Houston left no doubt in Oklahoma City, turning a tournament opener into a statement win behind a dominant first half and a balanced offensive attack.
Kingston Flemings scored 18 points, Emanuel Sharp added 16, and Houston routed Idaho 78–47 Thursday night in its NCAA Tournament opener — a dominant performance that was never really in doubt after the first ten minutes. Freshman forward Chris Cenac Jr. grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds, and five Cougars finished in double figures.
It was the eighth straight season the Cougars won their NCAA Tournament first-round game. At this point, March is just another month for Houston.
A Slow Start, Then a Statement
Houston fell behind 10–7 early, then outscored Idaho 41–14 over the next 15 minutes to take a 48–24 lead at the break. Once the Cougars found their footing, it wasn’t a basketball game — it was a clinic. Houston shot 60% from the field in the first half while holding Idaho to just 27%, creating a gap that set the tone for the entire game.
Flemings, who made all six of his shots from the field, led the Cougars’ first-half attack with 14 points, while Sharp made four of five shots including three 3-pointers. Cenac, meanwhile, was doing damage in a different way — he had nine defensive rebounds at halftime, one more than the entire Idaho roster at that point.
Houston extended the lead to 67–38 on a short jumper by Flemings with 7:12 left in the game, and the reserves closed it out from there.
Shooting the Lights Out
The final numbers were eye-popping. Houston shot 50% from the field and 53% from beyond the arc, outrebounded Idaho 47–32, and outscored the Vandals 36–13 in the paint. For a program that hangs its hat on defense and toughness, the Cougars looked every bit as dangerous on the offensive end Thursday night.
Idaho made just eight of 30 shots from the field and didn’t score for nearly ten minutes of the first half. Sampson’s defensive pressure was suffocating from the opening tip.
Idaho’s Cinderella Run Hits a Wall
None of this is a knock on Idaho. The Vandals qualified for the NCAA Tournament by winning four games in five days to claim the Big Sky championship, despite entering as the seventh seed in their own conference tournament. It was their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1990, and they earned every bit of it.
Kolton Mitchell scored 14 points to lead Idaho, but the Vandals simply ran into the wrong team at the wrong time. Idaho coach Alex Pribble was gracious in defeat: “Not the result we were looking for, obviously, but I’m just filled with an extreme sense of pride and gratitude. They played seven games in 13 days leading up to this. You get paired up with a team like Houston — I think a lot of teams would have backed away, and I don’t think our guys did that at all.”
Sampson Keeps It in Perspective
Even after a 31-point blowout win, Kelvin Sampson found a moment to acknowledge what it takes just to get here. “It’s hard to make this tournament. It’s really hard. There are so many good teams that don’t get a chance to play in this. Coach Pribble’s kids were well-coached. They had a good plan. They fought.”
He’s right — but the Cougars have a championship to chase.
Up Next
Houston will face No. 10 seed Texas A&M in the second round on Saturday. The Aggies knocked off Saint Mary’s 63–50 Thursday, setting up an all-Texas showdown back at Paycom Center. Tip-off is set for 5:10 p.m. CT on TNT.
The Sweet 16 at Toyota Center is two wins away. The Cougars look ready to go get it.