Houston Edges Auburn in Thriller as Flemings Shines; Cougars Drop to No. 2 but Earn Big 12 Honors

In a marquee early-season showdown at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, the Houston Cougars edged the Auburn Tigers 73-72, handing Auburn its first loss of the season and improving Houston to 4–0.  Freshman guard Kingston Flemings led Houston with a career-high 22 points and seven assists, capped by a crucial blocked shot in the final seconds.  After leading 39-35 at halftime, Houston held on—the Tigers rallied late but Houston’s defense stood firm.

Despite the win, Houston did not retain the No. 1 spot in the AP Top 25 men’s basketball poll, dropping to No. 2 after Purdue Boilermakers leap-frogged them.  The narrow margin of victory against a ranked opponent may have factored in the slide—poll voters still reward convincing wins. Meanwhile, Flemings’ breakout week earned him both the Big 12 Player of the Week and Big 12 Newcomer of the Week honours after averaging 20.0 points, 8.0 assists and 5.0 rebounds across wins over Oakland and Auburn.

The sequence paints a clear picture: Houston continues to assert itself among the nation’s elite, the Auburn win supplies momentum and proof of late-game composure, while the poll drop underscores how tenuous perception can be early in the season. Flemings’ emergence adds another dimension to the roster, and if the Cougars build on this performance with dominant wins, they’ll likely reclaim the top ranking.