‘Just have to keep working’: Cougars show untapped potential in win over Florida State

Houston men’s basketball took another step forward Saturday, defeating Florida State 82-67 at Toyota Center, but coach Kelvin Sampson reminded his team that its best basketball is still ahead.

“I like the trajectory of this team,” Sampson said. “I think this team’s going to be good, just have to keep working at it.”

Flemings makes his mark

One of the clearest signs of that development came from freshman guard Kingston Flemings, who recorded eight steals, tying the second most in a single game in UH history. He trails only Clyde Drexler, who set the program record with 11 in 1982.

“You couldn’t do that a month ago,” Sampson said after. “That’s why this team is a work in progress. Every time we play a game, there’s a comma. Kingston is getting better because of the way he practices.”

Flemings also bounced back offensively, scoring 21 points after managing just one against Notre Dame in Houston’s last game 10 days ago.

Sampson still made sure to point out that Flemings has room to grow.

“I’m not ready to anoint him anything,” Sampson said. “He had four turnovers. Most of his turnovers were when we were getting a chance to blow this open.”

On paper, the win seemed convincing, but Sampson noted the margin could have been larger.

“A 15 point win can easily be a 25 point win if you do this better, this better and this better,” Sampson said. “The turnovers were just mind boggling.”

Cenac powers the paint

Four more of Houston’s 13 turnovers came from freshman center Chris Cenac Jr., who recorded his first double-double since opening night with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

“Those are teaching moments for all these freshmen,” Sampson said. “We will go back to practice and watch the film to clean up a lot of those mistakes we are making.”

Sharp leads scoring charge

It isn’t just the freshmen who have room to grow. A season-high 27 points from senior guard Emanuel Sharp still wasn’t enough to stop Sampson’s push for development.

Part of the reason the Cougars were uncharacteristically outrebounded 37-35 stemmed from Sharp’s absence on the defensive glass.

“In our biggest wins last year, whether it was Kansas, Duke, Florida or Texas Tech, he’d come out for five or six, so he’s not doing that.”

That missed opportunity limited Houston’s fast-break potential, which produced 17 points.

“That team shot 32 threes, most of the misses are long rebounds…Jojo (Tugler), Kalifa (Sakho) and Cenac, they are not going to get those, the guards should get those,” Sampson said. “Our guards didn’t do a very good job of that. Had we done that we would have scored more fast break points.”

Houston relied on its first-shot defense to keep control. The Seminoles entered the week averaging the fourth most 3-pointers per game at 12, but Houston held them to one in the first 10 minutes and 4-16 in the entire second half.

Florida State went on a 12-2 run to get as close as five with 10:22 remaining, but Houston pushed its lead to as much as 18 before closing out the game behind seven late points from senior guard Milos Uzan, his first of the contest.

Houston is now 8-1 on the season and will next face Jackson State on Wednesday, Dec. 10, at Fertitta Center.