Houston Overcomes Early Deficit To Defeat Cincinnati In Big 12 Opener
In this story:
The Houston Cougars defeated the Cincinnati Bearcats 67-60 on Saturday afternoon, inside the Fifth Third Arena, in Cincinnati, OH.
Houston’s point guards came up clutch late in the game to lead the Cougars to victory.
With the win, Houston improves to 13-1 on the season, and they are now 1-0 in the Big 12 Conference.
Houston vs Cincinnati Game Recap
The Bearcats gave Houston all they could handle as they stormed out to a 33-28 halftime lead, which is the first time the Cougars have trailed at the half all season long.
Senior guard Day Day Thomas was the spark for Cincinnati early on, and the veteran scored 10 straight points to end the second half.
Thomas ended his day with 15 points, and he led his team in scoring.
For Houston, its guard play was vital in this game, and they struggled to get production in the paint.
Senior guard Milos Uzan took a big step in the second half after only having two points at halftime.
The returning point guard led the team in scoring in the second half of the game, and he finished with 18 points, including four made three pointers.
After shooting just 26% from three coming into the game, the veteran went 4-for-7 from behind the arc and willed his team to victory.
Freshman guard Kingston Flemings was the other key for the Cougars’ offensive success.
He is one of the quickest point guards in the entire country, and his ability to get to the rim is second to none.
Flemings continued his strong performances in big games with a 19-point outing against the Bearcats.
It is clear why head coach Kelvin Sampson places so much trust in the first-year guard, as he does much more than just scoring.
Today, Flemings also finished with six assists and five steals, making him a key all-around weapon for this team.
The two point guards had to step up big time with senior guard Emanuel Sharp dealing with nagging finger and back injuries.
Those injuries seemed to have an impact as he usually averages 17 points per game, but tonight he finished with just two points, and he went 0-for-9 from the field.
Freshman forward Chris Cenac Jr. and junior forward JoJo Tugler still haven’t taken as big of a role on the offensive side of the ball as the duo combined for just 12 points.
However, they have both taken full advantage of their strengths in defense and rebounding.
They combined for 15 rebounds, four blocks, and two steals, and their impact on defense is vital for Houston’s success.
Even with Houston struggling over the past two games, the Cougars are 1-0 in the Big 12 Conference and this is where the team will grow the most with a grueling schedule on the horizon.
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).