Cryer helps No. 1 Houston ride big second half to 82-59 rout of No. 25 Texas Tech in Big 12 tourney
AP
Mar 15, 2024
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Houston Cougars coach Kelvin Sampson could rightfully have shaken his head in despair when J'Wan Roberts lay crumpled beneath the basket, holding his right leg in the opening minutes of the Big 12 Tournament semifinals against Texas Tech Red Raiders.
He had already lost three front-line players to injuries this season. And another was writhing in pain.
Sampson never quite follows the script, though.
Instead, he leaned into his veteran backcourt to get the Cougars into the title game, and L.J. Cryer and Co. responded. The sharpshooter hit six 3-pointers and scored 20 points, Emanuel Sharp poured in 17 and the nation's No. 1 team used a big second half to rout the No. 25 Red Raiders 82-59 on Friday night at T-Mobile Center.
“We all have our share of injuries. I don't know that we ever talk about it or worry about it, win or lose,” said Sampson, who must have felt a little relief - just a little - when Roberts was able to return for a few minutes in the second half.
“I don't get why you need to talk about it, you know? We have a chance to put five on the floor, have a sub or two - keep playing,” Sampson added. “What's the worst that can happen to you? You lose and they put you in jail?"
Putting in jail is a good way to describe what Houston (30-3) did in the second half to Texas Tech, outscoring its old Southwest Conference rival 50-30 to reach the championship game in its first year in its new conference.
The Cougars will play seventh-ranked Iowa State for the Big 12 Tournament title Saturday night.
“It doesn't matter who we play,” Cryer said. “We're happy to be in the championship.”
Chance McMillian scored 15 points and Joe Toussaint had 10 for Texas Tech (23-10), which closed to 40-38 with 16 1/2 minutes to go before Houston ripped off a 17-0 run over the next five minutes to turn a close game into a laugher.
Pop Isaacs, the Red Raiders' leading scorer, was held to six points on 2-for-13 shooting.
“What a fantastic team Houston is,” said Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland, who was missing Darrion Williams because of a sore ankle. “We knew going into the game that we had to play our best to give ourselves a chance to win.”
Houston won the regular-season Big 12 title and has spent the past three weeks atop the AP Top 25 despite a wave of injuries - even before Roberts was hurt - that crippled the front line Sampson expected to have this season.
Terrance Arceneaux was the first to go down with a torn Achilles tendon in December. Ramon Walker Jr. tore the meniscus in a knee in February, and Joseph Tugler broke a bone in his foot about a week later to end his season.
“It's not his knee,” Sampson said of Roberts' injury. “It's kind of around his calf-shin area. I don't know.”
The Cougars compensated for his injury by cinching up their defense, forcing Texas Tech into several shot-clock violations.
The Red Raiders, who started 4 of 21 from the field, briefly found their stride late in the first half. McMillian came off the bench to hit a pair of 3s and score 10 points, and Texas Tech used a 17-5 run to close to 32-29 at the break.
But Houston got an emotional boost, if nothing else, when Roberts limped onto the floor for the second half. And while he only played a few minutes before icing his leg on the bench again, his return coincided with the Cougars' decisive run.
“We just fixed our attitudes,” Cryer said. “We had people not really in the game. Whenever you fix your attitude and change your effort, good things happen. We came out with the right focus.”
UP NEXT
Texas Tech had won four straight before Friday night, which means it should have some momentum for the NCAA tourney.
Houston's first loss of the season came against the Cyclones on Jan. 9, though it got some revenge at home last month.
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1st Half
TXTCH
Red Raiders
29
HOU
Cougars
32
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Robert Jennings vs. Ja'Vier Francis (Jamal Shead gains possession)
19:40
Emanuel Sharp misses two point jump shot
19:38
Robert Jennings defensive rebound
19:31
+2
Robert Jennings makes two point dunk (Pop Isaacs assists)
2-0
19:09
+3
Emanuel Sharp makes three point jump shot (J'Wan Roberts assists)
2-3
18:54
Chance McMillian turnover (bad pass) (Ja'Vier Francis steals)
18:50
Chance McMillian shooting foul (Ja'Vier Francis draws the foul)
18:50
+1
Ja'Vier Francis makes regular free throw 1 of 2
2-4
18:50
+1
Ja'Vier Francis makes regular free throw 2 of 2
2-5
18:33
Kerwin Walton misses two point jump shot
18:31
Ja'Vier Francis defensive rebound
18:22
Joe Toussaint personal foul
18:18
+2
Ja'Vier Francis makes two point layup (Emanuel Sharp assists)
2-7
18:02
Pop Isaacs misses two point jump shot
18:00
J'Wan Roberts defensive rebound
17:35
L.J. Cryer misses two point jump shot
17:33
J'Wan Roberts offensive rebound
17:29
J'Wan Roberts misses two point layup
17:27
Robert Jennings defensive rebound
17:22
Pop Isaacs misses two point layup
17:20
Ja'Vier Francis defensive rebound
17:05
Damian Dunn misses three point jump shot
17:03
Joe Toussaint defensive rebound
16:50
Robert Jennings misses two point layup
16:48
Ja'Vier Francis defensive rebound
16:40
Ja'Vier Francis turnover (traveling)
16:24
Emanuel Sharp shooting foul (Joe Toussaint draws the foul)
16:24
+1
Joe Toussaint makes regular free throw 1 of 3
3-7
16:24
+1
Joe Toussaint makes regular free throw 2 of 3
4-7
16:24
+1
Joe Toussaint makes regular free throw 3 of 3
5-7
16:12
Jamal Shead misses three point jump shot
16:10
Kerwin Walton defensive rebound
16:02
Pop Isaacs misses three point jump shot
16:00
L.J. Cryer defensive rebound
15:55
L.J. Cryer misses three point jump shot
15:53
Jamal Shead offensive rebound
15:43
Emanuel Sharp misses three point jump shot
15:41
Damian Dunn offensive rebound
15:36
+2
Damian Dunn makes two point layup
5-9
15:23
Eemeli Yalaho misses two point layup
15:21
Jamal Shead defensive rebound
15:12
+3
L.J. Cryer makes three point jump shot (Jamal Shead assists)
5-12
14:43
Joe Toussaint turnover (traveling)
14:43
TV timeout
14:33
+3
L.J. Cryer makes three point jump shot (Jamal Shead assists)
5-15
14:03
Cedric Lath blocks Pop Isaacs's two point layup
14:01
Red Raiders offensive rebound
13:57
Pop Isaacs misses three point jump shot
13:55
Kerwin Walton offensive rebound
13:55
Cedric Lath personal foul
13:48
Damian Dunn personal foul
13:37
Joe Toussaint misses three point jump shot
13:35
Lamar Washington offensive rebound
13:10
Joe Toussaint misses three point jump shot
13:08
Red Raiders turnover (shot clock violation)
12:53
L.J. Cryer misses three point jump shot
12:51
Joe Toussaint defensive rebound
12:35
Kerwin Walton turnover (lost ball) (Damian Dunn steals)
12:30
+2
Damian Dunn makes two point layup
5-17
12:29
Red Raiders 30 second timeout
12:29
TV timeout
12:07
Kerwin Walton misses two point jump shot
12:05
Emanuel Sharp defensive rebound
11:37
+2
Damian Dunn makes two point jump shot
5-19
11:10
Lamar Washington offensive foul
11:10
Lamar Washington turnover (offensive foul)
11:02
L.J. Cryer misses two point jump shot
11:00
Emanuel Sharp offensive rebound
10:55
+2
Emanuel Sharp makes two point layup
5-21
10:49
Red Raiders 30 second timeout
10:28
+3
Pop Isaacs makes three point jump shot (Chance McMillian assists)
8-21
10:00
Robert Jennings personal foul
9:45
+2
Jamal Shead makes two point jump shot
8-23
9:26
Mylik Wilson personal foul
9:20
Pop Isaacs misses three point jump shot
9:18
Mylik Wilson defensive rebound
9:03
Mylik Wilson misses three point jump shot
9:01
Pop Isaacs defensive rebound
8:47
Kerwin Walton misses three point jump shot
8:45
Mylik Wilson defensive rebound
8:40
Mylik Wilson turnover (out of bounds)
8:24
+2
Lamar Washington makes two point layup (Joe Toussaint assists)
10-23
8:24
Damian Dunn shooting foul (Lamar Washington draws the foul)
8:24
Lamar Washington misses regular free throw 1 of 1
8:24
Chance McMillian offensive rebound
8:19
+2
Chance McMillian makes two point layup
12-23
8:03
Jamal Shead misses three point jump shot
8:01
Mylik Wilson offensive rebound
7:59
+2
Mylik Wilson makes two point dunk
12-25
7:29
Joe Toussaint misses two point jump shot
7:27
Red Raiders turnover (shot clock violation)
7:27
TV timeout
7:14
Ja'Vier Francis misses two point hook shot
7:12
Lamar Washington defensive rebound
7:06
Chance McMillian misses three point jump shot
7:04
Mylik Wilson defensive rebound
6:52
Emanuel Sharp turnover (lost ball)
6:38
Ja'Vier Francis blocks Pop Isaacs's two point layup
6:36
Jamal Shead defensive rebound
6:14
Lamar Washington personal foul
6:12
L.J. Cryer misses two point jump shot
6:10
Chance McMillian defensive rebound
6:04
Pop Isaacs misses three point jump shot
6:02
Cougars defensive rebound
5:50
Joe Toussaint shooting foul (Jamal Shead draws the foul)
5:50
+1
Jamal Shead makes regular free throw 1 of 2
12-26
5:50
+1
Jamal Shead makes regular free throw 2 of 2
12-27
5:18
Red Raiders turnover (shot clock violation)
4:57
Jamal Shead misses two point jump shot
4:55
Lamar Washington defensive rebound
4:43
+2
Chance McMillian makes two point jump shot (Pop Isaacs assists)
14-27
4:13
L.J. Cryer misses three point jump shot
4:11
Eemeli Yalaho defensive rebound
4:10
Cedric Lath personal foul
4:00
Eemeli Yalaho turnover (lost ball) (Mylik Wilson steals)
3:49
Emanuel Sharp misses three point jump shot
3:47
Pop Isaacs defensive rebound
3:37
+3
Chance McMillian makes three point jump shot (Lamar Washington assists)
17-27
3:18
L.J. Cryer misses three point jump shot
3:16
Lamar Washington defensive rebound
3:16
Cedric Lath personal foul (Eemeli Yalaho draws the foul)
