KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Milos Uzan poured in 25 points, Emanuel Sharp added 17 and second-ranked Houston turned up its trademark defense in the final minute to hold on for a 72-64 victory over Arizona in the 2025 Phillips 66 Big 12 Men's Basketball Championship final Saturday night.
Playing without injured big man J’Wan Roberts, the Cougars (30-4) took a 64-62 lead on Uzan’s 3-pointer with 5 minutes to go, then held on over the Wildcats (22-12) down the stretch to avenge a loss to Iowa State in last year’s title game.
“We did a great job of staying together,” Sharp said. “That’s what coach has been preaching. And that’s why I love this team.”
Houston also took the regular-season Big 12 title, winning 19 of 20 league games.
“We never panic,” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said. “I notice a lot of people around us do, but thank God they’re not coaches and players. We’ve been in these bunkers. We’ve been there when it’s tough. We’ve learned to internalize and almost get independent of everything around us. We get in a bunker and believe in each other and get to work.”
Caleb Love scored 19 points for the Wildcats. Jaden Bradley had 14 points and KJ Lewis finished with 11.
Wildcats coach Tommy Lloyd had bristled after their quarterfinal win over No. 9 Texas Tech when it was suggested that the title tilt amounted to a showdown of styles: Arizona’s high-flying, high-scoring offense against Houston’s dominant defense.
“We’re not that bad on defense,” Lloyd said succinctly.
Turns out the Wildcats are quite good.
Arizona twice held the Cougars without a point for 5-minute stretches in the first half. The result was a 33-28 lead in the locker room.
Yet there is a reason that Houston is No. 1 nationally in defensive efficiency.
The Cougars were still trailing 40-37 when they clamped down on the Wildcats, turning defense into offense and outscoring them 19-6 over the next five minutes. By the time Uzan curled in a bucket with 11:40 to go, Houston had taken a 56-46 lead — the largest of the game for either team at that point.
Arizona fought back to take a 62-61 lead, only for the relentless Cougars to regain the lead seconds later when Uzan dropped his 3-pointer. He scored again on their ensuing possession, and Houston maintained its lead from there.
The result was its third conference tourney title in five years.
2025 All-Tournament Team
Caleb Love, Arizona
L.J. Cryer, Houston
Emanuel Sharp, Houston (MOP)
Milos Uzan, Houston
JT Toppin, Texas Tech