NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - IDAHO VS HOUSTON

March 18, 2026

Kingston Flemings

Milos Uzan

Emanuel Sharp

Paycom Center

Houston Cougars

Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: We are now joined by Houston's student-athletes. We have Kingston Flemings, Milos Uzan, and Emanuel Sharp here. We'll open it up to questions.

Q. Kingston, you guys haven't played a game yet, but just how are you experiencing March Madness so far?

KINGSTON FLEMINGS: I mean, so far I haven't really super experienced it. I mean, we're just at a hotel like normal games, but just being here is exciting. You know, I always dreamed about this as a kid. So normal about practicing in the arena. We're in this big tournament.

We saw some teams play yesterday. Texas, Texas had a crazy game, Tramon Mark had a crazy shot. Just watching these games is always crazy. I'm just excited to be here, yeah.

Q. Kingston, this is arguably the best Big 12 freshman class ever, and you're certainly a part of that. Can you just speak to some of your other freshmen classmates from some of the other teams in the conference and kind of the level of talent of this class?

KINGSTON FLEMINGS: Yeah, I think it's always hard coming in the first year and doing pretty well, but I think all the freshmen across the country, not just the Big 12, just kind of come into each team and do what our coaches tell us to do.

Obviously we've been playing pretty well. We showed that across the year. Kind of knew that in high school. I mean, just playing against these guys, I knew they were good. So I mean, going to their respective teams, I knew they would excel. You got a lot of people in the Big 12, but all across the country. So I'm just glad we're having a good year.

Q. For Emanuel and Milos, just the way that the two guys played at the end of the season, how do you guys feel like things are right now in terms of taking that next step and sort of catching momentum at the right time?

EMANUEL SHARP: Yeah, you know, I feel like this is the perfect time to be playing your best basketball. I feel like that's where this team is at. We still haven't played 40 minutes of Cougar basketball, or what we want it to look like. So, I mean, that's the positive thing is we're still trending upwards.

We got a lot to improve on, and we got one game right now to get better, so we're looking forward to it.

Q. Los, good to see you again. You got a lot of OU blood on your team with Coach and Hollis and you. Any extra feelings being back in Oklahoma this week?

MILOS UZAN: I mean, it's definitely exciting. First round is here. I played my first year of basketball here, so I mean, it's definitely exciting. I'm getting some texts from Clay Custer, Matt and some of the guys. So super exciting.

I mean, it's the tournament. I'm just excited to be here and play this first one with my guys.

Q. Emanuel, to follow up on your comment about you guys aren't playing your best basketball, in your opinion, do you feel like you're trending towards that point? What do you think it will take for you guys to get there?

EMANUEL SHARP: Yeah, I don't think it's anything huge. I just think we all got to -- all five of us, we got to get going on the same night. You guys can't tell me a game where all five of the starters, you know, played well at the same time. And not just on offense. Just everywhere. On defense, us being connected on defense, you know, playing the right way on offense, just putting a complete game together.

So I think that's where it's at. Biting down, knowing how urgent this moment is, you know, with this tournament and the run that we are going to make.

I'm excited. This group is a really good group, and we have a lot more to do.

Q. Milos, what's something that you've seen from the guards from Idaho that you're going to have to keep an eye on?

MILOS UZAN: Yeah. They all can shoot the ball. They got three -- they have three playmakers that can put the ball on the floor and go get a basket. Yeah, I feel like it's the main thing for us is we are going to have to defend that 3-point line and limit them to one-shot opportunities.

Q. Kingston, Coach Sampson shared a story with us the other day about your last high school game over at Texas Southern. He found you afterwards and just wanted to talk with you and maybe to see how you reacted after a tough loss. Do you remember that interaction and sort of just that relationship you built with him where he was checking in on you, but he also, I think, probably had a hidden agenda behind it to maybe see what you were going to be like once you got to Houston?

KINGSTON FLEMINGS: Yeah. I mean, obviously that was like my last high school game, so I was definitely frustrated after that, especially how me and our team played. I knew we definitely could have played better.

But I think just Coach Samp just coming in and talking to me after that and, you know, just giving me some space at the time. Like, later on, he kind of talked to me about hyping up the game, energy and everything like that. Knowing that the emotions were running high, especially after that game, last time I'm playing with my guys, so just seeing Coach Samp be there, front row, at that game just always feels great that your head coach is there, so that's why I believe in him so much.

Q. This is for Emanuel and Milos. The possibility of playing Sweet 16 and the Elite Eight in Houston, is that something that you put completely aside, or is that something that you use as a motivator going forward?

EMANUEL SHARP: I mean, we got Idaho. Houston is not promised. We're focused on what's directly in front of us. You know, we have a good Idaho team that we have to play, and we're going to use that game to win, get better, move on to whoever we play after that. Then whatever is in store for whether we get to Houston or not, that's up to us. We have to win. We have to take care of business, and yeah, we put that aside and focus on winning.

MILOS UZAN: One thing I've learned from last year, last year's run, was what the other guys did, Eman, J'Wan, and (indiscernible), they never looked ahead and took it one game at a time, and that's the same approach we have to take it as.