Houston Survives Close Battle Against Colorado in Big 12 Quarterfinals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — No. 2 Houston defeated No. 16 Colorado 77-68 in the Big 12 Championship quarterfinals on Thursday, advancing to the semifinals against BYU. Emanuel Sharp led the Cougars with 19 points, though the game was marked by a significant injury to forward J'Wan Roberts.

Houston (28-4) faced a resilient Colorado (14-20), who had momentum after knocking off higher seeds earlier in the tournament. The Cougars maintained a consistent lead, never trailing for long, while encountering challenges from the relentless Buffaloes.

“Every game in the tournament is tough,” Sharp said after the game. “We expected a fight from Colorado, especially after they already pulled off two upsets.”

Houston’s victory was crucial for their quest to secure the conference tournament title after losing in last year’s championship game to Iowa State. The Cougars have now won 11 straight games, a streak that also includes a previous victory over Colorado in February.

LJ Cryer and Milos Uzan added 14 points each for the Cougars, while Joseph Tugler chipped in another 10 points. Uzan particularly shone in the second half, scoring all of his points after the break.

Colorado’s Andrej Jakimovski was outstanding, leading all scorers with 25 points and grabbing eight rebounds. Despite Jakimovski’s performance, Colorado was unable to overcome Houston’s depth and experience.

The game shifted when Roberts, Houston’s top rebounder, went down with a sprained right ankle midway through the second half. The bench responded, but the anxious moments were palpable. “It’s tough to see J’Wan go down like that. But we have a deep bench, and we knew we had to pull together,” Cryer said.

The Cougars built a 14-point lead at one point but struggled to maintain it as Colorado kept fighting back. The Buffaloes were within striking distance throughout the game, even threatening Houston’s lead late in the second half.

With about five minutes left, Houston had extended their lead to 72-58, thanks to back-to-back three-pointers from Uzan. That proved to be pivotal as the Cougars held on to their lead until the final buzzer.

“We had our moments, but it’s all about how you finish in March,” Uzan said. “We need to improve moving into our next game.”

Despite their lower seed, Colorado proved to be tough competition, showcasing their potential as underdogs. They had entered the game on a high after their impressive victories over TCU and West Virginia earlier in the tournament.

As the tournament progresses, Houston’s experience could serve it well as they prepare to face BYU on Friday night, a team they previously beat 86-55 in January. “We are focused but know we need to execute better than we did today,” said Houston coach Kelvin Sampson.

The atmosphere at the T-Mobile Center was electric, with 15,366 fans in attendance, many rooting for the underdog Buffaloes. The anticipation grows as Houston aims for their second straight championship game appearance.