Is this the year the Houston Cougars‘ Final Four run finally ends?
Houston has been one of the best college basketball programs for the last seven years. The Cougars entered last year ranked fourth in the preseason Associated Press poll, and they certainly lived up to the hype. The Cougs set a program record with a 35-5 record and won a Big-12 record 19 conference games. They then ran roughshod through the Big 12 Tournament and reached the national championship game. It was their first national title runners-up finish since 1983-84.
Houston Cougars 2025-26 Preview: Elite 2-Way Point Guard Leads 3 Returnees As Cougars Look To Extend Final Four Run
Since 2017-18, Houston owns a 243-44 record with six regular-season conference titles, three conference crowns, and seven NCAA Tournament berths. The Cougars have reached the Sweet 16 in six straight years. They have also made three Elite 8’s and two Final Fours during this stretch. Overall, UH has a .781 winning percentage under head coach Kelvin Sampson.
As has been the case recently for Sampson, with last year being one of the few exceptions, he had to rebuild his roster for 2025-26. The Cougards lost five of their top eight players from last year’s club. However, the Cougars return three starters, including 2024-25 all-Big 12 second team selection Milos Uzan.
Emanuel Sharp and Jojo Tugler are the other returning starters for the Cougars. Sampson also brought in the second-best recruiting class in 2025, according to 247Sports. Top-10 recruit Chris Cenac headlines three players who are ranked in the top 20 nationally in the class — Isaiah Harwell and Kingston Flemings.
Cougars Top Players
Kordel Jefferson
Kordel Jefferson saw sparse action in 2024-25, appearing in only 16 games. Jefferson had surgery on both wrists during the summer of 2023 and took a redshirt in 2023-24. He
Isiah Harwell
Harwell is the consensus No. 13-ranked player in the 2025 class. The 6-6 guard is seen as a two-way player who can score at the collegiate level. He averaged 17.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.1 steals on his way to earning the Utah Gatorade Player of the Year this past season.
“Isiah Harwell is a well-rounded shooting guard prospect,” On3’s Jaime Shaw said in his scouting report on Harwell.” At 6-foot-5, he has good length and a strong lower body. Harwell plays at a great pace; he does not play rushed and seems to make great decisions with the ball in his hands. Harwell has a good burst from his change of pace when attacking the basket, getting on the rim in the half-court. Solid handle, frame, skill, and IQ, there is a lot to like about his game, giving him a high floor as a prospect. He has range on his shot and confidence to score it when given space.”
Kingston Flemings
Flemings is the consensus No. 17 recruit in the country, per Rivals. The 6-3 San Antonio native was one of 12 players to compete at Chris Paul Elite Guard Camp in Las Vegas in July 2025. The Texas Gatorade Player of the Year averaged 20.4 points, 6.8 assists, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.9 steals last season.
“Kingston Flemings is an excellent point of attack lead guard,” Shaw said in his report on Flemings.”He uses his burst and first step to touch the paint on offense and his length, toughness, and quick feet to prevent the opposition from touching the paint. Flemings is in the 6-2 height range with good length, carrying a plus wing span. He plays with a toughness. Plays with good pace and makes good decisions in traffic, delivering passes from multiple levels of a live dribble.”
Chris Cenac Jr.
Cenac is one of the top talents in the 2025 class. The 6-10 big man is versatile and an outstanding rebounder who has lots of length. He played with the Team USA U17 during the summer of 2024.
“Chris Cenac has a great frame,” Shaw said about Cenac. “It is projectable with long arms and natural fluidity. Cenac has a good touch with good hands. He is a threat to step out and knock down a shot with his feet set. He needs to continue working on his balance and feet on the shot, but the release is consistent. Cenac is an excellent area rebounder. Making a concerted effort to high point and secure every board. He still needs strength, especially to his core and base. There is defensive upside. Cenac has a fluidity when he moves. He can open his hips and slide his feet. ”
Milos Uzan
Uzan is back for his senior season after flirting with the NBA draft. A consensus top 70 recruit in 2022, Uzan bounced back nicely in his first year with the Cougars after struggling with shooting the ball in his 2023-24 with Oklahoma.
Uzan is an excellent ballhandler and solid distributor. He is also a good shooter who is solid defensively.
Uazan averaged 11.4 points, 4.3 assists, and 3.1 rebounds in 40 games. He also knocked down a career-high 1.6 threes while shooting 45.3/42.8/78.3. More importantly, the 6-4 guard came up big when the Cougars needed him the most. He poured in 25 against Houston in the Big 12 Conference championship and then doled out eight dimes against Gonzaga in the NCAA Tournament. He totaled 22 points and six assists in the Sweet 16 versus Purdue.
Joseph Tuggler
Tuggler is an elite defender. The reigning Big 12 Conference Defensive POY is an elite athlete and solid rim protector, though he has yet to demonstrate much offensive ability. The 6-7 forward only scored in double-figures six of his 40 appearances, averaging 5.5 points and 5.9 boards. He also contributed 1.0 steals and 1.9 blocks a game.
Jacob McFarland
Jacob McFarland began his collegiate career in 2023-24, known as a defensive presence with rim-protecting ability. The 6-10 center has yet to play in a game. He redshirted his freshman campaign and then suffered a broken leg last October.
Kalifa Sakho
Kalifa Sakho is the Cougars’ only transfer for 2024-25. The 6-11 French forward started his collegiate career at Utah State and showed improvement in year two at Sam Houston State. He is an excellent offensive and rim-protector.
Sakho averaged 7.9 points, 6.3 boards, and 1.4 blocks last year at SHSU. He produced two double-doubles and connected on 66% of his shots.
Emanuel Sharp
Sharp improved his efficiency last year and is one of the top defenders in the Big 12. The 6-3 guard stepped up his production during the Cougars’ postseason run last season. The 2024-25 Big 12 Conference Tournament MOP and NCAA Tournament Midwest Region MOP scored in double-figures in seven of his nine postseason contests.
Sharp averaged 12.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists last season. Sharp reached double-figures 27 times, topping the 20-point plateau twice, and knocked down 1.6 threes with shooting splits of 41.8/40.7/86.8.
Chase McCarty
Chase McCarty sat out last season as a redshirt in 2024-25. The 6-6 forward, known as a shooter, was a consensus top 100 recruit in 2024.
Mercy Miller
Mercy Miller was a top 45 consensus in 2024. While the 5-4 guard saw action in 22 games, he didn’t see a lot of time averaging nine minutes a contest. He scored in double-digits against Louisiana early last season.
Houston Cougars Projected Depth Chart
Sampson has a lot to figure out this fall. Uzan, Sharp, Tugler, and Cenac Jr. are likely entrenched in Sampson’s starting lineup. But the rest of his rotation is likely up for grabs. Sampson generally uses only an eight-man rotation. He may have to increase that by one or two this season due to so much not being known.
Starting Five
PG: Milos Uzan
SG: Emanuel Sharp
SF: Isiah Harwell
PF: Chris Cenac Jr.
C: JoJo Tugler
Bench
6th: Kingston Flemings
7th: Kalifa Sakho
8th: Mercy Miller
9th: Chase McCarty
Deep Bench:
Kordel Jefferson
2025-26 Schedule
Houston’s 2025-26 schedule is not complete. But there are a few things that are known. UH will face Auburn in The Battleground 2K25 on November 16. The Cougars will also partake in the Players Era Championship with set games against Syracuse and Tennessee. They will also face Florida State at The Toyota Center on December 6 in the Houston Hoops Showdown.
With the Big 12 going with an unbalanced 2025-26 schedule, Houston will face Texas Tech, Baylor, and Cincinnati home and away. Houston will also host Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, Kansas State, West Virginia, and UCF at home.
Photo Credit: Robert Deutsch, Imagin Images
The post Houston Cougars 2025-26 Preview: Elite 2-Way Point Guard Leads 3 Returnees As Cougars Look To Extend Final Four Run appeared first on Last Word On Basketball.