The Big 12 was founded in 1994 and started playing games in 1996. It’s been around a while. And yet, only once in history, had any Big 12 team held another Big 12 team to as little as 36 points in a regular-season game.
But Houston did it Wednesday.
Final score: Houston 70, Utah 36.
The Cougars held Utah to just 13 baskets on 43 field goal attempts (30.2%) and turned Craig Smith’s team over 26 times. Houston led by as many as 37 points and never trailed at any point. The Utes improve to 15-3, including 7-0 in the Big 12, while moving to No. 17 in Thursday morning’s updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings, where Auburn remains No. 1 for the 16th consecutive day.
Now I know what you’re thinking (especially if you’re a Houston fan): “How can the Cougars be 15-3 overall, 7-0 in the Big 12 and only ranked 17th in the Top 25 And 1?”
Fair question.
The answer lies in Quadrant 1, where Houston still has zero victories despite sitting at third in the NET. Among the teams that currently have more Q1 victories than Houston: Columbia, Central Michigan, Seattle, North Dakota State and Arkansas State.
In fairness, the Cougars have only had three Q1 opportunities — Auburn leads the nation with 11 — but Houston’s next three games are all Q1 opportunities, so this issue could be resolved soon and quickly rendered untrue. But it is true now, and that’s the best explanation for why Houston is 17th in the Top 25 And 1 and only a No. 5 seed in Jerry Palm’s latest projected bracket for the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
As for Houston’s next three games, they are at Kansas (Saturday), at West Virginia (Wednesday) and against Texas Tech at home (Feb. 1). Again, each of those contests currently project as Q1 opportunities. And, according to KenPom.com, the Cougars currently project as favorites in each of those contests.
Houston’s résumé could get a big boost soon. If it does, and I suspect it will, I’ll adjust accordingly.
Top 25 And 1 rankings
2
Texas A&M
4
Ole Miss
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