No. 7 Houston blows out Utah 70-36, ending three-game winning streak

No. 7 Houston dominated Utah in a decisive 70-36 victory on Wednesday night at the Fertitta Center, extending its win streak to 11 games. The Cougars improved to 15-3 overall and 7-0 in Big 12 play, while Utah fell to 11-7 and 3-4 in the conference, snapping a three-game winning streak.

Houston’s smothering defense set the tone early, forcing Utah into 26 turnovers and converting them into 29 points. The Cougars held a 19-0 advantage in points off turnovers by halftime and limited the Utes to their lowest scoring output of the season. Houston’s 36 points allowed were also a season-best defensive performance for the Cougars, who extended their home winning streak to 33 games, the longest active streak in the nation.

The game turned during an 18-0 run sparked by LJ Cryer’s jumper with 16 minutes left in the first half. Houston took a commanding 41-17 lead into halftime and never looked back. Cryer led the Cougars with 13 points, while Milos Uzan added 14 and J’Wan Roberts contributed 11. Terrance Arceneaux chipped in 10 points, showcasing Houston’s depth even without second-leading scorer Emanuel Sharp, who was sidelined with an injury.

Utah struggled to find any offensive rhythm, shooting just 30% from the field and 5-of-17 from three-point range. The Utes’ offensive woes were compounded by Houston’s relentless defense, which frequently doubled and triple-teamed Utah’s scorers. Gabe Madsen led Utah with eight points, and Keanu Dawes added seven points and nine rebounds. Despite their efforts, the Utes couldn’t overcome Houston’s physicality and length.

After the game, Utah head coach Craig Smith emphasized the need for his team to adapt to the challenges of Big 12 basketball. “This is big boy basketball,” Smith said. “You have to eliminate losing to win.”

Utah will look to bounce back on Saturday when it hosts Baylor. Meanwhile, Houston continues its dominant conference run, solidifying its position as one of the nation’s top teams.