Recap: Houston 67 Cincinnati 60
Cincinnati delivered one of its most complete performances of the season Saturday afternoon, but the Bearcats’ inability to finish in the closing minutes once again proved decisive in a 67–60 loss to Houston — a game that was there for the taking and would have marked the biggest win of the Wes Miller era.
From the opening tip, Cincinnati matched Houston’s physicality and intensity, controlling tempo and dictating play for long stretches. The Bearcats repeatedly frustrated a Cougar team that reached the national championship game a year ago and entered Saturday ranked No. 8 in the country. That control peaked early in the second half, when Cincinnati scored seven of the first nine points of the half to seize a 40–30 lead with 17:09 remaining. Strong interior scoring, disciplined half-court defense, and energy from the crowd allowed the Bearcats to put Houston on its heels.
(Photo: Taylor Keeton / Bearcatsportshub)
"Fifth Third Arena is always a tough place to play," Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson said following the game. “Wes kids really play hard. It’s a great tradition here and great fans… we’re just really fortunate to get out of here with a win.”
Even as Houston began to chip away, Cincinnati consistently answered. The Bearcats still held a 55–53 advantage with 6:51 left and appeared poised to close out a signature win. When Moustapha Thiam threw down a dunk at the 3:52 mark to tie the game at 60–60, Fifth Third Arena was roaring — but that would be Cincinnati’s final made field goal of the night.
From there, the game slipped away.
Over the final 3:52, Cincinnati went scoreless and committed four turnovers, allowing Houston to escape with a 7–0 closing run. Jojo Tugler hit the decisive jumper with 54 seconds remaining to give the Cougars a 65–60 lead, and Houston sealed the outcome at the free-throw line, stretching the margin to 67–60 — its largest lead of the night.
(Photo: Taylor Keeton / Bearcatsportshub)
Afterward, Wes Miller did not sugarcoat the frustration.
“Yeah, we're frustrated with the result, angry about the result. Um there's no way around that," Miller said. "They finished the game. We didn't finish the game. If you want to look for a story here, and you want it to be real and honest, that's all it is. The last five minutes, they made the plays to win the game and we didn't.”
Miller emphasized that Cincinnati had put itself in position to win against an elite opponent.
“Other than that, I thought we played well. That team played for the national championship game last year. We had a lead for the majority of the game… We showed a lot of toughness to come back and get it back and tie it again and and stay in the game. We put ourselves in a position to win. Give them credit for making the plays down the stretch. We didn't.”
Houston’s late-game execution centered on effort plays. Despite shooting just 41.3% from the field and 32% from three, the Cougars dominated the margins when it mattered most, finishing with 12 offensive rebounds, 14 second-chance points, and nine steals. Those steals helped turn Cincinnati’s 15 turnovers into 18 Houston points.
(Photo: Taylor Keeton / Bearcatsportshub)
Freshman guard Kingston Flemings led all scorers with 19 points and six assists, while Milos Uzan delivered the decisive stretch in the second half, scoring 16 of his 18 points after halftime and knocking down four three-pointers. Tugler scored all eight points on 4-of-5 shooting during the second half and grabbed six of his seven rebounds, during the same critical timeframe.
“The guy that just willed us was Milos,” Sampson said. “He’s done that before in big games. He made six threes in the Big 12 championship game last year and six again against Purdue (in the Elite 8 last year). He’s been struggling a little bit, but when it mattered, he stepped up.”
Miller pointed directly to rebounding and execution in the closing minutes.
“They hurt us on the offensive board. They hurt us in pick and roll. Then we we turned it over. But outside of the end of the game, I was very very proud of the way our guys played tonight. They fought. They played with great effort, energy.”
Cincinnati’s individual performances were strong enough to win — until the final stretch. Day Day Thomas led the Bearcats with 15 points and four assists, including 12 straight points over the final 3:11 of the first half, while Thiam was highly efficient, scoring 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting. Baba Miller added 11 points and a team-high eight rebounds but struggled at the free-throw line, going 3-of-7.
(Photo: Taylor Keeton / Bearcatsportshub)
The Bearcats shot 42.9% from the field and matched Houston with 28 points in the paint, but the offense stalled badly late. Cincinnati scored 27 points in the second half and went 1-of-9 from three after halftime. The final possessions were undone by turnovers rather than shot selection, something Miller highlighted repeatedly.
“Can't turn it over," Miller said. "There was a concerted effort there to get the ball downhill. We actually did and we just coughed it up a couple times… You can't score if you don't shoot. You can't get an offensive rebound if you don't shoot. So those turnovers were very costly.”
In a game that featured 12 ties and 10 lead changes, the loss felt particularly cruel. Cincinnati had multiple chances to land the knockout blow but could not deliver in the final minutes — a theme that has surfaced before against Houston.
“We got to learn how to close the game," Miller said. "I think we've played against Houston now, five straight years, there's been a number of times that we've had a lead late in the game… and they close it and we don't.”
(Photo: Taylor Keeton / Bearcatsportshub)
Still, Miller struck a tone of belief in his team’s trajectory.
“Yes, we're we're right there. Like this team's right there. The guys in the locker room know it.”
That belief extended to younger players, including Thiam, whose early second-half impact stood out.
“Moo's getting better… His improvement's been significant," Miller stated. "And I thought there were moments tonight… that stretch to start the second half that was noticeable… So, his best basketball's ahead of him.”
The loss was also compounded by injuries, including Kerr Kriisa's shoulder injury, which limited him to seven minutes.
"That was unfortunate. That hurt… He couldn't even lift that left shoulder above his head," Miller explained. "Let's hope it's not anything serious and long term, but I'm worried about it.”
Ultimately, the night underscored just how thin the margin is in Big 12 play. Cincinnati competed, led, and belonged — but against elite competition, mistakes at the end are fatal.
(Photo: Taylor Keeton / Bearcatsportshub)
“We got to get over it. We play West Virginia in a couple days," Miller said. "We got to learn how to finish… It's Big 12 play. Every game matters. Everyone counts the same.”
For the Bearcats, the frustration of what slipped away lingered — but so did the sense that a breakthrough remains close, if they can finally learn how to close.
“Every game in the Big 12 is a prize fight,” Houston guard Emmanual Sharp said following the game. “That’s what makes this league special — the competitiveness, the back-and-forth. Everybody wants to win.”
Houston improved to 13-1 (1-0 Big 12) while Cincinnati falls to 8-6 (0-1 Big 12) and are still left searching for answers on how to exhibit the necessary consistency to beat good teams.
Postgame Video: Wes Miller, Moustapha Thiam, Day Day Thomas
Postgame Video: Kelvin Sampson, Milos Uzan, Emmanuel Sharp
Game Highlights: