Kansas, Houston Clash in Big 12 Showdown

Top-10 matchup between Jayhawks and Cougars with conference title implications

Feb. 23, 2026 at 4:24pm

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No. 8 Kansas and No. 2 Houston will meet on Big Monday in a crucial Big 12 clash. Both teams are looking to bounce back after recent losses, with the winner still having a chance to claim a share of the conference regular-season title. This will be the first meeting between the two programs since Houston joined the Big 12 two seasons ago.

Why it matters

This game has major implications in the Big 12 race, as Kansas and Houston are two of the top teams in the conference. The Jayhawks and Cougars have had several intense battles in recent years, and this matchup should be one of the most entertaining of the season.

The details

Kansas has endured an up-and-down stretch in Big 12 play, losing two of its first three games before an eight-game winning streak that was snapped by losses to Iowa State and Cincinnati. Meanwhile, Houston had been nearly flawless before falling to Iowa State on the road and Arizona at home this past week. Despite those recent stumbles, the Cougars still sit above the Jayhawks in the conference standings.

  • The game will tip off on Monday, February 23 at 8 p.m. CT.
  • Kansas and Houston are meeting for the first time this season.

The players

Kelvin Sampson

The 70-year-old Houston head coach has enjoyed great success with the Cougars, leading them to the national title game last year and posting a 90-14 record since joining the Big 12 two seasons ago.

Bill Self

The Hall of Fame Kansas head coach is in his 23rd year at the helm of the Jayhawks and holds a 1-4 all-time record against Houston, with three of those losses coming at Kansas.

Darryn Peterson

The Kansas guard is averaging a team-high 19.8 points per game this season.

Kingston Flemings

The Houston guard is scoring 16.6 points per game and dishing out 5.2 assists per contest.

Flory Bidunga

The Kansas center is posting a double-double this season, averaging 14.6 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.

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What’s next

The winner of this game will still have a chance to claim a share of the Big 12 regular-season title.

The takeaway

This top-10 matchup between two of the Big 12's best teams will have major implications in the conference race, as both Kansas and Houston look to bounce back from recent losses and position themselves for a potential conference championship.