Francis scores 14 as No. 1 Houston downs North Florida 76-42
HOUSTON (AP) The top-ranked Houston Cougars had star Marcus Sasser for just eight minutes Tuesday night before he left with a cut over his eye.
But the Cougars had several young players step up to make up for his loss as they rolled to a 76-42 win over North Florida.
Ja'Vier Francis, a sophomore, scored 14 points and Sasser had 12 points. Freshman Jarace Walker added 12 points with 10 rebounds, and fellow freshman Emanuel Sharp scored nine.
''The guy I was most pleased with was Jarace,'' coach Kelvin Sampson said. ''Freshman usually don't play major minutes here ... Jarace has been knocked down this year, but he keeps getting up.''
Sasser, who entered the game averaging 17.5 points, made two 3-pointers early as the Cougars scored the first eight points of the game. He continued his hot start and scored 12 points as Houston (9-0) built a 24-13 lead with about 12 minutes left in the first half. But, he got hit in the face soon after and left the game with the cut above his left eye.
''Marcus was on one of those benders where he was getting ready to get busy,'' Sampson said. ''He was on his way.''
A school spokesman said he received stitches for the cut and was questionable to return. But, he didn't come back with the Cougars holding a huge lead for the rest of the night.
Sampson said Sasser received five stitches, and was OK after the game.
''That was a nasty one,'' Sampson said of the cut. ''It's like boxers when they hit you and open it up right above your eyebrow.''
The Cougars were up by 10 about four minutes after Sasser's injury and then used a 14-0 run, with two 3-pointers by Sharp, to end the half and take a 42-18 lead into the break.
Sharp said hours in the gym practicing has helped improve his shooting.
''I've gotten comfortable,'' he said. ''It makes me that much better of a player.''
The Ospreys missed eight shots and had four turnovers in that span, allowing Houston to pad the lead.
''We locked down,'' Sampson said.
Houston held North Florida (2-6) to 29.2% shooting and forced 10 turnovers before the break.
The Cougars entered the game leading the nation in scoring defense by allowing just 48 points a game and continued their stingy defensive play Tuesday to stay undefeated.
Jarius Hicklen made a 3-pointer for North Florida to start the second half, but the Cougars scored the next eight points to stretch the lead to 50-21 about 14 1/2 minutes to go.
Hicklen led the Ospreys with 12 points, but also had five turnovers as they dropped their second straight game.
Sasser's performance gave him 1,006 points in his career, making him the 50th player in school history to reach 1,000 points. His two 3-pointers Tuesday gave him 200 in his career, making him just the seventh Cougar to reach that mark.
BIG PICTURE
The Cougars had another great defensive performance, but might need to find a way to produce more offensively as they begin to face tougher competition beginning Saturday when they meet No. 8 Alabama.
OFFENSIVE REBOUNDING
Sampson was thrilled that his team had 17 offensive rebounds.
''The big thing ... is we got to 50% of our misses,'' he said. ''Offensive rebounding is very important to us.''
UP NEXT
North Florida: Hosts Bethune-Cookman on Saturday.
Houston: Hosts Alabama on Saturday.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Jump ball. Jadyn Parker vs. Jarace Walker (Ospreys gains possession) | |||
19:57 | Jose Placer misses three point jump shot | |||
19:55 | Jarace Walker defensive rebound | |||
19:37 | +2 | J'wan Roberts makes two point hook shot | 0-2 | |
19:05 | Jarace Walker blocks Jadyn Parker's two point layup | |||
19:03 | Jarace Walker defensive rebound | |||
18:41 | +3 | Marcus Sasser makes three point jump shot (Jarace Walker assists) | 0-5 | |
18:18 | Jose Placer offensive foul | |||
18:18 | Jose Placer turnover (offensive foul) | |||
18:00 | Marcus Sasser misses two point jump shot | |||
18:16 | Jose Placer defensive rebound | |||
17:50 | Jump ball. Carter Hendricksen vs. Jamal Shead (Cougars gains possession) | |||
17:50 | Carter Hendricksen turnover (lost ball) (Jamal Shead steals) | |||
17:36 | +3 | Marcus Sasser makes three point jump shot (Jamal Shead assists) | 0-8 | |
17:23 | +3 | Carter Hendricksen makes three point jump shot (Jarius Hicklen assists) | 3-8 | |
17:07 | +2 | Jarace Walker makes two point driving layup | 3-10 | |
17:07 | Jarius Hicklen shooting foul (Jarace Walker draws the foul) | |||
17:07 | Jarace Walker misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
17:07 | Carter Hendricksen defensive rebound | |||
16:55 | Jamal Shead personal foul | |||
16:43 | Jose Placer misses three point jump shot | |||
16:41 | Jadyn Parker offensive rebound | |||
16:37 | +2 | Jadyn Parker makes two point layup | 5-10 | |
16:25 | Tramon Mark misses two point jump shot | |||
16:23 | Jarace Walker offensive rebound | |||
16:18 | Jamal Shead misses three point jump shot | |||
16:16 | Marcus Sasser offensive rebound | |||
16:11 | +2 | Marcus Sasser makes two point layup | 5-12 | |
16:07 | +2 | Carter Hendricksen makes two point layup (Jarius Hicklen assists) | 7-12 | |
15:47 | +2 | Jarace Walker makes two point jump shot (J'wan Roberts assists) | 7-14 | |
15:33 | Jarius Hicklen turnover (bad pass) (Jamal Shead steals) | |||
15:29 | +2 | Marcus Sasser makes two point layup (Tramon Mark assists) | 7-16 | |
15:17 | +3 | Jarius Hicklen makes three point jump shot (Chaz Lanier assists) | 10-16 | |
14:54 | Marcus Sasser misses three point jump shot | |||
14:52 | Jarace Walker offensive rebound | |||
14:48 | +2 | Jarace Walker makes two point layup | 10-18 | |
14:29 | Chaz Lanier misses three point jump shot | |||
14:27 | J'wan Roberts defensive rebound | |||
14:13 | Chaz Lanier personal foul | |||
14:13 | TV timeout | |||
13:52 | +2 | Marcus Sasser makes two point jump shot (Reggie Chaney assists) | 10-20 | |
13:40 | Jarius Hicklen turnover (bad pass) | |||
13:22 | +2 | Ja'Vier Francis makes two point dunk (Marcus Sasser assists) | 10-22 | |
13:05 | +3 | Oscar Berry makes three point jump shot (Jose Placer assists) | 13-22 | |
12:34 | Tramon Mark misses two point jump shot | |||
12:32 | Reggie Chaney offensive rebound | |||
12:30 | +2 | Reggie Chaney makes two point layup | 13-24 | |
12:17 | Jonathan Aybar turnover (bad pass) (Marcus Sasser steals) | |||
12:17 | Dorian James personal foul (Marcus Sasser draws the foul) | |||
12:02 | Ja'Vier Francis turnover (bad pass) | |||
11:29 | Dorian James misses three point jump shot | |||
11:27 | Jamal Shead defensive rebound | |||
11:23 | +2 | Tramon Mark makes two point layup (Jamal Shead assists) | 13-26 | |
11:11 | +3 | Jonathan Aybar makes three point jump shot (Jarius Hicklen assists) | 16-26 | |
10:46 | +2 | Ja'Vier Francis makes two point running alley-oop dunk (Jamal Shead assists) | 16-28 | |
10:28 | Jonathan Aybar turnover (lost ball) | |||
10:28 | TV timeout | |||
10:14 | Jadyn Parker blocks Ja'Vier Francis's two point layup | |||
10:12 | Terrance Arceneaux offensive rebound | |||
10:09 | Jamal Shead misses three point jump shot | |||
10:07 | Jadyn Parker defensive rebound | |||
10:09 | Ja'Vier Francis personal foul (Jadyn Parker draws the foul) | |||
9:45 | Carter Hendricksen misses three point jump shot | |||
9:43 | Ramon Walker Jr. defensive rebound | |||
9:33 | Terrance Arceneaux misses three point jump shot | |||
9:31 | Jarace Walker offensive rebound | |||
9:19 | Dorian James blocks Ramon Walker Jr.'s three point jump shot | |||
9:17 | Carter Hendricksen defensive rebound | |||
9:07 | Carter Hendricksen misses three point jump shot | |||
9:05 | Jarace Walker defensive rebound | |||
8:43 | Jadyn Parker blocks Ja'Vier Francis's two point layup | |||
8:41 | Jadyn Parker defensive rebound | |||
8:27 | +2 | Jose Placer makes two point driving layup | 18-28 | |
8:05 | +2 | Terrance Arceneaux makes two point jump shot | 18-30 | |
7:43 | Carter Hendricksen misses three point jump shot | |||
7:41 | Ja'Vier Francis defensive rebound | |||
7:19 | Jarace Walker misses two point jump shot | |||
7:17 | Jarace Walker offensive rebound | |||
7:12 | Dorian James personal foul (Jarace Walker draws the foul) | |||
7:12 | TV timeout | |||
6:54 | Tramon Mark misses three point jump shot | |||
6:52 | Carter Hendricksen defensive rebound | |||
6:45 | Carter Hendricksen misses two point layup | |||
6:43 | Jadyn Parker offensive rebound | |||
6:38 | Jadyn Parker misses two point layup | |||
6:36 | J'wan Roberts defensive rebound | |||
6:14 | Cougars 30 second timeout | |||
6:13 | Terrance Arceneaux turnover (bad pass) (Jonathan Aybar steals) | |||
6:02 | Jarius Hicklen misses three point jump shot | |||
6:00 | Jarius Hicklen offensive rebound | |||
5:59 | Jonathan Aybar personal foul | |||
5:59 | Tramon Mark personal foul | |||
5:40 | Jose Placer turnover (out of bounds) | |||
5:19 | J'wan Roberts misses two point layup | |||
5:17 | Ospreys defensive rebound | |||
4:46 | Jarius Hicklen misses two point jump shot | |||
4:44 | Reggie Chaney defensive rebound | |||
4:30 | +2 | Reggie Chaney makes two point jump shot | 18-32 | |
4:16 | Jonathan Aybar turnover (lost ball) (Terrance Arceneaux steals) | |||
3:52 | +2 | J'wan Roberts makes two point hook shot (Jamal Shead assists) | 18-34 | |
3:51 | Ospreys 30 second timeout | |||
3:20 | Jarius Hicklen misses two point jump shot | |||
3:18 | J'wan Roberts defensive rebound | |||
3:06 | Jarace Walker turnover (lost ball) (Jose Placer steals) | |||
3:01 | Jarius Hicklen misses three point jump shot | |||
2:59 | Terrance Arceneaux defensive rebound | |||
2:47 | Jarace Walker misses two point jump shot | |||
2:45 | J'wan Roberts offensive rebound | |||
2:41 | +3 | Emanuel Sharp makes three point jump shot (Jamal Shead assists) | 18-37 | |
2:21 | Jamal Shead blocks Jose Placer's two point jump shot | |||
2:19 | Jamal Shead defensive rebound | |||
2:14 | +3 | Emanuel Sharp makes three point jump shot (Jamal Shead assists) | 18-40 | |
1:48 | Jonathan Aybar misses two point layup | |||
1:46 | Jarace Walker defensive rebound | |||
1:29 | Carter Hendricksen blocks Terrance Arceneaux's two point jump shot | |||
1:27 | Ospreys defensive rebound | |||
1:15 | Ja'Vier Francis blocks Jarius Hicklen's two point layup | |||
1:13 | Ospreys offensive rebound | |||
1:06 | Tramon Mark personal foul | |||
0:52 | Carter Hendricksen turnover (bad pass) (Jamal Shead steals) | |||
0:48 | +2 | Jarace Walker makes two point dunk (Jamal Shead assists) | 18-42 | |
0:25 | Jarius Hicklen turnover (lost ball) (Jamal Shead steals) | |||
0:01 | Jarace Walker misses three point jump shot | |||
0:00 | Jamal Shead offensive rebound | |||
0:00 | End of period |
Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
19:33 | +3 | Jarius Hicklen makes three point jump shot (Carter Hendricksen assists) | 21-42 | |
19:16 | J'wan Roberts misses two point jump shot | |||
19:14 | Ospreys defensive rebound | |||
18:52 | Jarace Walker personal foul | |||
18:42 | Chaz Lanier turnover (bad pass) | |||
18:18 | +2 | J'wan Roberts makes two point layup (Jamal Shead assists) | 21-44 | |
18:08 | Chaz Lanier misses three point jump shot | |||
18:06 | J'wan Roberts defensive rebound | |||
17:54 | Tramon Mark misses three point jump shot | |||
17:52 | J'wan Roberts offensive rebound | |||
17:45 | Jose Placer personal foul | |||
17:38 | +2 | Jarace Walker makes two point floating jump shot (Jamal Shead assists) | 21-46 | |
17:21 | Carter Hendricksen turnover (Jarace Walker steals) | |||
17:13 | Terrance Arceneaux misses two point layup | |||
17:11 | Ospreys defensive rebound | |||
17:01 | Carter Hendricksen misses three point jump shot | |||
16:59 |