The Big 12 rivalry between University of Houston and Texas Tech was alive and well Tuesday night for the Cougars conference home opener in Fertita Center. Led by Kingston Fleming’s composed and confident play, Houston finished on top winning 69-65.
Right off the bat after controlling the opening tip the energy in the arena was feverish, a sold out crowd and a whole lot of red. Neither team was able to create any real distance from each other. The Red Raiders controlled the paint, being plus four on the boards and plus two in blocks as well in the first half.
“Texas Tech deserves a lot of credit for the way we played,” said coach Sampson post game. “There’s a reason you don’t play great against great defensive teams, but I was proud of our guys for hanging in there.”
Closing out the half the score was tied 31 a piece, largely due to senior guard Emanuel Sharp. After going 0 for 9 in their previous game he bounced back nicely scoring 11 in the first half hitting both of his first two three pointers.
This was a top heavy game, both teams combined for a total two bench points as well as there being seven lead changes with Texas Tech winning the majority of the second half.
However the Cougars kept their poise, capitalizing on the Red Raiders mistakes tallying 13 second chance points and 13 points off Texas Tech’s turnovers. While simultaneously limiting their own turnovers to 6, finishing the game under their season average of 8.
“It’s always been a huge emphasis in this program, we weren’t turning the ball over nine years ago either, or eight years ago, or seven or six or five. We don’t turn the ball over,” explained coach Sampson.
A key piece to Houston staying in striking distance was the collective big man effort from junior forward Joseph Tugler and freshman center Chris Cenac Jr. both finishing with strong double doubles, shooting 50 percent from the field.
But when it came down to the wire it was freshman guard Kingston Flemings sealing the deal. It looked a little concerning in the first half when he started 0/5 but he didn’t let that phase him at any point of the game especially in the last few minutes of each half.
“I started to get a good feeling in the first half, I started to hit some pull ups getting back to it and second half I was just staying aggressive, “Flemings explained. “A few times (Jaylen) Petty was playing good defense, got me off balance a little bit. So I started thinking internally to stay balanced, so when I pulled up the next time I stayed balanced and it fell and I continued to shoot.”
And that he did, at the 2:15 mark in the second half the Cougars were down by two and Flemings went on his own personal 8-0 run. Came down the floor, recognized the space they gave him at the top of the key and drained the pull up three to give them the lead.
After a made free throw from the Red Raiders, Kingston gave a stutter step, got to his spot and hit a tough contested mid range jumper off the dribble to regain the lead.
Thirty seconds left the ball was in his hands again, passed it to Cenac Jr. in the corner just to call for it back. Time running down on the shot clock, he sized up his defender and from 25 feet he launches it and hit nothing but the net to secure the win.
“I have great confidence and I’ve hit a lot of game winners, at the end of the day it’s just the work we put in and having the confidence,” Flemings said post game. “Knowing coach puts the ball in my hands at the end of the game gives me confidence to go out there and do what I do best.”
Houston is now 14-1 overall and 2-0 in Big 12 play. Their next game will be Saturday against the 10-3 Baylor Bears in Waco, Texas at Foster Pavillion Arena.
Delivered by Le’Raun Peron
