College Basketball Report

UH rolls into Top 25; UT splits

UH rolls into Top 25; UT splits
Galen Robinson has been a beast for UH. Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

TEXAS LONGHORNS (6-3)

Last week (1-1):
L- VCU 54-53, W- Purdue 72-68.

This week: Saturday vs. Grand Canyon.

Texas basketball continues to be a roller coaster this year. The week started with the Horns dropping their third straight game, 54-53 to VCU. It was an ugly game for offense, as the Rams won the game shooting just 28%. Texas committed 18 turnovers in the game, and VCU turned those into 17 points. Kerwin Roach was the poster boy for the offensive struggles, as he went 1-for-11 from the field. Jericho Sims was the only Longhorn in double digits, scoring 14 in the loss. Texas then came back with a 72-68 win over Purdue. The three-ball finally started falling for Texas, who hit 44% from deep. Turnovers continue to plague Texas, though, adding 15 more in the game. Matt Coleman led the charge offensively for Texas, scoring 22 points in the win. Texas has just one game this week, Saturday vs. Grand Canyon.

TEXAS A&M AGGIES (3-4)

Last week (0-0): Boston College- Canceled

This week: Saturday vs. Oregon State

The Aggies didn't play this week. Their scheduled game against Boston College was canceled due to mechanical issues with BC's charter plane, compounded by poor weather in the northeast. The Aggies are back in action on Saturday against Oregon State.

HOUSTON COUGARS (8-0)

Last week (2-0): W- Lamar- 79-56, W- @ Oklahoma State 63-53

This week: Wednesday vs. LSU, Sunday vs. Saint Louis

Cougar hoops continues to roll, tacking on two more wins last week. The first was a 79-56 drubbing of Lamar. The win was the 21st straight home win for UH, and it was never in question. Galen Robinson led the way with 20 points, and Armani Brooks added 17 points and 9 rebounds. The Cougars hit 47% of their shots and were plus-10 in rebounding. They then traveled to Stillwater, OK, and promptly put the boots to Oklahoma State 63-53. Brooks had another big game, posting 23 points and 8 rebounds in the win. Rebounding was strong all around for Houston, winning that battle 44-33. The two wins were enough to push UH into the AP top 25, coming in at number 24. The Cougars get LSU and Saint Louis next week.

RICE OWLS (3-6)

Last week (0-0): No games.

This week: Thursday vs. St. Edwards, Saturday vs. UC-Santa Barbara

The Owls didn't play last week. They have two home games this week, against St. Edwards and UC-Santa Barbara.

BAYLOR BEARS (5-3)

Last week (0-0): No games.

This week: Saturday @ Arizona.

The Bears didn't play last week. They have a game at Arizona on Saturday.

TCU HORNED FROGS (7-1)

Last week (2-0): W- @ SMU 67-59, W- USC 96-61

This week: Sunday vs. Indiana State

The Horned Frogs had a good week, taking in two wins this week. The first was their first road game of the season, going about 40 miles to SMU's campus, where the Frogs took a 67-59 win. Jaylen Fisher and JD Miller both had 15 points in the win. All 15 of Fisher's points came from behind the arc. The Frogs then went out to LA, and dominated USC by a score of 96-61. TCU led by 20 at half and never turned back. Fisher again hit 5 3-pointers, accounting for all 15 of his points. Alex Robinson also had 15 points in the win. His 8 assists padded his lead as the country's top assist man. The Frogs have just one game this week, Sunday against Indiana State.

TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS (8-0)

Last week: W- Arkansas-Pine Bluff 65-47

This week: Wednesday vs. Northwestern State, Saturday vs. Abilene Christian

Texas Tech is still unbeaten, and still climbing the rankings after a 65-47 win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Tech has been a force on defense all season long, and this one was no exception. Pine Bluff shot 32% from the field and turned the ball over 20 times. Jarrett Culver led the way for Tech with 13 points, on a night where the offense wasn't exactly in sync. Tech is now ranked 13th, and starting to garner some real respect nationally. They have two free throw games this week, against Northwestern State and Abilene Christian.

SMU MUSTANGS (6-4)

Last week (0-1): L- TCU 67-59

This week: Saturday @ Georgetown

After three wins a week ago, SMU got sent back to earth against TCU, 67-59. The offense was a real problem for the Mustangs, who shot 36% from the field and just 16% from 3-point range. Jahmal McMurray was a bright spot for SMU, scoring 19 points, but even he shot an inefficient 8-22 from the field. SMU hits the road for a game at Georgetown this week.

LSU TIGERS (7-2)

Last week (1-0): W- Incarnate Word 91-50

This week: Wednesday @ Houston, Saturday vs. Saint Mary's

The LSU freshmen didn't play well a week ago, but they came back strong against Incarnate Word in a 91-50 win. Nad Reid and Ja'vonte Smart. Kavell Bigby-Williams added 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Tigers in the win. They led by 22 at half and never let the Cardinals within 20 points again. LSU shot 56% from the field and held the Cardinals to just 32%. Things will not be easy for the Tigers this week, as they have a trip to Houston and a home game against St. Mary's on the schedule.

Most Popular

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome

Listen Live

ESPN Houston 97.5 FM
Rockets defeat Clippers, 116-105 Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images.

Rookie Cam Whitmore scored 21 points and the Houston Rockets beat the playoff-bound Los Angeles Clippers 116-105 on Sunday to finish at .500 season and avoid a fourth straight losing season.

Rookie Amen Thompson had a triple-double of 18 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high 10 assists for the already eliminated Rockets, who finished 41-41 in coach Ime Udoka's first season. Houston was 22-60 last year and 20-62 in 2022.

The Pacific Division champion and fourth-seeded Clippers are headed to the playoffs, where they'll meet Luka Donic and the fifth-seeded Dallas Mavericks in the first round next weekend.

Terance Mann scored 24 points and Amir Coffey added 18 for the Clippers in their last regular-season game at Crypto.com Arena. It's where they've juggled dates with the Lakers and NHL’s Kings since 1999. The team is moving to its new Intuit Dome in Inglewood next season.

The Clippers couldn't avoid their first three-game losing streak since James Harden's first game with the team, when they lost six in a row from Nov. 1-14.

Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard missed his eighth straight game because of right knee inflammation. The team went 4-4 over that stretch.

Coach Tyronn Lue gave his usual opaque answers about Leonard’s status for the upcoming playoffs before the game. “We’ll see. He feels OK,” said Lue, who, when asked if Leonard has been working out, said, “He’s been doing a little something.”

Also sitting out for the Clippers were Paul George, Harden, Ivica Zubac, Russell Westbrook, Norman Powell and Bones Hyland, who scored a combined 64 points in his previous three games.

Xavier Moon had 14 points, six rebounds and six assists in his first career start for the Clippers. Moon, a 6-footer, beat 7-foot-4 Boban Marjanovic in a jump ball in the fourth. They matched up again and Marjanovic stuck out his long arm to poke the ball away from Moon.

“He's a big boy,” said Clippers assistant Dan Craig who coached the game, “but X got that jump ball against him.”

Marjanovic scored 13 points in 12 minutes of the fourth. The former Clipper delighted the fans when he smilingly missed two free throws to ensure they would receive free chicken sandwiches.

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome