Cougars thrash Tulsa on Wednesday in Fertitta Center

HOUSTON (AP) – Sophomore guard Marcus Sasser scored 26 points, junior guard Quentin Grimes added 18 points and seven rebounds and No. 8 Houston avenged its only loss with an 86-59 win over Tulsa on Wednesday night inside the Fertitta Center.

Sasser, who scored 18 points in the first half, finished 8 of 15 from the field, including 6 of 12 on 3-pointers. Tramon Mark had 11 points and six rebounds for the Cougars.

Houston (12-1, 7-1 American) shot 43%, including 13 of 32 on 3-pointers. The Cougars outrebounded Tulsa 52-24, and had a 26-7 advantage in second-chance points.

The Cougars won their fifth straight since falling to the Golden Hurricane 65-64 in Tulsa on Dec. 29.

Brandon Rachal scored 18 points, and Keshawn Williams added 10 points for Tulsa (8-5, 5-3). The Golden Hurricane shot 37% and were 7 of 22 on 3-pointers.

Houston used a 23-3 run over an eight-minute stretch of the first half to open up a 29-9 lead, punctuated by a 3-pointer by Sasser, who had 13 points in the stretch.

The Cougars ended the first half on a 7-0 run, capped by a dunk by Brison Gresham and took a 45-19 lead into halftime.

BIG PICTURE
Tulsa: Houston's 86 points were the most allowed by Tulsa this season. The Golden Hurricane entered as the second-best defense in the American, allowing 60.9 points per game. Tulsa's 19 first-half points tied for the lowest the Golden Hurricane has scored in the first half this season.

Houston: Sasser's 26 points were the most a player has scored against Tulsa this season. Houston forced Tulsa into 18 turnovers, which the Cougars turned into 26 points. Houston committed 15 turnovers. The Cougars had a 32-20 advantage in points in the paint.

TECHNICALS ISSUED
Following a scrum for a loose ball less than two minutes into the second half, Gresham was issued a technical foul, and after another battle for a loose ball 10 minutes later, DeJon Jarreau and Elijah Joiner were each issued technical fouls. The teams combined for 35 fouls.

UP NEXT
• Following Wednesday's game, the Cougars hit the road to take on Temple at 11 a.m. (CST) Saturday, inside the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia.
• Game will be shown on CBS Sports and can be heard on 950 AM KPRC and the TuneIn app.
• Fans should note that Saturday's game at Temple was a recent change to the Cougars' schedule. Houston's Saturday home game against Cincinnati was postponed due to positive COVID tests and the ensuing contact tracing within the Bearcats' program. No rescheduling information has been determined yet.
• From there, Cougars hit the road to take on Tulane at 8 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 28, inside Devlin Fieldhouse.
• Game will air on ESPN2 and can be heard on 950 AM KPRC and the TuneIn app.

JOIN the 2021-22 SEASON-TICKET PRIORITY WAIT LIST
Houston Men's Basketball fans can join the season ticket priority wait list for the 2021-22 season inside the Fertitta Center with a $75 deposit today. To place a deposit for the 2021 season, click here or call 713-GO-COOGS (462-4667).

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, invitations to exclusive events, regular updates about the program and much more.

For more information or to sign up, fans may visit uhcougars.com/5050club or click here. To join the 50-50 Club, fans may call Cougar Pride at 713-743-GoUH (46874).

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