.png&width=48&height=48&type=webp)
Sunday, January 31
Houston
Noon
University of Houston
15-1, 10-1AAC
70
vs
48
SMU
9-4, 5-4AAC
1
2
F
SMU
24
24
48
Houston
28
42
70
Photo by: Wilf Thorne/Wilf Thorne Photography
No. 6 Houston Takes Down SMU
1/31/2021 2:59:00 PM | Men's Basketball
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Cougars use second half run to defeat SMU, 70-48
HOUSTON (AP) – University of Houston sophomore guard Marcus Sasser scored 19 points, and No. 6 Houston beat SMU 70-48 inside the Fertitta Center on Sunday for its eighth straight win
Sasser bounced back to make five of his last 10 shots. After scoring just three points in a victory over Tulane on Thursday, he opened 0 for 5 against the Mustangs.
''My teammates kept telling me every time I went to the bench, `Keep shooting the ball,''' Sasser said. ''Coach (Kelvin Sampson) tells me all the time he doesn't care how many I miss, just keep shooting. Even when I am off to a bad start like that, I keep shooting and gaining confidence because my teammates put that confidence in me even though I miss.''
Senior forward Justin Gorham had nine points and 17 rebounds for Houston (15-1, 10-1 American Athletic Conference), which won its 20th consecutive home game. Junior forward Reggie Chaney added 10 points.
The Cougars won despite shooting only 34%.
''I thought our offense was great the first half, we just weren't making open shots,'' Sampson said. ''Look at how many open shots we missed, look at how many shots around the rim we were missing. I told our guys, `Don't worry about that, you'll make them.'''
Houston outrebounded SMU 45-33 and committed 10 turnovers.
''Our defense has been getting better,'' Sampson said. ''There are three core tenets of our program - our defense, our rebounding and taking care of the ball. I thought we were outstanding in all three areas.''
Kendric Davis led SMU (9-4, 5-4) with 11 points. Feron Hunt and Yor Anei each scored 10 points for the Mustangs, who made 32% percent of their shots.
''I thought in the first half we played incredibly hard, boxed out, kept them off the glass,'' SMU assistant coach Yaphett King said. ''We did battle with them, but in the second half, they kept coming, kept coming. We didn't match that intensity, which I wish we would have because I think if we could have hung in there, some shots would have started to fall, and we would have gotten some confidence from it.''
Houston led 28-24 at halftime, then went on a 14-3 run, capped by Gorham's three-point play with 16 minutes left.
BIG PICTURE
SMU: Coach Tim Jankovich missed his fourth straight game due to COVID-19 after first feeling symptoms on Jan. 21 and testing positive four days later. ... The Mustangs missed all eight 3-pointers they tried in the second half.
Houston: Gorham became the first Cougars player with eight straight double-digit rebounding games since Tim Moore did it eight games in a row during the 1995-96 season. Junior guard Quentin Grimes, who entered averaging a team-high 17.6 points per game, finished with six points and six rebounds, snapping a streak of 13 straight double-figure scoring games.
''Rebounding is heart, and nobody's heart is bigger than Justin's,'' Sampson said. ''Justin has gotten better. He has fully embraced rebounding. It couldn't have been a better match.''
HOUSTON TRAILS
Hunt's layup just over two minutes into the game put SMU ahead 2-0 - it was the first time the Cougars were behind in over 189 minutes. Before Sunday, the Cougars last trailed with 13:02 remaining in the first half against Tulane on Jan. 9, a span stretching almost five games.
UP NEXT
• Following Sunday's game, the Cougars open the month of February when they face ECU at 5 p.m. (CST), Wednesday, Feb. 3, inside Minges Coliseum in Greenville, N.C.
• Will be the first of two regular-season meetings against the Pirates (Feb. 17, Fertitta Center).
• From there, Houston will face USF at 6 p.m. (CST) Wednesday, Feb. 10 inside the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Fla.
• That game was originally scheduled for Jan. 14 but was postponed and rescheduled recently due to COVID positive tests and contact tracing within the USF program.
• Rescheduled game can be seen on ESPNU and 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).
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's Facebook page at UHCougarMBK or by visiting the team's Instagram page at UHCougarMBK.
Sasser bounced back to make five of his last 10 shots. After scoring just three points in a victory over Tulane on Thursday, he opened 0 for 5 against the Mustangs.
''My teammates kept telling me every time I went to the bench, `Keep shooting the ball,''' Sasser said. ''Coach (Kelvin Sampson) tells me all the time he doesn't care how many I miss, just keep shooting. Even when I am off to a bad start like that, I keep shooting and gaining confidence because my teammates put that confidence in me even though I miss.''
Senior forward Justin Gorham had nine points and 17 rebounds for Houston (15-1, 10-1 American Athletic Conference), which won its 20th consecutive home game. Junior forward Reggie Chaney added 10 points.
The Cougars won despite shooting only 34%.
''I thought our offense was great the first half, we just weren't making open shots,'' Sampson said. ''Look at how many open shots we missed, look at how many shots around the rim we were missing. I told our guys, `Don't worry about that, you'll make them.'''
Houston outrebounded SMU 45-33 and committed 10 turnovers.
''Our defense has been getting better,'' Sampson said. ''There are three core tenets of our program - our defense, our rebounding and taking care of the ball. I thought we were outstanding in all three areas.''
Kendric Davis led SMU (9-4, 5-4) with 11 points. Feron Hunt and Yor Anei each scored 10 points for the Mustangs, who made 32% percent of their shots.
''I thought in the first half we played incredibly hard, boxed out, kept them off the glass,'' SMU assistant coach Yaphett King said. ''We did battle with them, but in the second half, they kept coming, kept coming. We didn't match that intensity, which I wish we would have because I think if we could have hung in there, some shots would have started to fall, and we would have gotten some confidence from it.''
Houston led 28-24 at halftime, then went on a 14-3 run, capped by Gorham's three-point play with 16 minutes left.
BIG PICTURE
SMU: Coach Tim Jankovich missed his fourth straight game due to COVID-19 after first feeling symptoms on Jan. 21 and testing positive four days later. ... The Mustangs missed all eight 3-pointers they tried in the second half.
Houston: Gorham became the first Cougars player with eight straight double-digit rebounding games since Tim Moore did it eight games in a row during the 1995-96 season. Junior guard Quentin Grimes, who entered averaging a team-high 17.6 points per game, finished with six points and six rebounds, snapping a streak of 13 straight double-figure scoring games.
''Rebounding is heart, and nobody's heart is bigger than Justin's,'' Sampson said. ''Justin has gotten better. He has fully embraced rebounding. It couldn't have been a better match.''
HOUSTON TRAILS
Hunt's layup just over two minutes into the game put SMU ahead 2-0 - it was the first time the Cougars were behind in over 189 minutes. Before Sunday, the Cougars last trailed with 13:02 remaining in the first half against Tulane on Jan. 9, a span stretching almost five games.
UP NEXT
• Following Sunday's game, the Cougars open the month of February when they face ECU at 5 p.m. (CST), Wednesday, Feb. 3, inside Minges Coliseum in Greenville, N.C.
• Will be the first of two regular-season meetings against the Pirates (Feb. 17, Fertitta Center).
• From there, Houston will face USF at 6 p.m. (CST) Wednesday, Feb. 10 inside the Yuengling Center in Tampa, Fla.
• That game was originally scheduled for Jan. 14 but was postponed and rescheduled recently due to COVID positive tests and contact tracing within the USF program.
• Rescheduled game can be seen on ESPNU and 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).
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's Facebook page at UHCougarMBK or by visiting the team's Instagram page at UHCougarMBK.
– UHCougars.com –
Team Stats
SMU
HOU
FG%
.319
.339
3FG%
.143
.320
FT%
.615
.750
RB
33
45
TO
13
10
STL
4
10
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
19
FGM
5
3FGM
4
FTM
5
Pts
10
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
9
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballG
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