#4/3 Men’s Basketball Tops Texas A&M in Toyota Center

HOUSTON (AP) – Sophomore guard Emanuel Sharp scored Houston's last five points and finished with 21 points, senior guard L.J. Cryer added 17, and the unbeaten fourth-ranked Cougars held off Texas A&M 70-66 during The Halal Guys Showcase inside Toyota Center on Saturday.

Cryer has scored in double figures in 10 straight games, and Sharp has reached double figures in nine of 11 games this season.

"When we get into situations like this in the game where I am open and have a chance to take a shot like that, I don't have any hesitation taking it because I have worked a lot," Sharp said about scoring his team's final five points. "I have a lot of confidence that I can make those shots."

Cryer and Sharp combined to score 23 points in the first half on 8-for-17 shooting, including five 3-pointers, as Houston built a 38-23 halftime lead.

"He's fearless," Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson said of Sharp. "These guys have all played in big games. â€¦ Having a guy like Emanuel in his second year, a sophomore, this is only going to help him going forward. Our whole team, I think we all can get better from this experience."

Sennior point guard Jamal Shead had 12 points and eight assists, and senior forward J'Wan Roberts had 10 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high seven assists for Houston (11-0), which shot 43% and made 11 3-pointers. It was Roberts' team-leading second double-double of the season.

Wade Taylor IV scored 34 points, including 26 in the second half, to lead an Aggies' rally. Texas A&M (7-4) shot 38% from the field, including 9 of 27 on 3-pointers.

"When our backs are against the wall, we're not going to back up," Texas A&M forward Henry Coleman III said. "We're going to be right in the middle of the ring, and we're going to keep punching, punching, punching until there is zero on the clock."

The Aggies have lost two straight.

"I'm just staying together with my team," Taylor said. "We just got back to the things that got us here, and I feel like that played a big part today."

Houston led 53-32 with 15Â½ minutes remaining before the Aggies rallied to tie it at 63 with 1 Â½ minutes left. Ja'Vier Francis put Houston ahead with a dunk. Taylor missed a jumper with a minute left and Houston got the rebound. Sharp connected on a 3-pointer with 29 seconds left to push the lead to five.

Taylor hit another 3 with 21 seconds remaining to cut the lead to 68-66, and Houston had a violation on an inbounds play with 17 seconds left. Taylor missed a 3, but Coleman was fouled on the putback attempt with six seconds remaining. He missed both free throws and Roberts got the rebound. Sharp made two free throws with five seconds left to seal the win.

BIG PICTURE

Texas A&M: The Aggies missed a chance for a marquee win ahead of SEC play, which starts Jan. 6 against LSU. The Aggies owned a 21-9 advantage in second-chance points.

Houston: The Cougars picked up another Quad 1 win, according to the NCAA Net rankings. Houston has four Quad 1 wins. Houston snapped a three-game losing streak to the Aggies in the teams' first meeting since December 2013.

UP NEXT
• Following Saturday's game, Houston faces Texas State at 7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 21, inside Fertitta Center in a game airing on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
• From there, the Cougars close out the year 2023 when they meet Penn at 6 p.m., Dec. 30, inside Fertitta Center. That game will air on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.
• Houston then opens Big 12 play when it meets West Virginia at 1 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 6, inside Fertitta Center.
• That game will air on Big 12 Now on ESPN+
• All Houston Men's Basketball games can be heard on 950 AM KPRC and the Varsity Network app.

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