5 Houston Cougars That Stood Out In Commanding Win vs. Cincinnati
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After edging out a close win in the first matchup against Cincinnati, the Cougars dominated both sides of the ball to cruise to a 76-54 win.
Houston played all 10 players, and nine of them logged over 14 minutes, which will be very beneficial for the team down the stretch.
With an overall solid showing from the team, there were five players who really stood out against the Bearcats.
Five Standouts Against Cincinnati
Head coach Kelvin Sampson was very positive about his team's performance on Saturday, and he mentioned five guys who really stood out in the victory over Cincinnati.
Chris Cenac Jr.
Freshman forward Chris Cenac Jr. has turned it around after playing only 18 minutes in the 90-86 loss to Texas Tech, posting back-to-back performances in which he impacted the game in different ways.
In the game against TCU, he proved his worth by grabbing a career-high 14 rebounds, which was almost half of Houston's total.
Against Cincinnati, he was relied upon in the scoring category, and he finished with 13 points, including three made three-pointers.
Isiah Harwell
Freshman guard Isiah Harwell hasn't had as big of a role so far as many fans may have expected entering this season; however, he took a step in the right direction against the Bearcats.
Harwell finished with 13 points and shot 40 percent behind the arc to provide Houston with valuable bench production that they have been needing all season.
Sampson was also seen encouraging Harwell in several timeouts when he was playing hard on both sides of the ball, and it is safe to say that his scoring ability will be needed in March.
Mercy Miller
Another player that shined in the commanding win was sophomore guard Mercy Miller. With freshman forward Chase McCarty ruled out with a hand injury, Miller was the next man up.
He finished the game with seven points on 75 percent shooting, and he also recorded a block and a steal.
Miller looked very comfortable in his 18 minutes of play, and he has shown improvement on both sides of the ball throughout this season.
Milos Uzan
Senior guard Milos Uzan has had a down season compared to his first year with the Cougars, shooting-wise; however, Sampson made it very clear that he has full confidence in his veteran point guard.
Uzan looked like himself in the game against Cincinnati as he scored 16 points and recorded five assists.
Sampson's confidence in Uzan is already paying off, and he has looked much more confident in his shooting from the field.
Joseph Tugler
Junior forward Joseph Tugler has had an issue with committing early fouls and staying in foul trouble, which limits his impact on the court.
However, the veteran big man bounced back against Cincinnati by recording seven points, six rebounds, and three blocks.
He also only committed two fouls throughout the entire game, and his ability to stay on the floor will be vital for Houston's success.
Ashton Grissom is a staff writer for Houston Cougars on SI. He is currently a senior at the University of Houston and majoring in Sports Media Production with a minor in Marketing and Spanish. He also works for two student organizations: The Cougar and CoogTV. You can find Grissom on his Instagram (@ashtonagrissom8) or Twitter (@ashtongrissom8).