No one needs a coaches’ poll to know that the Houston Cougars are the best team in the Big 12, even with some turnover in terms of experience heading into this season. The Big 12 coaches sure saw it that way when their poll was released. Houston was also No. 2 in the country in the preseason AP Top 25, behind only Purdue.
The Cougars have been a terrific fit in the Big 12 since they arrived. They’ve won two Big 12 regular-season titles, reached the Big 12 Tournament championship game both seasons and claimed the tournament title last March. They were a possession away from winning the national championship over Florida.
There’s only one thing left to do for an encore. Run it back and win it all.
Here is a preview of the 2025-26 season for the Houston Cougars.
Houston Cougars
2024-25: 35-5, 19-1 in Big 12, first place. Won Big 12 Tournament. Reached NCAA national championship game, where it lost to Florida.
Head coach: Kelvin Sampson is entering his 12th season with the Cougars. He is 299-84 with Houston and has led the program to seven NCAA Tournament appearances and two NIT appearances. He is 798-355 for his career, which started at Montana Tech in 1981.
Big 12 history: Houston is entering its third season in the Big 12. It was a member of the Southwest Conference until the league broke up. The Cougars were not among the program invited to join the Big 12 at the time.
2025-26 Schedule: Click here for the full Big 12 men’s schedule.
Houston 2025-26 Roster Review
Gone: G L.J. Cryer (15.7 PPG), F J’Wan Roberts (10.6 PPG), G Terrance Arceneaux (6.5 PPG), G Mylik Wilson (5.6 PPG), F Ja’Vier Francis (5.1 PPG)
Returning: G Emanuel Sharp (12.6 PPG), G Milos Uzan (11.4 PPG), F Joseph Tugler (5.5 PPG), G Mercy Miller (2.7 PPG), G Ramon Walker Jr. (2.0 PPG), G Kordelius Jefferson (1.0 PPG), C Cedric Lath (0.7 PPG), F Chase McCarty (redshirt), C Jacob McFarland (redshirt)
Incoming transfers: F Kalifa Sakho (7.9 PPG at Sam Houston)
Incoming freshmen: F/C Chris Cenac Jr. (No. 6 in ESPN 100), G Isiah Harwell (No. 14 in ESPN 100), G Kingston Flemings (No. 22 in ESPN 100), G Bryce Jackson (four-star)
Projected Starting Lineup
G Emanuel Sharp: He should be a Big 12 player of the year candidate along with …
G Milos Uzan: … who flirted with the NBA before returning for a final season.
G Mercy Miller: Sampson isn’t risk-averse to playing someone with little experience. This is the most fluid spot in the lineup.
F Joseph Tugler: He should make a J’Wan Roberts-level improvement this season.
C Chris Cenac Jr.: I could see the true freshman starting at some point.
Starting Lineup Crashers
F Kalifa Sakho: The Cougars are going to love his length inside.
G Ramon Walker Jr.: A player Sampson really likes who just hasn’t had chances to play yet.
Lineup Competition
The thing about projecting this lineup is trying to sort through the talent. Almost every roster in college basketball has a little fluff. The Cougars don’t. Sampson has assembled a monster. The “worst” recruit is a four-star player. Sakho hasn’t gotten much attention because he played at nearby Sam Houston. Players like Miller, Walker, Jefferson and Lath were highly touted and have waited in the wings for at least a year. They haven’t transferred away. Sampson has them sold on culture and a pipeline to the NBA, where he used to coach. Miller will play but any number of guards could start alongside Sharp and Uzan (Walker and Harwell are the ones to watch for this final spot). Sampson could play 10 or 11 early in the season and even into Big 12 play.
Early Prediction
The Cougars are favored to win the Big 12, and they should be. This roster is an embarrassment of riches and Sampson returns the connective tissue of last year’s team, Sharp and Uzan, who are the best returning backcourt in the conference and perhaps the country. Houston will be on a lot of Final Four and national championship prediction lists. At this point, who’s betting against them?
