No. 1 UH Cougars on cusp of Big 12 tourney title, automatic March Madness bid after 23-point win

In Kansas City, Missouri (KTRK) – Despite holding just a three-point lead at halftime and facing the absence of star player J’Wan Roberts, the Houston Cougars men’s basketball team, led by L.J. Cryer, delivered a dominant second-half performance against Texas Tech, securing a spot in the Big 12 Championship final with an impressive 82-59 victory in the conference semifinals.

Senior guard Cryer, hailing from Katy, led the charge with a stellar performance, tallying 20 points, including six successful three-pointers, while Emanuel Sharp contributed 17 points and Ja’Vier Francis added 12.

Houston’s defense proved formidable, limiting the Red Raiders to a mere 15-of-45 shooting and forcing 19 turnovers, despite allowing a 17-5 run by Texas Tech to close the first half.

The Cougars faced an early setback when senior forward Roberts, playing through a hand injury, suffered a shin contusion, forcing him to sit out the remainder of the game, as reported by ESPN2.

Head coach Kelvin Sampson and his squad, already anticipated to secure a No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, are now vying for an automatic bid into March Madness, which could enhance Houston’s chances of clinching the overall top seed in the 68-team tournament.

Looking ahead, Houston is set to compete in the Big 12 tournament championship game against Iowa State on Saturday at 5 p.m., airing on ESPN.

Following this, Houston will await the announcement of their NCAA tournament seeding on Selection Sunday. ESPN’s Bracketology predicts that the Coogs will secure a No. 1 seed in the South Region, where the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight rounds are scheduled to take place in Dallas.