3 Final Thoughts Before Kansas and Houston Face Off in Big 12 Tournament

Kansas and Houston are less than an hour away from tipping off in Kansas City in the semifinals of the Big 12 Tournament. They will take the court once Arizona and Iowa State wrap up their matchup.

The winner of tonight's showdown will advance to the championship round of the conference tourney. That is a feat the Jayhawks have not achieved since 2023, when they lost to Texas in the title game.

These schools have met once this season, approximately three weeks ago, when the Cougars traveled to Lawrence and lost by 13 in Allen Fieldhouse. However, this one should look much different now that it is on a neutral site, albeit a KU-friendly crowd. These are our three final thoughts before tip-off.

Bill Self — Mar 12, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas Jayhawks coach Bob Self watches game play during the second half against the TCU Horned Frogs at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

3. Expect Both Teams to Be Gassed

Although neither of these teams had to play in the first two rounds of the tournament, they are still playing on back-to-back, something that is quite rare in college basketball. Given that each of these squads thrives on energy and hustle plays, don't expect 40 minutes of pristine basketball.

With that being said, the Jayhawks have thrived in these kinds of situations before. They went 3-0 in the Players Era Festival in November, rattling off three victories in as many days over Notre Dame, Syracuse, and Tennessee.

Additionally, Bill Self and Co. boast an undefeated 6-0 record in games where they had one or fewer days of rest this year. Both KU and Houston are among the most battle-tested teams in the country, but this one could come down to who wants it more on loose balls and 50-50 plays.

2. Which One-And-Done Freshman Will Outduel the Other?

When Kansas and Houston last faced off, there wasn't much offense from either school, especially from a Houston team that shot 31.8% from the field. The only Cougar in double figures was Kingston Flemings, who dropped 16 points on 6-for-18 shooting.

On the other end, fellow phenom Darryn Peterson scored 14 himself on a rough shooting night. Peterson's shooting slump has persisted over the past few weeks, as he shot 5-for-17 last night, though he offset it with 16 free throw attempts.

Kingston Flemings — Kansas Jayhawks guard Melvin Council Jr. (14) drives the ball against Houston Cougars during the game inside Allen Fieldhouse on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026. | Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Since each of these teams are defense-oriented, Flemings and Peterson will easily be the most talented shot creators on the court. Both players are projected to go in the top five of this year's NBA Draft, and this could serve as a big game for both of their draft stocks.

1. Flory Bidunga is Kansas' X-Factor

In last night's victory over TCU, Bidunga was easily the most impactful player on the court. He posted a spectacular +31 plus-minus in just 26 minutes played.

While his 13-point, 10-rebound stat line was far from remarkable, Bidunga utterly dominated in the paint. His defensive presence alone forced TCU players to reconsider attacking the paint against him.

However, Bidunga will also be facing the team he scored just four points against on 2-for-6 shooting in the first meeting, which was his season-low mark at the time. He will be matched up with the gritty Joseph Tugler, who was the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year before Bidunga took home the award this week.

A bounce-back performance is direly needed from Bidunga in round two of this showdown because when he is playing at his best, Kansas is a difficult squad to beat. He needs to be ready to be physical and bring it to the Cougars' big men on the glass.