Houston Cougars and Kansas Jayhawks: did H-Town’s 10 made three pointers break the game open?

The Houston Cougars moved to 69-47 over the Kansas Jayhawks in the Big 12 semifinal at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City after entering ranked 5 compared with Kansas ranked 14.

The Houston Cougars vs Kansas Jayhawks final score reflected Houston’s 33-25 edge by halftime and 36-22 control after the break.

First half

The Cougars built the early cushion by shooting 42 percent from the field while holding the Jayhawks to 25 percent.

Houston’s 10 made three pointers started with a 56 percent mark from deep, while Kansas hit 7 threes at 30 percent.

The Coogs owned the glass with 43 total rebounds to 37, and the Jayhawks created 13 offensive rebounds that kept the margin from stretching earlier.

Houston’s biggest lead reached 24, and Kansas never led with 0 lead changes and 0 ties on the neutral floor.

Second half

The Cougars added 14 second chance points behind 10 offensive rebounds, while the Jayhawks finished with 6 second chance points.

Houston recorded 11 assists with a 2.2 assists to turnover ratio, and Kansas posted 8 assists with a 1.0 ratio as both teams finished with 8 total turnovers.

The Jayhawks generated 9 fast break points while Houston had 0, and Kansas still finished with 47 total points.

Houston’s bench contributed 10 points, while Kansas received 17 bench points in a game where the Cougars drew 9 fouls and Kansas drew 8.

Spotlight performances

Kingston Flemings delivered 21 points with 3 assists and 3 steals in the previous game, and that creation fit Houston’s 3 points off turnovers in this semifinal.

Chris Cenac Jr. posted 17 points and 14 rebounds in the previous game, and Houston’s 30 defensive rebounds helped keep Kansas to 14 points in the paint.

Milos Uzan’s previous line of 7 rebounds and 3 assists matched Houston’s steady 11-assist output as the Cougars kept Kansas to 31 effective field goal percent.

What it meant

The Houston Cougars vs Kansas Jayhawks turning point showed up in the shot profile as Kansas went 1-for-17 at midrange for 6 percent while Houston hit 4-for-14 for 29 percent.

post-game thoughts Houston Cougars centered on the clean margins, with Houston shooting 79 percent at the line and Kansas finishing at 67 percent.

This Houston Cougars vs Kansas Jayhawks review also traced Kansas’ lane work, as the Jayhawks went 7-for-34 on 2-point attempts for 21 percent against Houston’s 12-for-35 for 34 percent.

Next up

The Houston Cougars will be back at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri on 03/14/2026 at 6:00 PM EDT against the Arizona Wildcats, with the broadcast on ESPN.

Keep it locked, and share this article with Cougars fans who tracked this semifinal in Kansas City.