The Houston Cougars win their third straight game
Grimes leads Cougars to road victory over the UCF Bulls
Feb 12, 2020, 11:30 pm
The Houston Cougars held a two-point advantage (53-51) late in the second half when Quentin Grimes knocked down an open 3-point field goal off an assist by Fabian White Jr. The basket scored by Grimes was enough to keep the Cougars in the lead en route to a 62-58 victory over the South Florida Bulls, Wednesday night, inside the Yuengling Center in Tampa, FL.
While improving to 10-2 in conference play, the Cougars have now won eight of their last nine games following the win.
While scoring nine of his final point-total in the final three minutes, Grimes led Houston on the night with 22 points (6-14 FG, 3-6 3PT), six rebounds and five assists. His performance Wednesday night marked the first time since the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Class in December, where the sophomore guard from The Woodlands scored over 20 points.
Despite the game coming down to the final seconds, it was a wire-to-wire victory for the Cougars. Houston opened the first period on a 10-4 run, which gave way to a 31-26 lead into the halftime break. While connecting on five of his seven field-goal attempts, Fabian White Jr added in 10 points and five rebounds, as the junior big man came up tremendous on the defensive end with two steals and a block in the win.
With only two players scoring in double-figures, senior guard Laquincy Rideau led the Bulls with a team-high 21 points shooting 63.3% from the floor, while his backcourt mate, Nate Hinton, added in 13 points in the loss.
Cougars' head coach Kelvin Sampson moved past Alden Pasche as the third-winningest coach in school history, trailing only Guy Lewis (592) and Pat Foster (142).
Following the win, the Cougars will hit the road on Saturday to take on the 17-6, 7-4 SMU Mustangs inside the Moody Coliseum in Dallas. Tip-off is slated for 5 p.m. CT.
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
The Houston Astros will look to even their series against the Oakland Athletics on Friday night at Minute Maid Park after a rare misstep at home in Thursday’s opener.
Despite the 5-2 loss, Houston (60-43) remains firmly in first place in the AL West and continues to be one of the league’s toughest teams at home, entering Friday with a 33-20 record at Minute Maid. The Astros also boast a 40-19 mark in games where they collect at least eight hits — a number they'll be aiming for as they try to generate more consistent offense.
Rookie right-hander Ryan Gusto (6-3, 4.46 ERA) gets the ball for Houston in what will be his 15th start of the season. Gusto has had his ups and downs but continues to show promise, posting 77 strikeouts over 80.2 innings. He’ll be looking for a bounce-back performance after a shaky outing last weekend.
Oakland counters with left-hander Jeffrey Springs (8-7, 4.34 ERA), who’s put together a solid but inconsistent season. The A’s (43-62) sit at the bottom of the AL West but have shown they can hang with Houston — they’ve now won four of the seven meetings between the two clubs this season.
The Astros will again count on Christian Walker, who leads the team in RBIs and continues to provide steady middle-of-the-order production. Rookie Brice Matthews has also turned heads with three homers in his last 10 games, showing flashes of the power and athleticism that earned him a call-up.
Oakland’s offense, meanwhile, is anchored by Tyler Soderstrom (18 HR) and surging rookie Nick Kurtz, who is hitting an eye-popping .500 (19-for-38) with nine doubles, a triple, and four homers in his last 10 games.
Both teams are coming in with similar recent form — Houston is 5-5 over its last 10, with a team ERA of 3.81, while Oakland is 4-6 with a 4.34 ERA in that same span.
Friday marks the eighth meeting of the year between the division rivals, with Houston holding a narrow 4-3 edge in the season series. According to BetMGM, the Astros enter as -159 favorites, with the over/under set at 8 runs.
With the trade deadline looming and a tight divisional race unfolding, every game matters — and for Houston, bouncing back Friday night could help restore momentum as they push toward the stretch run.
Injuries
Starting pitcher Brandon Walter heads to the 15-day IL with left elbow inflammation. RHP Nick Hernandez has been recalled.
We have made the following roster moves: pic.twitter.com/P89oHwDhJx
— Houston Astros (@astros) July 25, 2025
Game 2 starting lineup
Game 2⃣.
⚾️: 7:10 PM
🏟️: Closed
📺: @SpaceCityHN
🎙️: @SportsTalk790 | Spanish: 93.3 FM#BuiltForThis x @reliantenergy pic.twitter.com/NptD6yHelh
— Houston Astros (@astros) July 25, 2025
What stands out? Cam Smith is back in the leadoff spot, with Jose Altuve in the two-hole and playing second base. Victor Caratini will serve as the DH and hit third, followed by Christian Walker (1B), Yainer Diaz (C), and Cooper Hummell (LF). Mauricio Dubon will hit seventh and play third base, with Chas McCormick patrolling center field, and Zack Short hitting ninth and playing shortstop.
___________________________
*ChatGPT assisted.
Looking to get the word out about your business, products, or services? Consider advertising on SportsMap! It's a great way to get in front of Houston sports fans. Click the link below for more information!