BYU Set For First Big 12 Road Test At No. 14 Houston
Jan 3, 2025, 1:12 PM
BYU travels to Texas to face the 14th ranked Houston Cougars in the Fertitta Center. (Scott G. Winterton, Deseret News)
(Scott G. Winterton, Deseret News)
The All-Cougar matchup between BYU and Houston will be held on Saturday afternoon (Noon, ESPN+ & KSL NewsRadio) inside the Fertitta Center.
BYU (10-2, 1-0 Big 12) and Houston (9-3, 1-0 Big 12) are looking for their first victories over teams in the Top 50 of the NET rankings this season.
Houston has the nation’s longest home winning streak at 29 games. Since the Fertitta Center opened in 2018, Houston has been 100-6. One of those losses was against BYU.
BYU basketball will take on No. 14 Houston on Saturday in the Fertitta Center.
Houston has the nation's longest home winning streak at 29 games.
Since the Fertitta Center opened in 2018, Houston has a record of 100-6 in that building.
BYU has one of those six victories (2019,…
— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) January 3, 2025
BYU defeated Houston inside the Fertitta Center in 2019 on a buzzer-beater from TJ Haws.
Houston got the upper hand on BYU as Big 12 foes last year in Provo, 75-68.
Saturday’s game is being branded as a “Red Out” for Houston fans in their Big 12 home opener.
BYU vs. Houston: How To Watch, Listen
Date: Saturday, January 4, 2025
Tip-Off: Noon (MST) / 1 p.m. (CST)
TV/Stream: ESPN+
Radio: KSL NewsRadio (102.7 FM, 1160 AM)
BYU’s first road game in a month
Saturday will be the first road game for BYU since the December 3 loss at Providence. In that East Coast loss to Providence, BYU was humbled and suffered a 19-point setback.
Since that loss to the Friars, BYU coaches and players have often referenced a “Post-Providence” approach on the defensive end. BYU has only allowed 57.3 points per game in the four games since the Providence setback.
headed to Houston🛫 pic.twitter.com/cVTwbXftp9
— BYU Men's Basketball (@BYUMBB) January 3, 2025
Kevin Young’s group has prided itself on the defensive end the past month. Now they gear up for another Cougars squad, who has made a living for years on the defensive end, the Houston Cougars.
Houston held Oklahoma State to 47 points in Stillwater in the Coogs Big 12 opener.
Saturday will be only the second true road game of the season for BYU. BYU’s last true road win was at Phog Allen Fieldhouse on February 27, 2024, against Kansas.
BYU basketball personnel notes
Richie Saunders had a career-high 30 points in BYU’s Big 12 opener against Arizona State. The 6-foot-5 junior was 11-18 from the field and had zero turnovers in 30 minutes of action in his first game back after suffering a concussion on December 14.
The 30-point performance catapulted Saunders as BYU’s leading scorer entering Saturday’s game against the Coogs.
Egor Demin made his return to the floor against ASU earlier this week. The star guard had seven assists and four points but also had five turnovers. It was the first game back for Demin since suffering a knee contusion in the opening moments of the loss at Providence.
There’s still a feeling out process for Demin and his running mate in the backcourt, Dallin Hall.
Hall only attempted three field goal attempts and had three assists in 25 minutes against Arizona State. How those two play off each other is an area to watch against Houston.
Dawson Baker continues to be a strong performer off the bench for BYU. The junior guard has scored at least nine points in six consecutive games for the Cougars.
Getting to know the Houston Cougars
Houston is 9-3 overall and 1-0 in Big 12 play entering the All-Cougar clash. The Coogs boast the nation’s No. 1 scoring defense, allowing 54.6 points per game to their opponents.
That’s nothing new for Houston, which has finished either No. 1 or No. 2 in scoring defense the past four seasons.
Houston is also the nation’s leader in field goal percentage defense, limiting opponents to 33.4% shooting.
“I kind of know what their mantra is in terms of their defense, how physical they are, and so forth,” said BYU coach Kevin Young.
The defending regular season Big 12 champions returned most of their roster from last year’s team, minus Big 12 Player of the Year Jamal Shead.
It’s nearly impossible to replace Shead; however, Houston found a strong replacement in Oklahoma transfer Milos Uzan. The former Sooner has scored double-figures in six of the last seven games and leads the Coogs in assists (5.0).
On December 30, during Houston’s win over Oklahoma State, Uzan scored 12 points, grabbed five rebounds, and had four assists.
The rest of Houston’s starting five are familiar faces from last year, with LJ Cryer, Emanuel Sharp, Joseph Tugler, and J’Wan Roberts.
Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson revealed this week that Sharp has been “dealing with a foot problem” and was put in a boot this week to “promote healing.”
BYU vs. Houston: By The Numbers
BYU (10-2, 1-0 Big 12)
NET: 40
KenPom: 34
BPI: 28
Bart Torvik: 25
Road Record: 0-1
Leading Scorer: Richie Saunders (13.9)
Top Rebounder: Keba Keita (9.1)
Assists Leader: Egor Demin (5.9)
Scoring Offense: 84.8
Scoring Defense: 64.0
No. 14 Houston (9-3, 1-0 Big 12)
NET: 6
KenPom: 4
BPI: 3
Bart Torvik: 2
Home Record: 7-0
Leading Scorer: L.J. Cryer (15.1)
Top Rebounder: J’Wan Roberts (7.1)
Assists Leader: Milos Uzan (5.0)
Scoring Offense: 76.5
Scoring Defense: 54.6
BYU/Houston Score Predictions
- KenPom: Houston 73, BYU 62 (16% win probability)
- Bart Torvik: Houston 71, BYU 59 (11% win probability)
- Haslam Metrics: Houston 74, BYU 59
- BPI: Houston by 11.8 (13.1%: BYU’s win probability)
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
