No. 14 Kansas Faces No. 5 Houston in Big 12 Tournament Semifinals

Jayhawks and Cougars meet for second time this season with a spot in the Big 12 Tournament final on the line

Mar. 13, 2026 at 3:52pm

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No. 14 Kansas and No. 5 Houston will square off in the semifinals of the Big 12 Tournament on Friday night in Kansas City. The Jayhawks defeated the Cougars 69-56 in their previous matchup on February 23, but Houston will be looking to avenge that loss and advance to the tournament final.

Why it matters

This game features two of the top teams in the Big 12 Conference, with Kansas and Houston both having strong seasons and looking to claim the conference tournament title. The winner will move one step closer to an NCAA Tournament berth and a higher seed, while the loser will have to regroup before the Big Dance.

The details

Kansas is coming off a 78-73 win over TCU in the quarterfinals, led by standout performances from Darryn Peterson, Tre White, and Flory Bidunga. Houston advanced with a 73-66 victory over BYU. The Jayhawks won the previous matchup behind 23 points from White, 14 from Peterson, and 11 each from Bryson Tiller and Melvin Council Jr.

  • The game is set for Friday, March 13, 2026 at 8:30 p.m. CT.
  • Kansas defeated Houston 69-56 on February 23, 2026 in their previous meeting this season.

The players

Darryn Peterson

A freshman guard for Kansas who leads the team with a 20.0 scoring average and has made 54 three-pointers this season.

Tre White

A senior guard for Kansas who is averaging 14.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, and leads the team with 55 three-pointers made and 117 free throws made.

Flory Bidunga

The Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, a sophomore center for Kansas who is averaging a double-double with 13.8 points, 9.1 rebounds, and a league-leading 2.72 blocks per game.

Kelvin Sampson

The head coach of the Houston Cougars, who will be looking to lead his team to a victory over Kansas and a spot in the Big 12 Tournament final.

Bill Self

The head coach of the Kansas Jayhawks, who has led the team to 15 postseason league tournament titles, including 11 in the Big 12 era.

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What they’re saying

“Well, you know, that game (first meeting) doesn't really mean anything. I think, moving forward, I'm sure Kelvin (Sampson) wanted to play Kansas. I would if I were him. And we love the opportunity to play the best in our league, and they certainly have been the best or right there over the last three years in which they've been in the league.”

— Bill Self, Kansas Head Coach (on3.com)

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, Grocery Employee (Instagram)

What’s next

The winner of the Kansas-Houston semifinal matchup will advance to the Big 12 Tournament championship game on Saturday, March 14.

The takeaway

This highly anticipated rematch between two of the Big 12's top teams will showcase the conference's depth and competitiveness, with the winner earning a spot in the tournament final and potentially securing a higher NCAA Tournament seed.