AMES, Iowa (Interstat) — A top-five showdown with major Big 12 championship implications is set for Monday night when Houston visits Iowa State. The conference heavyweight bout, scheduled for Feb. 16, 2026, at Hilton Coliseum, features two of the nation’s premier teams. The visiting Cougars (23-2, 12-1 Big 12) hold a slim half-game lead over the Cyclones (22-3, 11-2) in the league standings. Houston enters on a seven-game winning streak, while Iowa State has won nine of its last ten. Houston’s success is fueled by its trademark defensive intensity, which leads the nation in scoring defense. Guard Emanuel Sharp provides the offensive firepower, averaging 21.4 points over his last seven games, including a 23-point, 6-rebound performance in Saturday’s 78-64 win over Kansas State. Iowa State counters with its own formidable defense and the versatile scoring of forward Milan Momcilovic. He is averaging 19.1 points per game in conference play, coming off an 18-point effort in the Cyclones’ dominant 74-56 victory over Kansas on Saturday. The matchup between Sharp and Momcilovic will be pivotal. The Cougars’ only conference loss was a 90-86 road defeat at Texas Tech on Jan. 24. Iowa State’s league losses came at Kansas and at TCU, a 62-55 setback on Feb. 10. Houston won the season’s first meeting, 70-60, on Jan. 3 in Houston. Monday’s winner will seize sole possession of first place in the Big 12 with just over two weeks remaining in the regular season. The atmosphere at Hilton Coliseum, one of the nation’s most hostile road environments, will test the veteran Cougars. Iowa State seeks to protect its home court and secure a signature win that would bolster its case for a seed in the NCAA tournament. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. CST.