No. 6 Houston increased its lead atop the Big 12 standings with a 62-58 win over No. 13 Arizona on Saturday at the McKale Center. The Cougars entered the weekend with a one-game lead over Arizona for first place in the Big 12 and exited Tucson, Arizona, with a two-game advantage over the Wildcats with the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Arizona led by nine points in the first half before Houston mounted a comeback. The Cougars went on a 12-0 run deep in the second half and held Arizona without a field goal for over six minutes, taking command of the game. Arizona ended the second half shooting 8 of 22.

Arizona guard KJ Lewis missed a tying 3-pointer with 12.5 seconds remaining, while Houston forward J’Wan Roberts secured the win with free throws. Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd’s team saw their record against ranked opponents at home fall to 8-2.

The Cougars (21-4, 13-1 Big 12) have captured 17 wins in their last 18 contests after struggling with an initial record of 4-3. Houston’s defense and performance, especially from guards LJ Cryer and Milos Uzan, who scored 23 points in the second half, highlights their potential as a serious contender for the NCAA Tournament.