The Houston Cougars experienced their second loss of the season, this time against the No. 12 Texas Tech Red Raiders. Despite some questionable officiating in Lubbock, Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson chose not to dwell on the calls made during the game.

Sampson, known for his straightforward approach, emphasized that the officials and how they call a game are beyond his control. Instead, he focused on what he can influence—improving his team’s performance on the court. After the loss, he told the media that his priority is to help his players get better at the things they can control.

“I’m not going to sit here and complain about the referees when they kicked our ass the way they did on the offensive glass,” Sampson said. “I can’t control those guys, but we can get better at that. So, I’m not into that narrative. I don’t even care about the whistle right now. I care about getting our guys better at the things that we can get better at.”

The foul count in the game was heavily skewed in favor of Texas Tech. The Cougars were called for 25 fouls, while the Red Raiders were called for just 17. Although this wasn’t the largest difference, several early fouls allowed Texas Tech to gain momentum and secure a 90-86 victory.

Rebound Gap Fuels Houston’s Loss

Sampson’s stance on the officiating is likely shared by many who watched the game closely. While it’s tempting to blame the loss on early foul trouble, Houston’s performance also played a role. A standout 42-point effort from Kingston Flemings was enough to bring the Cougars back into the game, but it wasn’t enough to secure a win.

The rebounding gap was a major factor in the loss, especially on the offensive end. Houston was outrebounded on offense 21-11, giving Texas Tech numerous second-chance opportunities. This was particularly costly for a team that relies on strong defensive rebounding.

After the game, Sampson acknowledged that Texas Tech excelled in the rebounding department, especially on the offensive side.

“Texas Tech did an awesome job on the offensive boards,” Sampson said. “They did to us what we’ve made a living doing to other people.”

Chris Cenac Jr. and Joseph Tugler each pulled down seven rebounds, but they didn’t receive much support from their key starters. However, freshman Isiah Harwell and senior Ramon Walker Jr. stepped up with four rebounds each off the bench.

When discussing the performances of Flemings and Toppin, Sampson noted that the game wasn’t centered around them. He explained that while both players scored, Houston has depth and multiple contributors.

“The game didn’t come down to either one of them,” Sampson said. “Kingston happened to be scoring, and Toppin happened to be scoring, but we’ve got enough guys that if Kingston wasn’t shooting, somebody else can score. We’ve got a bunch of guys that can score.”

“The game came down to one area, and that’s where they were really good. When they shot and missed the ball, they scored 22 points off their misses. That’s an area that, whatever you think of our program, that’s a big reason why we’ve been so successful.”

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