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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Outfielder Ben Gamel is staying with the Houston Astros, agreeing Wednesday to a $1.2 million, one-year contract.
Gamel gets a $200,000 signing bonus and a $1 million salary, which is not guaranteed.
Claimed off waivers from the New York Mets on Aug. 20, Gamel hit .259 with three doubles, four RBIs and 11 walks in 22 games with Houston. His season ended Sept. 14 when he broke his left fibula while running into the right-field wall making a catch of a Mickey Moniak drive at the Los Angeles Angels.
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He has a .252 average with 41 homers and 204 RBIs over nine major league seasons with the New York Yankees (2016), Seattle (2016-18), Milwaukee (2019-20), Cleveland (2021), Pittsburgh (2021-22), San Diego (2023), the Mets and Houston.