1. Houston Cougars - 24-3 (11-3 Big 12)
There was a thought that Houston could go through an adjustment period, moving from the AAC to the Big 12. Instead, they entered last week with the best record in the conference. Still, this was going to be the toughest week they’ve had since joining the Big 12, taking on both Iowa State and Baylor in a pair of top-12 games.
The game started slow offensively but both teams heated up, as the Cyclones made it a game late. In the end, the Cougars were able to hold on to the 73-65 victory, led by 26 points and six assists from Jamal Shead and 20 from Emanuel Sharp. The two of them combined for 20/22 from the free throw line, including some clutch shots late.
Houston looked to have an easy time on the road at Baylor, the return game for transfer guard, LJ Cryer. They were up 29-12 early on in what looked to be a blowout. But the Bears not only came back in the second half but forced it into overtime. Yet again, the Cougars were the more poised team in the extra five minutes, winning 82-76 in OT. Sharp had a team-high 18 points, while J’Wan Roberts finished with 17 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. In his first game back against his old team, Cryer had 15 points on 3/7 shooting from deep.
Thanks to the UConn loss, the Cougars are now the No. 1 team in NCAA Basketball, matching the gaudy metrics. They’ve proven that they’re the best team in the Big 12 and now nationally, cementing themselves as a favorite to win it all. We’ll see how they handle the big target on them this week, taking on Cincinnati and Oklahoma up next.