These Plays Defined the 2025-26 Houston Cougars
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While the Houston Cougars extended their Sweet 16 streak to seven straight this year, the season ultimately ended sooner than expected. The 2026-27 Cougars were a unique team with two starting freshmen in Kingston Flemings and Chris Cenac Jr.
This was the first time that Houston ran out two freshmen in the starting lineup, and the former five-stars formed a strong duo for the Cougars. Houston had three returning starters in Emanuel Sharp, Milos Uzan and Joseph Tugler. Uzan surprisingly returned for his senior season while Sharp was the senior leader of the team.
Houston ultimately went 30-7 on season and got to at least 30 wins for an NCAA-record-tying fifth straight season. There were ultimately no trophies won this season for Houston, but there were some special plays throughout the year for the Cougars. Here are the top five plays.
1. Flemings Take-Over vs Texas Tech
This was probably the most entertaining game of the season for Houston against the biggest rival in the Big 12 in Texas Tech. It was the Big 12 home opener for Houston and one of the signature victories of the year where the freshmen took massive steps forward. The Cougars were down six points with around eight minutes left.
Flemings was the one who scored eight straight points, including multiple go-ahead shots and two clutch 3-pointers for Houston to take a thriller.
2. Heroics vs Baylor
Houston was down a couple of possessions at the start of the second half in what was a suprisingly competitive game at home. The Cougars fought back thanks to Sharp, who caught fire from three. He completed a four-point play and drilled the go-ahead three as the Fertitta Center roared.
Flemings also added a monster dunk out of nowhere in the first half that was impressive. The game ended up being a blowout, and it was senior night, which made it more special.
3. Flemings' Special Effort At BYU
This game was also one of Houston's best wins of the season on the road against a healthy BYU team. Flemings scored 11 of his 19 points in the second half and had two amazing and-ones that fueled Houston to victory. One of them was an attack on the basket with a physical finish plus the foul. Soon after, he drew the defender close and somehow made an off-balance fadeaway plus a foul.
4. Sharpshooter at Oklahoma State
The last game of the regular season for Houston came down to the wire, but Sharp was up for the challenge. This wasn't supposed to be a close game, but the Cougars found a way.
With just over a minute left in a 74-73 game, Sharp made a clutch three from the top of the key that gave Houston a much-needed cushion and two-possession lead.
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Maanav Gupta is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He graduated from the University of Houston in the summer of 2025 with his bachelor’s in journalism and a minor in Spanish. Gupta spent three years at the student newspaper, The Daily Cougar, and also covered the 2025 Final Four and National Championship as Houston beat writer for College Basketball Review. He also has his own YouTube channel, Maanav’s Sports Talk, where he has interviewed professional athletes and broadcasters like Jim Nantz, Jose Altuve, J.J. Watt, Rich Eisen, and Alperen Sengun. Gupta was also a contributor to the Houston athletic program as a student. You can find Gupta on X, Instagram and TikTok @MGSportsTalk.