Where's the Houston hype?

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Good morning! It’s great to be in that part of the season where Mondays are for college hoops. (Unless Luke Doncic makes his Lakers debut during a blowout. But anyway.)

Let’s get to Monday’s news.

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1. Yep, another dominant night from Houston

Baylor had to play Monday at Houston without big man Josh Ojianwuna, who’s done for the season with a knee injury. So it went small, with senior Norchad Omier at the 5, flanked by four guards.

And it worked! At least on offense.

Baylor shot 57.9% from the field, 60% from deep, and even 75% from the free-throw line … and lost 76-65 in a game that wasn’t as close that final margin.

Such is life when you play No. 6 Houston.

The Cougars (20-4, 12-1 in Big 12) forced 15 turnovers (once every four possessions), grabbed 36% of their missed shots and led by double digits for part of the first half and all but 37 seconds of the second half. Houston’s offense was efficient (1.31 points per possession) thanks to those rebounds, 10 3-pointers (41.7%) and just seven turnovers vs. Baylor (15-9, 7-6).

It’s now 80-1 under Kelvin Sampson when it shoots at least 50% from the field.

Ignore the Coogs next month at your own peril.

Houston’s not doing anything different than previous seasons. J’Wan Roberts (10 points on 7 shots) and Jojo Tugler (6 points, 8 rebounds, 1 block) clean up inside, while Emanuel Sharp, Terrance Arceneaux and LJ Cryer (a combined 35 points on 24 shots) were good.

Even point guard Milos Uzan (12 points, six assists and two steals in 34 minutes) is doing his best Jamal Shead impersonation, just without the absurd athleticism. Though he is capable of making tough shots like Shead.

His assist-to-turnover rate in Big 12 play is 4.3, and he’s shooting 40% from 3 during league play. That’s a winning formula, and one Sampson’s not about to tweak.

“There are some teams that are so gifted offensively that they can run their stuff and execute, and they are really good at that,” Sampson said. “The problem is on nights when their balls don’t go in, they’re not going to win. Unscripted points, that’s been our formula around here for a long, long time — a long time — and has not changed.”

2. ‘Blue blood’ Clemson adds to UNC’s woes + more results

Clemson’s beaten Duke, Kentucky and now North Carolina this season after Monday’s 85-65 win over the Heels.

Viktor Lahkin, what’s that say about the Tigers?

“That we're blue bloods too now.”

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