HOUSTON (Interstat) — The nation’s elite meets the Big 12’s struggling Saturday when the Houston Cougars host the Kansas State Wildcats at Hofheinz Pavilion. Houston (22-2, 11-1 Big 12) enters the Valentine’s Day matinee riding a five-game winning streak and firmly in contention for a seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Cougars’ suffocating defense, ranked first nationally in efficiency, has held opponents to an average of 55.2 points during this stretch. Their most recent outing was a 66-52 road win at Utah on Tuesday. Kansas State (10-14, 3-9) faces a monumental challenge, having lost seven of its last eight games. The Wildcats are coming off a 91-62 home loss to Cincinnati on Wednesday, a game in which they trailed by 30 at halftime. Their season has been defined by narrow defeats, with four of their conference losses coming by five points or fewer. The spotlight will be on a compelling backcourt duel. Houston is powered by guard Emanuel Sharp, who is averaging 21.3 points over his last three games, including a 27-point performance at Utah. He provides a potent scoring complement to the Cougars’ defensive identity. For Kansas State, any hope of an upset likely rests with high-volume scorer PJ Haggerty. The guard has been a bright spot amid the losses, averaging 24.4 points over his last seven contests. He scored 30 in a narrow loss at TCU on Feb. 7 and 34 in a win over Utah last month, but his efforts have rarely been enough to overcome the team’s defensive woes. History and metrics heavily favor the Cougars. Houston has lost only once at home this season and boasts a perfect 14-0 record at Hofheinz Pavilion. Kansas State, meanwhile, has struggled on the road, going 1-6 in true away games. A Kansas State victory would rank among the season’s biggest upsets. For Houston, it represents a necessary step to maintain its standing atop the conference and national polls. Tipoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. CST.