L.J. Cryer and Milos Uzan combined for 35 points while J’Wan Roberts chipped in a double-double as fifth-ranked Houston fended off visiting Oklahoma State 72-63 on Tuesday.
Cryer sank two free throws with 21 seconds to play and finished with a game-high 18 points. Uzan added 17 points and five assists for the Cougars (18-4, 10-1 Big 12), who rebounded from a Saturday loss to Texas Tech that snapped their 33-game home-court winning streak and their 13-game overall winning run.
The Cowboys (11-11, 3-8 Big 12) trailed by 17 points in the second half before staging a late rally. Oklahoma State made seven consecutive shots and clawed to within 68-63 on an Arturo Dean 3-pointer with 29 seconds left. However, the Cougars’ Mylik Wilson followed by hitting two free throws, and Dean was called for traveling on the subsequent Oklahoma State possession.
Roberts paired 14 points with 10 rebounds while Terrance Arceneaux added 10 points, five rebounds and six assists for the Cougars, who posted a 40-24 rebounding advantage.
Abou Ousmane led the Cowboys with 16 points while Dean added 13 points, four assists and five steals. Bryce Thompson also recorded four assists while chipping in 11 points for Oklahoma State.
Avery capped a 6-0 run with a layup at the 11:55 mark of the first half, lifting the Cowboys to their largest lead of the game at 18-9. Houston missed 11 of 12 shots during that stretch, a slump snapped by an Uzan 3-pointer that kickstarted the Cougars’ steady rally to the lead.
Oklahoma State attempted to stall the comeback at the 6:32 mark after Cryer pulled the Cougars to within 22-21 by sinking a 3-pointer. However, Wilson gave Houston its first lead at 23-22 with a blocked shot, a rebound and a cutting layup.
Ousmane stopped the Cougars’ 7-0 run with a 3-pointer, but Uzan soon extended Houston’s lead to 32-27 with a layup. The Cougars closed the half by making six of their final eight shots, including an Uzan jumper with 31 seconds remaining.
Dean buried a 3-pointer just before the buzzer that pulled the Cowboys to within 39-33 at the break. Oklahoma State shot 54.2 percent in the first half but surrendered 13 offensive rebounds that the Cougars converted into 13 second-chance points. Uzan had 12 points before the break.
Overall on the night, the Cowboys shot 51 percent from the field while the Cougars wound up at 41.9 percent. Houston finished with a 16-0 edge in second-chance scoring.
–Field Level Media
