Nate Hinton scores a career-high 24 points in a win over the Huskies.

Career Night for Nate Hinton leads to blowout victory for Houston Cougars

Coty Davis
Nov 27, 2019, 8:23 am
Kelvin Sampson. Getty Images

Nate Hinton knocked down a 3-point field goal attempt early in the first period to give the Houston Cougars a 15-2 lead within the first five minutes of the game. Hinton's three was an early sign of things to come, as the Cougars picked up their third victory of the season in a 112-73 win over the Houston Baptist Huskies, Tuesday night inside the Fertitta Center in Houston.

It was a wire-to-wire victory as the Cougars bounced back from a disappointing outing against the Oregon Ducks last Friday.

"Win the game and set the tone early was my mindset heading into this game," Hinton said after the win. "We gotta get back to who we are as a team by playing hard and playing Houston Cougars' basketball. We had some poor performances, but it is all good moving forward."

The Cougars came out firing on all cylinders in the first half, as Houston shot 45.9% from the field, 50% from behind the arc. Hinton led the way for the Cougars offensively, as the sophomore guard scored 22 of his career-high 24 points (6-11 FG, 3-4 3PT) in the first half, to go along with a career-best 15 rebounds in the win.

While Houston proved to be too much for the Huskies to handle on the offensive end, the Cougars made their presence known on defense as they recorded seven blocks in the first half and forced seven turnovers, in which they converted into 11 additional points. Houston led by as many as 17 points midway through the first half before the Huskies cut their deficit down to eight with 6:35 left in the half. The Cougars overcame Houston Baptist's run by responding with a 20-5 run, to lead 56-33 by the halftime break.

"I thought offensively we played good at Oregon, but the scoreboard keeps track of points not attempts," head coach Kelvin Sampson said. "The only difference is, the ball went in tonight for us."

Although Hilton cooled off in the second half, the Cougars' grew their lead up to a 42-point advantage due to a second-half surge by Quentin Grimes and Marcus Sasser. Grimes, who received the American Athletic Conference Honor Roll of the Week, scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half, while Sasser put on a 3-point shooting display with six buckets coming from downtown for 18 points.

Still recovering from an early-season hand injury, junior guard, DeJon Jarreau, scored a season-high 14 points to go along with six assists.

"As my hand keeps getting better, just going into this game with more confidence was important for me," Jarreau said. "Just doing the things I know I can do to help the team win and playing like a mature point guard."

In the loss, Myles Pierre led the Huskies with 15 points, while Ian DuBose recorded 13 points and five rebounds. Following the win, the Houston Cougars will look to make it two straight on Wednesday, as they host the Texas State Bobcats inside Fertitta Center in Houston. Tip-off is slated for 7 P.M. CT.

QUICK TIP-INS:

  • The Cougars recorded 11 blocks in the win against the HBU, which marks the first since their 76-49 victory over Nicholls in 2015 that Houston recorded 10 or more blocks.
  • After shooting 10% from deep in a loss against the Ducks, the Cougars shot 52.4% from 3-point range in the win against the Huskies.
  • The Cougars outrebounded HBU 48-36 in the win..
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Houston is moving on

Astros advance to ALDS with ALWC Game 2 win over Twins

Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images

After rallying in the ninth inning in Game 1 to take the pivotal opener of this best-of-three ALWC series, the Astros were in the driver's seat to try and end the series on Wednesday with another win at Target Field. Here is a quick rundown of Game 2:

Final Score: Astros 3, Twins 1.

Series: HOU Wins 2-0.

Winning Pitcher: Cristian Javier.

Losing Pitcher: Cody Stashak.

Houston gets the first hit and first run in the fourth

Through the first three innings, neither team could get a hit off of Jose Berrios or Jose Urquidy, though the Twins did load the bases in the bottom of the first on two walks and an error, but Urquidy would strand the runners before getting 1-2-3 innings in the second and third.

Meanwhile, the Astros lineup was retired in order in three perfect innings by Berrios. That changed in the top of the fourth when Houston would get back-to-back two-out walks to set up the first hit of the game, an RBI-single by Kyle Tucker to give the Astros a 1-0 lead.

Dusty Baker makes another early call to the bullpen before Twins tie it up

Urquidy was able to keep the 1-0 lead by working around a two-out single in the bottom of the fourth, the first hit for the Twins. He returned in the fifth, allowing a leadoff single before a strikeout for the first out. Dusty Baker would pull another early hook, like Greinke the day prior, dipping into his bullpen early to end Urquidy's day at just 76 pitches in the fifth. His final line: 4.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 76 P.

Brooks Raley was who Baker called on to face the top of the Twins' lineup. He would walk his first batter, putting runners on first and second, get a strikeout for the second out, then allow an RBI-double to Nelson Cruz that almost scored a second, go-ahead run. Instead, the runner was out at home thanks to a terrific defensive play by Carlos Correa, bulleting the ball to Maldonado at home, who made a great tag to save the run and keep it tied 1-1.

Correa homers, Astros advance to ALDS

After Raley completed the fifth inning for Urquidy, Cristian Javier was the next reliever out to begin the bottom of the sixth. He would toss a 1-2-3 frame, sending the tie game to the seventh. In the top of the seventh, Carlos Correa broke the tie with a long, loud two-out solo home run to center-field, putting the Astros back in front 2-1.

Javier held on to the one-run lead in the bottom of the seventh by working around a leadoff walk, then returned for the eighth. He would get through it scoreless, despite allowing a one-out walk to Nelson Cruz, who would be pinch-ran for by the speedy Byron Buxton. After a strikeout for out number two, Javier would catch Buxton between first and second base in a rundown, getting the big final out of the inning.

Houston added insurance in the top of the ninth, getting two on base before an RBI-single by Kyle Tucker, his second of the day to make it 3-1. That left things up to closer Ryan Pressly, making his first appearance of the postseason. He would notch the save, advancing the Astros to the ALDS for their fourth-straight year.

Up Next: The Astros will now have a few days off to travel to the west coast before starting their ALDS with the winner of the A's / White Sox ALWC series. Game 1 of their ALDS will be on Monday, October 5th, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, with start time TBD.

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