Cryer scores 22 points, No. 1 Houston beats Cincinnati 67-59 for 6th straight win
HOUSTON (AP) L.J. Cryer scored 22 points, J’Wan Roberts added 15 and top-ranked Houston won its sixth straight game by beating Cincinnati 67-59 on Tuesday night.
One day after ascending to No. 1 in the AP Top 25 for the first time this season, the Cougars (25-3, 12-3 Big 12) extended their conference lead to 1 1/2 games over Iowa State.
“We’ve got a chance,” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said. “That’s all it is - we’ve got a chance to win the Big 12. That’s our goal. We’d like to win the Big 12 because we have a chance.”
The Cougars have won 21 consecutive home games, the longest active streak in the nation.
Cryer had 15 points in the first half and Houston led 26-17 at the break. He finished 7 of 15 from the field and was 4 for 10 on 3-pointers.
Emanuel Sharp scored 11 and Jamal Shead had nine points and 11 assists for the Cougars, who shot 39% from the floor and went 18 of 27 at the free-throw line.
“L.J. had a really good night,” said Shead, who shot 2 for 11. “I tried to find him a lot. … My shot’s not falling, but I’m not the offense. We have four other guys out there, so just trying to get them involved and be the best I can on defense.”
Viktor Lakhin and Simas Lukosius each scored 11 points for Cincinnati (16-12, 5-10), which has lost five of six. The Bearcats shot 40% and went 5 of 19 on 3s. They also committed 19 turnovers.
“I think our guys can really compete against anybody,” coach Wes Miller said. “I believe they can compete with Houston’s team. I think they’ve shown that in the two games (this season), but we've got to get a little better to get over the hump and win the game.”
Leading 30-21 early in the second half, Houston went on an 8-0 run capped by consecutive 3s from Sharp with 17 1/2 minutes remaining to open a 17-point lead.
After trailing 59-46 with 2:47 left, Cincinnati used an 8-1 spurt to close within six on a layup by Dan Skillings Jr. with 1:26 to go. Cryer made two free throws with 1:12 remaining, and the Bearcats got no closer than six the rest of the way.
“Win the game,” Sampson said. “This is not a funeral. We are 25-3 and 12-3. This time of year, the last thing you do is evaluate.”
BIG PICTURE
Cincinnati: The Bearcats dropped to 3-8 in Quad 1 games and 4-6 on the road this season. … The 17 first-half points were a season low for any half.
Houston: The Cougars improved to 14-3 in Quad 1 and 2 games. … Houston won its 11th straight over Cincinnati. … It was the 11th time this season the Cougars held an opponent under 20 points in a half.
UP NEXT
Cincinnati: Will host Kansas State on Saturday.
Houston: Plays at Oklahoma on Saturday.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20:00 |  | Aziz Bandaogo vs. Ja'Vier Francis (Cougars gains possession) | ||
| 19:45 | | J'Wan Roberts misses two point layup | ||
| 19:43 | | Ja'Vier Francis offensive rebound | ||
| 19:43 | | +2 | Ja'Vier Francis makes two point putback dunk | 0-2 |
| 19:23 |  | Dan Skillings Jr. misses three point jump shot | ||
| 19:21 | | Day Day Thomas offensive rebound | ||
| 19:20 | | Day Day Thomas misses two point jump shot | ||
| 19:18 | | John Newman III offensive rebound | ||
| 19:16 | | John Newman III misses two point layup | ||
| 19:14 | | Ja'Vier Francis defensive rebound | ||
| 18:49 | | +2 | L.J. Cryer makes two point driving floating jump shot (Jamal Shead assists) | 0-4 |
| 18:29 | | John Newman III misses two point layup | ||
| 18:27 | | Dan Skillings Jr. offensive rebound | ||
| 18:25 | | Dan Skillings Jr. misses two point layup | ||
| 18:23 | | Jamal Shead defensive rebound | ||
| 18:10 | | Emanuel Sharp misses three point jump shot | ||
| 18:08 | | Aziz Bandaogo defensive rebound | ||
| 18:02 | | Jamal Shead personal foul (Day Day Thomas draws the foul) | ||
| 17:56 | | Simas Lukosius misses three point jump shot | ||
| 17:53 | | Cougars defensive rebound | ||
| 17:43 | | L.J. Cryer misses three point jump shot | ||
| 17:41 | | Dan Skillings Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 17:35 | | John Newman III misses two point layup | ||
| 17:33 | | Cougars defensive rebound | ||
| 17:17 | | Simas Lukosius personal foul (J'Wan Roberts draws the foul) | ||
| 17:10 | | Aziz Bandaogo blocks Emanuel Sharp's two point layup | ||
| 17:08 | | L.J. Cryer offensive rebound | ||
| 17:07 | | +3 | L.J. Cryer makes three point jump shot | 0-7 |
| 16:39 | | +2 | Aziz Bandaogo makes two point dunk (John Newman III assists) | 2-7 |
| 16:25 | | Simas Lukosius personal foul (Jamal Shead draws the foul) | ||
| 16:12 | | Emanuel Sharp turnover (lost ball) | ||
| 15:59 | | Jizzle James misses three point jump shot | ||
| 15:57 | | J'Wan Roberts defensive rebound | ||
| 15:51 | | Jamal Shead misses two point jump shot | ||
| 15:49 | | Dan Skillings Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 15:42 | | Day Day Thomas misses three point jump shot | ||
| 15:40 | | Cougars defensive rebound | ||
| 15:40 | | TV timeout | ||
| 15:29 | | +3 | L.J. Cryer makes three point pullup jump shot (Jamal Shead assists) | 2-10 |
| 14:55 | | Bearcats turnover (shot clock violation) | ||
| 14:40 | | L.J. Cryer misses two point jump shot | ||
| 14:38 | | Joseph Tugler offensive rebound | ||
| 14:26 | | J'Wan Roberts misses two point hook shot | ||
| 14:24 | | Joseph Tugler offensive rebound | ||
| 14:24 | | +2 | Joseph Tugler makes two point tip layup | 2-12 |
| 14:05 | | Jizzle James turnover (lost ball) (L.J. Cryer steals) | ||
| 14:00 | | +2 | J'Wan Roberts makes two point driving dunk (Jamal Shead assists) | 2-14 |
| 14:00 | | Bearcats 30 second timeout | ||
| 13:35 | | +2 | Viktor Lakhin makes two point floating jump shot (Dan Skillings Jr. assists) | 4-14 |
| 13:12 | | L.J. Cryer misses three point jump shot | ||
| 13:10 | | Viktor Lakhin defensive rebound | ||
| 12:48 | | Jizzle James turnover (bad pass) (L.J. Cryer steals) | ||
| 12:27 | | Joseph Tugler misses two point jump shot | ||
| 12:25 | | Dan Skillings Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 12:23 | | Dan Skillings Jr. turnover (out of bounds) | ||
| 11:56 | | Jamal Shead misses two point jump shot | ||
| 11:54 | | Jamille Reynolds defensive rebound | ||
| 11:35 | | Day Day Thomas misses two point jump shot | ||
| 11:33 | | Viktor Lakhin offensive rebound | ||
| 11:30 | | Simas Lukosius misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:28 | | Jamille Reynolds offensive rebound | ||
| 11:25 | | Josh Reed misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:23 | | Viktor Lakhin offensive rebound | ||
| 11:07 | | Day Day Thomas misses two point layup | ||
| 11:05 | | Damian Dunn defensive rebound | ||
| 11:05 | | Viktor Lakhin personal foul (Damian Dunn draws the foul) | ||
| 11:05 | | TV timeout | ||
| 10:46 | | +2 | Mylik Wilson makes two point stepback jump shot | 4-16 |
| 10:22 | | +2 | Jamille Reynolds makes two point driving layup | 6-16 |
| 10:08 | | Damian Dunn misses two point jump shot | ||
| 10:06 | | Cougars offensive rebound | ||
| 9:54 | | Jamal Shead misses three point jump shot | ||
| 9:52 | | Viktor Lakhin defensive rebound | ||
| 9:26 | | +2 | Aziz Bandaogo makes two point dunk (Day Day Thomas assists) | 8-16 |
| 9:06 | | Jamal Shead misses two point jump shot | ||
| 9:04 | | Aziz Bandaogo defensive rebound | ||
| 8:57 | | Ja'Vier Francis blocks Simas Lukosius's two point layup | ||
| 8:55 | | Emanuel Sharp defensive rebound | ||
| 8:42 | | Aziz Bandaogo blocks Mylik Wilson's two point layup | ||
| 8:40 | | Emanuel Sharp offensive rebound | ||
| 8:33 | | Damian Dunn misses two point jump shot | ||
| 8:31 | | Simas Lukosius defensive rebound | ||
| 8:11 | | +3 | Simas Lukosius makes three point jump shot (Day Day Thomas assists) | 11-16 |
| 7:41 | | Emanuel Sharp misses three point jump shot | ||
| 7:39 | | Josh Reed defensive rebound | ||
| 7:35 | | Josh Reed turnover (lost ball) (Ja'Vier Francis steals) | ||
| 7:33 | | Josh Reed blocks Jamal Shead's two point layup | ||
| 7:32 | | Cougars offensive rebound | ||
| 7:32 | | TV timeout | ||
| 7:18 | | +2 | L.J. Cryer makes two point driving floating bank jump shot (Jamal Shead assists) | 11-18 |
| 7:18 | | John Newman III shooting foul (L.J. Cryer draws the foul) | ||
| 7:18 | | +1 | L.J. Cryer makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 11-19 |
| 6:49 | | Day Day Thomas misses three point jump shot | ||
| 6:47 | | Aziz Bandaogo offensive rebound | ||
| 6:46 | | J'Wan Roberts personal foul (Aziz Bandaogo draws the foul) | ||
| 6:37 | | John Newman III misses two point jump shot | ||
| 6:35 | | Ja'Vier Francis defensive rebound | ||
| 6:11 | | Mylik Wilson turnover (out of bounds) | ||
| 5:53 | | Ja'Vier Francis blocks Jamille Reynolds's two point jump shot | ||
| 5:51 | | Jamille Reynolds offensive rebound | ||
| 5:44 | | J'Wan Roberts shooting foul (Jamille Reynolds draws the foul) | ||
| 5:44 | | +1 | Jamille Reynolds makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 12-19 |
| 5:44 | | +1 | Jamille Reynolds makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 13-19 |
| 5:17 | | Jamal Shead misses two point jump shot | ||
| 5:15 | | John Newman III defensive rebound | ||
| 5:11 | | John Newman III turnover (bad pass) | ||
| 5:01 | | +3 | L.J. Cryer makes three point jump shot (Jamal Shead assists) | 13-22 |
| 4:43 | | Dan Skillings Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Emanuel Sharp steals) | ||
| 4:38 | | Emanuel Sharp misses two point layup | ||
| 4:36 | | Simas Lukosius defensive rebound | ||
| 4:17 | | Jizzle James turnover (lost ball) (Emanuel Sharp steals) | ||
| 4:03 | | Jamal Shead misses two point layup | ||
| 4:01 | | Jamille Reynolds defensive rebound | ||
| 3:42 | | Simas Lukosius turnover (bad pass) (Mylik Wilson steals) | ||
| 3:30 | | L.J. Cryer misses three point jump shot | ||
| 3:28 | | Jamille Reynolds defensive rebound | ||
| 3:07 | | Jizzle James misses three point jump shot | ||
| 3:05 | | Cougars defensive rebound | ||
| 3:04 | | TV timeout | ||
| 2:45 | | Mylik Wilson misses two point jump shot | ||
| 2:42 | | Bearcats defensive rebound | ||
| 2:28 | | Josh Reed misses three point jump shot | ||
| 2:26 | | Cougars defensive rebound | ||
| 2:05 | | Dan Skillings Jr. personal foul (Emanuel Sharp draws the foul) | ||
| 1:52 | | Day Day Thomas shooting foul (L.J. Cryer draws the foul) | ||
| 1:52 | | L.J. Cryer misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 1:52 | | +1 | L.J. Cryer makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 13-23 |
| 1:30 | | Ja'Vier Francis blocks Day Day Thomas's two point layup | ||
| 1:28 | | Ja'Vier Francis defensive rebound | ||
| 1:22 | | L.J. Cryer misses three point jump shot | ||
| 1:20 | | Josh Reed defensive rebound | ||
| 1:09 | | Simas Lukosius turnover (bad pass) (Ja'Vier Francis steals) | ||
| 1:02 | | Jamal Shead turnover (lost ball) (Day Day Thomas steals) | ||
| 0:46 | | +2 | Viktor Lakhin makes two point driving layup | 15-23 |
| 0:46 | | Cougars 30 second timeout | ||
| 0:40 | | Jamal Shead turnover (traveling) | ||
| 0:26 | | Ja'Vier Francis personal foul (Simas Lukosius draws the foul) | ||
| 0:09 | | +2 | Day Day Thomas makes two point driving floating jump shot | 17-23 |
| 0:01 | | +3 | Emanuel Sharp makes three point jump shot (Jamal Shead assists) | 17-26 |
| 0:00 | | End of period |