HOUSTON — Emanuel Sharp poured in 23 points and grabbed six rebounds as No. 3 Houston overcame a sluggish start to defeat Kansas State 78-64 on Saturday, extending the Cougars’ winning streak to six games.
Despite an early scare, Houston (23-2, 11-1 Big 12) protected its home floor to secure its 18th consecutive victory at the Fertitta Center. Sharp led the charge early, scoring 14 of his points in the first half to help the Cougars stabilize after a rocky opening 10 minutes.
The Turning Point
The Wildcats (10-15, 1-11) initially silenced the Houston crowd, racing out to a 15-6 lead midway through the first half following a 3-pointer by P.J. Haggerty. However, the momentum shifted violently from that point on.
Houston responded with a devastating 27-4 run to close the half, fueled by nine points from Sharp and seven from Milos Uzan. During that stretch, Kansas State went cold, shooting a dismal 1-for-15 from the floor. By the time both teams headed to the locker room, Houston had turned a 9-point deficit into a 33-19 lead.
Key Performers
- Emanuel Sharp (HOU): 23 points, 6 rebounds.
- Milos Uzan (HOU): 12 points, 8 assists.
- Kingston Flemings (HOU): 12 points, 7 rebounds.
- P.J. Haggerty (KSU): 23 points.
While it was a tough night for Kansas State, Haggerty provided a massive silver lining. With his first-half scoring, he surpassed 2,000 career collegiate points, becoming just the fifth active Division I player to reach that milestone.
Struggling Wildcats
The second half saw Kansas State attempt to claw back, but they could never trim the lead to single digits. Nate Johnson recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Taj Manning chipped in 10 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a 35% shooting night from the field.
The loss marks the sixth straight defeat for the Wildcats and keeps them winless against ranked opponents (0-6) this season.
Up Next:
Kansas State returns home to Manhattan to host Baylor on Tuesday.
