Grimes leads Houston to 76-56 victory over South Carolina

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – Quentin Grimes scored 24 points as Houston opened fast and kept pushing for a third straight victory 76-56 over South Carolina on Sunday.

The Cougars (5-2) started with a 7-0 burst and rarely let up to win the first meeting between the schools n 29 seasons.

Grimes, the sophomore transfer from Kansas, again played a pivotal role in Houston's success. The team's leading scorer at 16.8 points a game coming in, Grimes had 16 of his points in the second half as the Cougars maintained a double-digit lead throughout.

Grimes went for 20 or more points in his second straight game and the third time in Houston's past five contests.

Hinton helped Houston build its large lead, hitting two of his three 3-pointers in the final two minutes of the opening half as the Cougars went into the break ahead 39-27.

The built the margin to 15 points just three minutes into the second half on Grimes' basket from beyond the arc.

The Gamecocks (6-4) could not respond in losing for the third time in the past five games.

Houston started with a 7-0 burst and increased that edge throughout the opening half.

The Gamecocks cut things to 14-12 on Justin Minaya's 3-pointer 10 minutes before the half. That's when the Cougars closed the period with a 25-15 surge to take a 12-point lead at the break.

Houston's relentless attack had South Carolina on its heels much of the period. The Gamecocks struggled to find points, going 10 of 33 from the field (30.3%) and just 2 of 6 on foul shots.

Nate Hinton had 17 points, all but four coming in the first half, and 11 rebounds for the Cougars.

Maik Kotsar had 12 points and A.J. Lawson had 10 for South Carolina, which has lost three of its past five games.

BIG PICTURE
Houston: The Cougars improved to 3-4 against Southeastern Conference opponents in coach Kelvin Sampson's six seasons. They face another Power Five opponent in Oklahoma State later this month before a trip to the Diamond Head Classic that features Georgia Tech of the ACC and Washington of the Pac 12.

South Carolina: The Gamecocks got off to a rough start of a very crucial stretch. They face rival Clemson next week before playing at defending national champion Virginia. South Carolina's NCAA Tournament chances have been hampered by non-conference struggles the past few seasons and they had looked to this sequence as essential to returning to the game's premiere event this March.

UP NEXT
• Following Sunday's game, the Cougars return to the Fertitta Center to take on UT Arlington at 7 p.m., Wednesday, inside the Fertitta Center.
• From there, the Cougars continue their homestand when they take on Oklahoma State at 2 p.m., Dec. 15.

BUY TICKETS
Single-game tickets are on sale now, and fans are encouraged to purchase their tickets soon before all are gone.

Fans can purchase single-game tickets at the Houston Athletics Ticket Office during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, and any time at uhcougars.com/tickets.

Fans who were unable to purchase season tickets can get a head start for the 2020-21 season by placing their names on the Priority Waiting List for only a $50 deposit. To reserve places on the Priority Waiting List, fans can register by clicking here and following the appropriate links from the right column.

JOIN the 50-50-CLUB
Fans are invited to join the 50-50 Club to support Houston Men's Basketball. 50-50 Club members help fund program necessities and enhance the experience for our student-athletes.

Fans who join the 50-50 Club will receive embroidered Jordan Brand team apparel, a signed basketball, invitations to practice, a tour of the $25 million Guy V. Lewis Development Facility, regular updates about the program and much more.

To join the 50-50 Club, fans can call 713-743-9742 or email UHMensBasketball@uh.edu. For more information about the 50-50 Club, levels of giving and benefits, fans can click here.

STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarMBK on Twitter and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team' Facebook page at UHCougarMBK or by visiting the team's Instagram page at UHCougarMBK.

– UHCougars.com –

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