Three Takeaways from No. 3 Houston's Narrow Loss to No. 17 Tennessee

It was a defensive battle in Las Vegas between the Cougars and the Volunteers.

Nov 25, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Houston Cougars guard Kingston Flemings (4) shoots the ball against Tennessee Volunteers guard Bishop Boswell (3) in a 2025 Players Era Festival group play game during the first half at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

On Tuesday night, the No. 3 Houston Cougars were handed their first loss of the season by the No. 17 Tennessee Volunteers. With a surge of offense in the second half, the Volunteers took the lead with just over 12 minutes to go and never looked back.

From the very beginning, something was off about the Houston offense. While playmakers like Kingston Flemings and Milos Uzan stayed consistent, reaching double-digits — Flemings with 25 points and Uzan with 17, the Cougars had trouble shooting from three as a team.

While it was a messy first half by Houston, Kelvin Sampson's squad was still in control going into halftime. With a 21-13 run to start the second half, the Volunteers outlasted a gritty Cougars team for their first ranked win of the season. Here are three takeaways from Houston's first loss of the season.

It Was a Balanced Effort from the Volunteers

Nov 25, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Tennessee Volunteers forward J.P. Estrella (13) reacts in a 2025 Players Era Festival group play game against the Houston Cougars during the second half at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Tennessee eventually took control with some consistent offensive production. While the Cougars' offense was a two-man show between Flemings and Uzan, the Volunteers saw some key performances from their bench.

Kalifa Sakho, Chase McCarty, and Isiah Harwell combined for just 11 points for the Cougars' bench. On the other side, Tennessee's reserve contributed nearly 25 points, including a 13-point performance from Jaylen Carey. That kind of performance off the bench can be a game-decider vs any team.

Late-Game Execution is Vital

Nov 25, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Tennessee Volunteers guard Amaree Abram (77) and Houston Cougars guard Isiah Harwell (1) compete for the ball in a 2025 Players Era Festival group play game during the first half at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

With just under four minutes to play, the Cougars cut their second-half deficit to just a single point. Houston's offense went on a quick 5-2 run that seemed to shift the momentum in their favor. It was Ja'Kobi Gillespie who hit one of the biggest three-pointers in the ranked matchup to secure another four-point lead for the Volunteers.

The Cougars had another chance to tie the game with under 30 seconds to go. A foul by Isiah Harwell made Houston's chances of winning unlikely. With Kelvin Sampson's squad in foul trouble and the offense missing some key shots late in the game, another four-point lead seemed almost impossible to overcome.

Foul Troubles for the Cougars

Nov 25, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Houston Cougars forward Kalifa Sakho (14) shoots the ball in a 2025 Players Era Festival group play game against the Tennessee Volunteers during the first half at MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Three things in life are certain. Death. taxes, and Kelvin Sampson's Houston Cougars having an identity based on their defense. It's by playing a physical brand of basketball that the program has found so much success in recent memory. Sure, it's lost the Cougars some games, but it's been a winning philosophy of Sampon's overall.

It was against the Volunteers that that aggressive style of basketball caught up to them. Chris Cenac Jr., in particular, had a rough second half by scoring only two points. The true freshman fouled out, leading to Houston being a little shorthanded defensively.