Freshman firepower carries No. 1 Houston to narrow victory over No. 22 Auburn

Freshman guard Kingston Flemings and center Chris Cenac Jr. combined for 40 points to lead No. 1 Houston to a 73-72 victory over No. 22 Auburn at Birmingham’s Legacy Arena.

The duo shot an efficient 70% from the field, while the rest of the team managed less than 30%. 

“Another star is born in college basketball this week,” ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla said during the telecast of Flemings, who has averaged 20 points over his last three games, and scored 22 points against Auburn.

On defensive Flemings helped the Cougars withstand a late surge. In the final second he blocked a shot by Tahaad Pettiford before graduate forward Kalifa Sakho blocked another from Auburn’s lone returner to nearly seal the victory.

In the first half, Flemings and Cenac, along with fellow freshman guard Isiah Harwell, accounted for 33 of Houston’s 39 points, with Flemings scoring 18. The trio’s 12-of-19 shooting starkly contrasted with the rest of the team, who scored only six points on 2-of-16 shooting.

“These guys are just starting their careers. These guys were just in high school last year,” Sampson said. “I thought they handled whether it was the whistle or the crowd.”

Despite the vast majority of fans in attendance being from Auburn, the team failed to take advantage of its 33 free throws compared to Houston’s 12, making only 64% of its attempts.

Redshirt senior guard Emanuel Sharp and senior guard Milos Uzan went a combined 2-for-9 in the first half, but tallied nine points apiece in the second, including a Uzan 3-pointer with less than four minutes remaining to give Houston a seven-point lead.

Houston will next face Rider on Nov. 20 at Fertitta Center.