ON TO THE SWEET 16
5 quick hits on UH's win over Ohio State in the NCAA Tournament
Mar 25, 2019, 6:54 am
Corey Davis Jr. is good at sports. Getty Images.
The Houston Cougars are going to the Sweet 16 for the first time in 35 years after beating Ohio State 74-59. Five quick thoughts from Sunday night's game:
1) Defense, again
Ohio State got off to a fast start, hitting 8 of 17 3-pointers in the first half. But the Cougars held Ohio State to just 32 percent shooting in the second half. The Buckeyes would should just 38 percent for the game as the Cougar defense got it done.
2) The veteran
Galen Robinson has been a huge part of UH's turnaround. On Sunday, he played in his school record 135th game as a Cougar. He scored 13 points and his quickness was a big reason for the victory.
3) Staying on point
The Cougars have faced two subpar teams in the first two rounds, but they have not let up. Georgia State was a cakewalk, and Ohio State barely belonged in the tournament and somehow beat Iowa State. The Cougars kept their foot on the gas and took care of business.
4) Kelvin Sampson is pretty good
Ohio State's one real threat was big man Kaleb Wesson. He did score 15, but was just 3 of 7 from the floor and six of those shots were 3-pointers. The Cougars took him out of his game thanks to Sampson's strategies and UH was never in danger of losing.
5) Now it gets serious
UH will face the Kentucky Wildcats in the Sweet 16. If they can get by them, North Carolina awaits. This is a death row for the Cougars, but if they play their best they should have a chance against Kentucky.
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José Soriano pitched 6 2/3 strong innings and Logan O'Hoppe hit a pair of two-run shots to end a long home run drought and help the Los Angeles Angels beat the Houston Astros 9-1 on Saturday night.
Soriano (5-5) struck out 10 and allowed one run on three hits and three walks. He has allowed just two runs in his last three starts covering 20 2/3 innings with 28 strikeouts. He hasn't allowed a home run since April 22 — a span of 11 starts.
O’Hoppe hit his 15th homer and first since May 22 in the third inning to give the Angels a 6-0 lead. The catcher capped the scoring with his second of the game in the seventh.
Jo Adell reached with a one-out infield single off Astros rookie Brandon Walter (0-1) in the second and Luis Rengifo followed with his fourth home run for a 2-0 lead.
Nolan Schanuel was hit by a pitch and Mike Trout singled and scored from first on a double by Taylor Ward for a 4-0 lead.
Jose Altuve walked and scored on a two-out single by Christian Walker in the fourth for the Astros, but the Angels answered in their half when Zach Neto doubled with two outs and scored on Schanuel's single for a 7-1 lead.
Walter allowed seven runs on nine hits in six innings in his fourth career start.
Key moment
The Angels never looked back after Rengifo homered in the second.
Key stat
Houston is 3-2 against the Angels this season and leads the overall series 133-85. That includes a 65-45 record at Angel Stadium.
Up next
Astros rookie RHP Ryan Gusto (4-3, 4.31 ERA) will start Sunday's rubber game against Angels RHP Kyle Hendricks (5-6, 4.79).