Houston basketball got a taste of why Allen Fieldhouse is one of the hardest places to win in the entire country, suffering a blowout 69-56 loss on Monday night.

This is the first time since 2017 that the Cougars have lost three straight games, and there are a lot of question marks with this team going forward.

Next up, Houston will look to get back on track this Saturday at 11 a.m., where the Cougars will face the Colorado Buffaloes inside the Fertitta Center.

Houston vs Kansas Game Recap

Things were rolling early on for the Cougars as they jumped out to a seven-point lead, but that didn’t last long as Kansas jumped back out in from at halftime, leading 31-27.

The second half was the same story for Houston, as the team went over five minutes without a made shot, and they had no rhythm on offense.

The Cougars have lost the two previous game because of these long offensive droughts, and tonight was no different.

Kansas jumped out to a 20 point lead while Houston couldn’t score a bucket, which is the Cougars largest deficit of the entire season.

The Jayhawks’ senior guard Tre White was the difference in this game, and his 23 points was enough to lead his team to a commanding victory over Houston.

Freshman guard Kingston Flemings was the only bright spot for the starters, and he ended the game with 16 points.

He has also become Houston’s all-time freshman scoring leader, showing how much of an impact he has on this team.

Sophomore guard Mercy Miller showed promising signs as he made an impact off the bench by finishing with nine points and five rebounds.

The key for the Cougars in these big games is for their veteran leaders need to step up and take over the game, and that did not happen.

Senior guard Emanuel Sharp continued his shooting struggles with a 1-for-10 shooting performance, which cannot happen for Houston to be successful.

Senior guard Milos Uzan also didn’t have much of an impact as he finished with just seven points on 3-for-7 shooting.

Junior forward Joseph Tugler is the next veteran that can really make an impact, and he just did not influence the game on defense like he normally does.

Overall, Houston is now on a three game losing streak, and the weaknesses on both sides of the ball are clear.

For the Cougars to be able to compete for a National Title again this season, they need to get back to playing Houston’s hard nose style of defense, and they need to eliminate the offensive scoring droughts.

KSHB 41 reporter Fernanda Silva covers stories in the Northland, including Liberty. She also focuses on issues surrounding immigration. Share your story idea with Fernanda.

—

When international visitors arrive in Kansas City this summer, they might experience a bit of cultural shock — particularly when it comes to tipping.

Local restaurants are exploring strategies to ensure their employees are compensated because tipping is not customary in some cultures.

Kansas City restaurants prepare for tipping culture clash during World Cup

“That’s how they feed their families and maintain their lifestyles,” said Reid Jolly, general manager at Anthony’s.

He’s concerned that a lack of tipping could be a problem for his employees.

For that reason, the Italian restaurant is addressing the issue by adding an 18% charge to all checks during the World Cup.

“We’ll just do it for everyone — not pick and choose,” Jolly said. “It’s just a safety net for our employees.”

In some countries, tipping simply isn’t customary.

I asked people from Argentina and the Netherlands how they handle tipping.

In Argentina, they say they usually tip 10%. In the Netherlands, they say tipping is not expected and can sometimes even be considered rude.

“It’s not that people from other countries are trying to shortchange you or cheat you — it’s just not part of their culture,” said Mike Burris, executive director of the Missouri Restaurant Association. “It’s better to err on the side of caution.”

KSHB

Burris says the restaurant association is recommending an automatic gratuity.

But not every restaurant expects to face that issue.

“It’s not going to affect our personnel like it would at a typical restaurant,” said Eric Tadda, of Joe’s Kansas City Bar-B-Que.

At Joe’s, staff don’t rely on traditional tipped wages, so a possible lack of tipping isn’t a major concern.

KSHB

But that doesn’t mean the World Cup isn’t bringing changes; the barbecue joint will be staying open later and opening on Sundays.

“We also want to keep our experience at Joe’s very Midwestern,” Tadda said. “We want to make sure we deliver that authentic Kansas City barbecue experience.”

—