackson State Tigers at Fertitta Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

While Sharp and Harwell had outstanding nights on the court, the rest of the team struggled from three. While Houston has never been a program that's been especially dominant from three, the Cougars have still seen better performances this season.

Both Milos Uzan and Chase McCarty both went 0 for 4 from three, and the only other Cougars to connect from beyond the arc on Wednesday night was Mercy Miller and Ramon Walker.

The Ugly- The Cougars are Still Finding Their Rhythm

Houston Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson reacts to a call as Auburn Tigers take on the Houston Cougars at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala. on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025. Houston Cougars lead Auburn Tigers 39-35 at halftime. | Jake Crandall/ Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While Houston is still the No. 7 team in the country, their shooting has been a work in progress. Once again, the Cougars shot under 45 percent from the floor as a team on Wednesday. While it's still early in the season, I personally am watching this issue rather closely.

Many top teams in the country are shooting anywhere from 47-49 percent from the floor this season. Through their first 10 games, Houston is shooting a whopping 44.3 percent from the floor. That mark ranks No. 188 in the country.

As previously mentioned, this isn't something to sound the alarm about yet, but Coach Sampson will most likely want the Cougars to find more of a rhythm before conference play begins.