Houston Cougars On SI

Houston downs Texas Tech: Live updates, score of "Big Monday" Big 12 basketball game

Cougars claim share of conference title and also now have won 20 out of their last 21 ballgames
Buck Ringgold|
Houston point guard Milos Uzan (with ball)
Houston point guard Milos Uzan (with ball) | Troy Taormina/Imagn Images

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Houston CougarsTexas Tech Red Raiders

Houston essentially wrapped up a Big 12 Conference regular-season championship Monday night while also gaining a measure of revenge.

The Cougars also got their conference-record 13th straight road victory as they held off Texas Tech, 69-61, at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock. Houston (24-4, 16-1) also avenged its only conference defeat, when the Red Raiders prevailed, 82-81, in overtime Feb. 1 at the Fertitta Center.

How to watch Houston at Texas Tech basketball: TV channel, live stream, predictions

Texas Tech won that game after losing its leading scorer, JT Toppin, to an early ejection. The Red Raiders were also shorthanded in the rematch, with two of their starters ruled out of Monday's game with injuries.

But the Red Raiders (21-7, 12-5) challenged Houston late before Milos Uzan hit a clutch 3-point shot with 45 seconds left to give the Cougars a six-point lead. With that shot, Uzan finished with a career-high 22 points.

Graduate forward J'Wan Roberts also had 18 points, including a 10-of-12 performance from the free-throw line, and junior guard Emanuel Sharp was in double figures as well for Houston with 10 points.

Toppin did finish with a double-double for the Red Raiders, scoring 14 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Elijah Hawkins added 14 points as well.

Houston has now won 20 out of its last 21 ballgames after a 4-3 start, with the only loss in that span coming at home to Texas Tech. The Cougars will return home for their next two ballgames, facing Cincinnati on Saturday afternoon and then taking on Kansas next Monday, which will be "Senior Night" at the Fertitta Center.

Follow Houston Cougars On SI writer Buck Ringgold (@Bucks_Ballpark) for all of the live updates and scoring from the United Supermarkets Arena.

HOUSTON 69, TEXAS TECH 61 FINAL

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POSTGAME STATS AND ANALYSIS

- Texas Tech held to its lowest shooting performance of the season, going 29.8 percent from the field (17-of-57) and only 20 percent from beyond the arc (6-of-30). Red Raiders did go 80.8 percent at the line (21-of-26).

- Houston finished the night making 44.9 percent of its field goals (22-of-49) and also made 50 percent of its 3-pointers (6-of-12). Coogs also made 82.6 percent of their free throw attempts (19-of-23), with J'Wan Roberts going 10-of-12 at the line.

- Milos Uzan finished with a career-high 22 points and made three 3-pointers. J'Wan Roberts added 18 points, going 10-of-12 from the foul line, and Emanuel Sharp was also in double figures for the Cougars with 10 points, making two 3's. JT Toppin had a double-double for Texas Tech, 14 points and 10 rebounds. Elijah Hawkins had 14 points as well for the Red Raiders.

- Houston claims at least a share of the Big 12 regular-season championship and the Cougars extend their conference-record road win streak to 13 straight games while avenging their lone conference loss of the season.

SECOND HALF

- Houston's leading scorer LJ Cryer was held in check tonight, but he just hit two free throws to seal the deal. (Houston, 69-61 | :04, 2nd)

- Houston on the verge of claiming at least a share of the Big 12 regular season title, after winning it last season in its inaugural season in the league. The last team to win back-to-back conference titles in its first two years in a league was Idaho back in 1921-22.

- Milos Uzan with a career-high 22 points after that clutch 3-pointer.

- 3-POINTER HOUSTON. Oh my goodness gracious, what a dagger from Milos Uzan, a deep shot from the left wing and that was a very opportune trey. (Houston, 65-59 | :45, 2nd)

- Kelvin Sampson wisely calls a time out a split second before Milos Uzan was going to turn over the ball. Coogs have possession. (Houston, 62-59 | 1:06, 2nd)

- It's a one-possession game, as Elijah Hawkins sinks two foul shots for Texas Tech. (Houston, 62-59 | 1:12, 2nd)

- Five-point game, and Texas Tech comes up with a steal. (Houston, 62-57 | 1:15, 2nd)

- Texas Tech cut it to six and had a chance to get even closer, but Ja'Vier Francis rejects JT Toppin's shot, and Toppin missed another easy shot. Houston gets the rebound. (Houston, 60-54 | 1:55, 2nd)

- Free throw from J'Wan Roberts out of the final media time out puts Houston up by double digits. (Houston, 59-49 | 3:20, 2nd)

- Legendary former broadcaster Brent Musburger sent ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla a text, essentially saying Houston is more than capable of winning it all.

- J'Wan Roberts now with 12 points and Houston is up nine near the under-4 media time out. (Houston, 58-49 | 4:10, 2nd)

- Emanuel Sharp nearly got a three-point opportunity, but will go to the line as we come out of the under-8 time out. (Houston, 52-47 | 6:49, 2nd)

- Ja'Vier Francis finds Mylik Wilson with an easy basket underneath, and the Houston lead is now seven. (Houston, 52-45 | 7:40, 2nd)

- JT Toppin back in the game for Texas Tech, which is starting to hit a bit of desperation mode with nearly eight minutes left. The Red Raiders have missed 12 straight shots.

- Two straight buckets for Houston, the latter as Milos Uzan throws a no-look pass down low to Mylik Wilson, and the former Red Raider finishes things off. (Houston, 50-44 | 9:18, 2nd)

- Exactly 10 minutes left, and Houston holds a narrow two-point advantage. (Houston, 46-44 | 10:00, 2nd)

- Under-12 time out, and Houston has a four-point lead. Texas Tech standout forward JT Toppin is currently on the bench after being shaken up, suffering a calf injury. Could be big, especially as the Red Raiders were already shorthanded coming in. (Houston, 46-42 | 10:53, 2nd)

- Texas Tech already in the bonus as Joseph Tugler picks up his third foul. (Houston, 44-42 | 13:30, 2nd)

- SLAM DUNK HOUSTON. J'Wan Roberts feeds Joseph Tugler for the slam and Houston is up five early on in the second half. (Houston, 44-39 | 16:10, 2nd)

3-POINTER HOUSTON. Milos Uzan drains the triple and Houston has a five-point lead. (Houston, 42-37 | 16:45, 2nd)

HALFTIME STATS AND ANALYSIS

- For Texas Tech, Elijah Hawkins is the top scorer with 9 points. Red Raiders were held to 33.3 percent from the field (9-of-27) and 20 percent from 3-point range (3-of-15). However, they made all nine of their free throw attempts.

- Milos Uzan leads all scorers with 12 points. Houston shot 42.9 percent from the field in the first half (12-of-28) and 57.1 percent from 3-point range (4-of-7). Cougars also 83.3 percent from the foul line (5-of-6).

FIRST HALF

- Milos Uzan nearly made a highlight-reel coast-to-coast reverse layup, but the shot rolls out as the buzzer sounds. Houston takes a three-point lead at the half.

- BACK-TO-BACK 3-POINTERS HOUSTON. Texas Tech took the lead after making a 3, but Emanuel Sharp responds after he hits consecutive 3's. Time out in Lubbock. (Houston, 31-26 | 3:25, 1st)

- Texas Tech had a chance to go back in front, but the Red Raiders airball a 3 as we hit the under-8 time out. (Houston, 23-21 | 7:21, 1st)

- THREE-POINT PLAY HOUSTON. Milos Uzan comes up with a steal and takes it down the court for the finish while drawing a foul. He goes to the line and finishes off the three-point play. (Houston, 23-19 | 8:48, 1st)

- Coming out of the break, Houston scores back-to-back buckets, the latter from Emanuel Sharp, to regain the lead. (Houston, 20-19 | 9:15, 1st)

- Under-12 media time out and Texas Tech has a narrow lead on Houston. (Texas Tech, 19-16 | 10:50, 1st)

- Nearly eight minutes in and Houston and Texas Tech are tied up. (14-14 | 12:39, 1st)

PREGAME

- Just like Iowa State the other day, Houston is facing another shorthanded team. Two of Texas Tech's key players, Chance McMillian and Darrion Williams, are both out of the game with ankle injuries.

- The regular starting 5 for Houston tonight: Guards LJ Cryer, Milos Uzan and Emanuel Sharp, along with forwards J'Wan Roberts and Joseph Tugler.

- Coming to you from a rowdy Red Raider crowd converging at the United Supermarkets Arena, as Texas Tech attempts to sweep the regular season Big 12 Conference series against No. 4 ranked and league-leading Houston.

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Buck Ringgold
BUCK RINGGOLD

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