Houston Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson in action against the Duke Blue Devils in the semifinals of the men's Final Four Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Houston Cougars To Take On Final Four Team in Early Season Contest

Originally posted on Houston Cougars on SI
By Ylver Deleon-Rios | Last updated Aug 16, 2025 8:00 AM ET

The Houston Cougars finished their second season in the Big 12 with a resounding 35-5 record, setting a program single-season record in wins, their second Big 12 conference championship, and a runner-up finish in the NCAA Tournament.

Now looking to make their way back once more to play for a national championship after a close 65-63 loss to the Florida Gators in the championship game last season. Houston sets its sights on the 2025 season as it takes on another formidable SEC power for an in-season battle with the Auburn Tigers, a part of The Battleground 2k25 at Legacy Arena at the BJCC in Birmingham, Alabama, on November 16, Houston announced earlier this week.

Both teams come off of successful seasons with trips to the Final Four a year ago. As mentioned, the Cougars head into 2025 looking to avenge their loss in the national championship game, and an Auburn team that fell to the eventual national champion Gators 79-73 in the Final Four round a season ago.

An Early Look at Houston vs Auburn

The Tigers should be confident when both teams match up, coming off a 32-win 2024 season, a SEC conference title, and their first Final Four appearance since 2019. Auburn should also have additional confidence after being on the winning side of the draw when the two teams faced off a season ago, part of the Mattress Firm Battleground 2k24 early last season.

In November of last year, then-ranked No. 4 Houston welcomed in then-ranked No. 11 Auburn into the Toyota Center, where Auburn pulled off the upset in a close 74-69 victory. Thanks to a pair of 20-point performances from guard Tahaad Pettiford and forward Johni Broome. Now with a new look after losing a number of upper-class talent, Auburn gets the chance to host Houston in their home state.

Auburn's head coach, Bruce Pearl, expressed his excitement over the November clash in a press release early this week.

“We look forward to playing Houston again this season in our backyard in Birmingham,” Pearl said. “Last year’s matchup of two Final Four teams was one of the most exciting games of our season, and we expect another great game in November.

The Cougars return a strong core of guards Emanuel Sharp and Milos Uzan and forward Joseph Tugler, all three of whom scored double digits in the loss to Auburn a season ago. And an influx of youth with the second-best recruiting class in 2025, highlighted by the No. 7-ranked player nationally in five-star forward Chris Cenac Jr. and two other five stars who ranked within the top-20 nationally for the 2025 cycle in guards Isiah Harwell and Kingston Flemings.

The Houston Cougars should once again be towards the top of the shortlist of national championship contenders, and Nov. 16’s game against Auburn could prove exactly why and could be an early preview of a big-time matchup down the line.

This article first appeared on Houston Cougars on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: