Nearly everything went according to plan for Kelvin Sampson and the Cougars last season up until the final minutes of the college basketball season. Houston played incredible basketball from beginning to end of the season, winning another Big 12 regular season title with a 19-1 conference record before marching their way to the national title game before dropping a heartbreaker to Florida.
The Cougars had a historic season that was painstakingly close to the first title in program history. Houston boasted the best defense in the country via points per game, taking care of Big 12 foes and a tough road to the Final Four.
However, months have passed and the attention has turned to what Houston is hoping is the next great team. Leading scorer LJ Cryer is gone after an incredible playing career while other faces like Terrance Arceneaux and J’Wan Roberts also need replacing in this lineup. However, Sampson and his staff have given us reason this offseason to think that the Cougars could be even better in 2026.
We’ll look through the pieces that Houston brings back this season while also detailing the incredible talent in their recruiting class. The Cougars have been the team to beat since joining the Big 12 two seasons ago and just might be back for a third straight swing at that crown. Let’s run through the important players and games and make a few expectations on what could finally be that breakthrough for Sampson and company.
Projected Starters
Guard – Milos Uzan (Senior)
A recipient of Second Team All-Big 12 honors last season, Uzan made a great first impression in Houston after a pair of seasons with rival Oklahoma. Uzan powered the Cougars with 11.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game while making 43% of his 3-pointers. An important piece on both sides of the court, Uzan flirted with the NBA Draft process but his return gives Houston an incredible boost with their veteran point guard back in town.
Guard – Emanuel Sharp (Senior)
Year three with the Cougars was just as productive as year two for Sharp, who now enters his third season as an important piece in this backcourt. He averaged 12.6 points and 3.0 rebounds per game while knocking down just under 41% of his 3-pointers. Sharp earned Big 12 Tournament MVP honors and played an important role through the Cougars’ postseason run and clearly plays a major leadership role on this team.
Guard – Isiah Harwell (Freshman)
Just one of the major pieces of this recruiting class, Harwell is a 6-6 shooting guard out of Utah with impressive ability. He’s physical and has decent size and might already have one of the best mid-range abilities in the Big 12. Defense will be important in Sampson’s system and Harwell rates as a tough and versatile weapon on that end, though we’ll see how that progresses as a true freshman.
Forward – Chris Cenac Jr. (Freshman)
A consensus 5-star recruit from Missouri, Cenac is a major talent who slides into an important role in the Houston frontcourt. He has an impressive presence at 6-10 with a large wingspan but his athleticism for that size is what makes him a top-level prospect. He fits perfectly with the Cougars because he rates as an above average defender and his versatility in this frontcourt will get Houston fans excited, even as a freshman.
Forward – Joseph Tugler (Junior)
A former Top 70 recruit from Houston, Tugler’s stats don’t stand out if you’re box score watching, but he brings an incredible force on the defensive end. Last year he put up 5.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game, earning Third Team All-Big 12 honors as well as the league’s Defensive Player of the Year nod. Getting Tugler back for a third year in this system is incredible after he was perhaps the nation’s most efficient defensive presence as a sophomore.
Key Reserves
Guard – Ramon Walker Jr. (Senior)
Walker enters his fifth season with the Cougars and has been in a reserve role throughout his career. He’s averaged 2.6 points and 2.7 rebounds across 73 career games, though he was limited to just eight contests due to a hand injury last season. Walker might not be a big piece of the puzzle but he’s a solid presence even if he lacks offensive explosiveness.
Guard – Kingston Flemings (Freshman)
The flurry of riches continues in the form of young talent for the Cougars, as Flemings is another Top 20 recruit. A 6-3 point guard out of San Antonio, Flemings is an explosive talent who could potentially develop into an all-league guard before his career is over. He’s fast and aggressive and brings a lot on both sides of the ball; don’t be surprised to see him rack up the steals when he’s on the court.
Guard – Bryce Jackson (Freshman)
Jackson is a 3-star forward from Pearland, Texas, who has a chance to see decent minutes for the Cougars this season. He’s fought back from a terrible leg injury earlier in his high school career and rates as a high IQ athlete with incredible potential. What he brings on the defensive end could get him into this lineup, though don’t disregard his playmaking ability on offense either.
Center – Jacob McFarland (Sophomore)
Houston has been waiting two years to see McFarland on the court but the former Top 100 recruit is hoping to be a major presence in the paint. After sitting out as a redshirt in his first year, McFarland broke his leg right before last season and redshirted again. He’s been advertised for his defense, tracking as an impressive shotblocker and presence in the interior defense.
Forward – Kalifa Sakho (Senior)
While the transfer portal dominates the headlines, Sakho was the Cougars’ only addition from the portal this offseason. A 6-11 forward from France, he played at several schools beforehand, including time at both Utah State and Sam Houston State. Sakho averaged 7.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game for the Bearkats last season and adds important depth in the frontcourt.
Forward – Chase McCarty (Freshman)
A 4-star forward out of Alabama, McCarty joined the Cougars last season and was considered a Top 100 recruit for Sampson and company. He ended up redshirting and has had a year learning in this system. He’s a tough wing with solid strength and skill who could see important minutes in a frontcourt with plenty of new faces.
Guard – Mercy Miller (Sophomore)
Another prominent piece of last season’s recruiting class, Miller is a guard from California that the Cougars are expecting a big jump from as a sophomore. He averaged 2.7 points and 1.9 rebounds per game in a reserve role last season but the depth chart has opened up for him to secure a bigger role. He’s a former 4-star talent and tracks as an aggressive scorer with solid on-ball defensive potential.
Schedule Outlook
The early highlight on Houston’s schedule is their November 16 matchup against Auburn in Birmingham, looking to avenge a loss from last season. Just over a week later, the Cougars fly to Las Vegas for the Players Era Championship and will see Syracuse, Tennessee, and a third team during a busy week. They bring Florida State to town in early December as part of the Houston Hoops Showdown and will head to New Jersey on December 20, facing Arkansas in a highly-anticipated matchup in the Never Forget Tribute Classic.
The hard work is far from over at that point, as the Cougars then enter Big 12 play, hoping to repeat as regular season champions for a third year in a row. Many prognosticators have Houston as the team to beat in this conference, but trips to places like Ames, Lawrence, and Tucson are never easy. The full Big 12 conference schedule hasn’t been announced as of this writing, but it’s clear that every game is a test in this league, even if this program continues to pass those tests.
Season Outlook
First and foremost, the Cougars bring back three starters from a team that lost by two points in the national title game while adding three Top 20 recruits into the mix. There’s no question that Houston has the talent to be just as impressive, even when replacing their top scorer from last season. The questions begin further down the rotation for this elite defensive program.
We know what Uzan brings leading the point and what Sharp can do with the basketball, but what can the Cougars get from the rest of this backcourt. Flemings and Harwell are both elite talents though the Cougars need them playing smart, measured basketball and to grow up quickly if they want to have another legendary season.
Cenac should be great addition to a frontcourt that already has elite talent in Tugler. Whereas Tugler is more of a stationary defensive presence, Cenac brings versatility on both ends. The Cougars are also really hoping they can get something from McFarland and Sakho as the depth of this frontcourt looks incredibly different in this new season.
Every team in the nation is facing question marks with depth and new pieces, but Houston returns some insanely talented pieces in Uzan, Sharp, and Tugler and it won’t be a surprised to see them near the top of national rankings once the season begins. Everything is about execution, but this team has the talent to be a top defense again. With quite a mix of established veterans and raw freshmen talent, Houston just might have the formula to finally cut down the nets.