L.J. Cryer scored a game-high 17 points to help the sixth-ranked Houston Cougars hold off a second-half comeback by the West Virginia Mountaineers, winning 63-49 in Morgantown, W.Va., on Wednesday.
Houston (17-3, 9-0 Big 12) extended their winning streak to 13 games, even after nearly losing their 20-point halftime lead. Joseph Tugler added 12 points and seven rebounds, while Milos Uzan contributed 10 points. Despite turning the ball over nine times in the second half, which allowed West Virginia (13-7, 4-5) to rally, Houston held on.
West Virginia started the second half strong with an 11-0 run, including a 3-pointer from Jonathan Powell and a jumper by Toby Okani, which brought the score to 39-30. At the 13:39 mark, Sencire Harris made a steal and layup, and his free throw with 8:46 left pulled West Virginia within 47-42, the closest they had been in the second half.
The Mountaineers got within five points with under eight minutes remaining, but Cryer helped Houston push ahead by assisting on a dunk by Tugler and completing a three-point play following a goaltending call. Uzan hit a second-chance 3-pointer at 4:32, increasing Houston’s lead to 57-46. The Cougars turned 13 offensive rebounds into 16 second-chance points.
Joseph Yesufu led West Virginia with nine points off the bench, while Amani Hansberry, Javon Small, and Okani each had eight. Despite shooting 57.1 percent in the second half, the Mountaineers struggled with free throws, missing five of nine attempts and hurting their chances of completing the comeback.
Houston quickly built a double-digit lead in the first half, with Emanuel Sharp hitting a 3-pointer for a 13-3 advantage. Small’s 3-pointer cut the deficit to 22-10 with 10:30 left, but West Virginia went another three minutes without scoring as Houston stretched their lead further.
J’Wan Roberts added a three-point play to give the Cougars a 27-13 lead, and two 3-pointers from Terrance Arceneaux helped Houston go into halftime with a 39-19 lead.
The Mountaineers struggled with turnovers in the first half, matching their eight turnovers with their total number of field goals. Houston shot 50 percent, made six 3-pointers, and had an eight-shot advantage in attempts.
