5. Houston (16-3)
This past week was a very important one for Houston and there are a few reasons why. The Cougars struggled out of the gate with three tough losses against great programs back in November but have really been on a tear for nearly two months. However, none of those victories came in Quad 1 games and despite their awesome metrics this is a team still looking to prove itself.
They didn’t satisfy that with their first game, but they did truck Utah in a 70-36 blowout back on Wednesday night. A balanced offense combined with the best defensive performance of the season from the Cougars, with 14 points and 5 assists from Milos Uzan. Saturday saw them get that major win, as Houston went to Kansas and hung tough for a 92-86 double overtime victory in Lawrence. J’Wan Roberts had 24 points and 9 rebounds, while Mylik Wilson added 18 points off the bench in the most impressive performance of the season for this school.
With twelve wins in a row in their pocket, Houston silenced critics saying that they hadn’t beaten any great teams, winning a dramatic game in one of the nation’s toughest places to play. The Cougars are a perfect 8-0 in Big 12 play and have had some truly phenomenal performances during this run of success. They’ll look to keep that momentum going with a return trip to West Virginia and a home game against Texas Tech next week.