L.J. Cryer scores 28 to lead No. 5 Houston past No. 8 Iowa State 68-59
AP
Feb 23, 2025
Houston Cougars (AP) L.J. Cryer scored 28 points, Milos Uzan added 19 points and No. 5 Houston held on to beat No. 8 Iowa State Cyclones 68-59 on Saturday.
Cryer and Uzan combined to shoot 18 of 27, including 8 of 12 on 3-pointers. Emanuel Sharp added 11 points for Houston (23-4, 15-1 Big 12), which won its sixth straight.
Milan Momcilovic scored all 16 of his points in the second half to lead a furious rally for the Cyclones (21-6, 11-5). Nate Heise added 12 points, and Tamin Lipsey scored 11.
Trailing by 16 midway through the second half, the Cyclones used an 18-3 run to cut the lead to 48-47 on a 3-pointer by Heise with eight minutes remaining. Houston responded with four straight points to push the lead back to five.
Iowa State: The Cyclones struggled offensively at times without their two leading scorers, but they did well defensively forcing Houston into a season-high 17 turnovers. Keshon Gilbert was out with a muscle strain and Curtis Jones missed the game due to illness.
Houston: The Cougars inched closer to a second straight Big 12 regular-season title, leading second-place Arizona by 2 ½ games with four games left. Houston is 30-4 in the Big 12 in its two seasons in the league.
Iowa State closed within 58-56 on two free throws by Momcilovic with 4 ½ minutes left, but Uzan responded with a 3 and the lead never dipped below four the rest of the way.
Houston shot 53% and went 10 of 17 from distance, while Iowa State shot 39%, including 8 of 20 behind the arc.
Houston travels to No. 9 Texas Tech on Monday. Iowa State travels to Oklahoma State on Tuesday.
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1st Half
IAST
Cyclones
22
HOU
Cougars
34
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Dishon Jackson vs. Emanuel Sharp (Cyclones gains possession)
19:34
Milan Momcilovic misses three point jump shot
19:32
Dishon Jackson offensive rebound
19:30
J'Wan Roberts shooting foul (Dishon Jackson draws the foul)
19:30
+1
Dishon Jackson makes regular free throw 1 of 2
1-0
19:30
+1
Dishon Jackson makes regular free throw 2 of 2
2-0
19:11
+2
Milos Uzan makes two point jump shot
2-2
18:43
Joshua Jefferson misses two point jump shot
18:41
L.J. Cryer defensive rebound
18:18
+2
Joseph Tugler makes two point layup (Emanuel Sharp assists)
2-4
17:52
Milan Momcilovic misses three point jump shot
17:50
Milos Uzan defensive rebound
17:43
Milos Uzan turnover (Tamin Lipsey steals)
16:56
Tamin Lipsey turnover (J'Wan Roberts steals)
16:56
Dishon Jackson personal foul
16:52
+3
L.J. Cryer makes three point jump shot (Emanuel Sharp assists)
2-7
16:32
+3
Demarion Watson makes three point jump shot (Joshua Jefferson assists)
5-7
15:51
J'Wan Roberts misses two point jump shot
15:49
Cougars offensive rebound
15:46
Cougars turnover (shot clock violation)
15:46
TV timeout
15:30
Ja'Vier Francis blocks Joshua Jefferson's two point layup
15:28
L.J. Cryer defensive rebound
15:20
J'Wan Roberts misses two point layup
15:18
Joshua Jefferson defensive rebound
15:04
+2
Brandton Chatfield makes two point layup (Joshua Jefferson assists)
7-7
14:29
+2
L.J. Cryer makes two point jump shot
7-9
14:05
Joshua Jefferson turnover (bad pass) (Emanuel Sharp steals)
13:40
+3
Milos Uzan makes three point jump shot (J'Wan Roberts assists)
7-12
13:20
Brandton Chatfield misses two point layup
13:18
Ja'Vier Francis defensive rebound
13:09
+3
Milos Uzan makes three point jump shot (L.J. Cryer assists)
7-15
13:05
Cyclones 30 second timeout
12:50
+3
Nate Heise makes three point jump shot (Demarion Watson assists)
10-15
12:20
Dishon Jackson personal foul
12:02
Milos Uzan misses three point jump shot
12:00
Milan Momcilovic defensive rebound
11:47
Joseph Tugler personal foul
11:47
TV timeout
11:45
+3
Tamin Lipsey makes three point jump shot (Nate Heise assists)
13-15
11:20
+2
Milos Uzan makes two point jump shot
13-17
11:01
Milan Momcilovic misses two point jump shot
10:59
J'Wan Roberts defensive rebound
10:43
Terrance Arceneaux turnover (Joshua Jefferson steals)
10:33
Milan Momcilovic misses two point layup
10:29
Cyclones offensive rebound
10:24
Milan Momcilovic misses three point jump shot
10:22
Mylik Wilson defensive rebound
10:08
Terrance Arceneaux misses three point jump shot
10:06
Joshua Jefferson defensive rebound
9:51
Tamin Lipsey turnover (L.J. Cryer steals)
9:40
Joshua Jefferson blocks L.J. Cryer's two point jump shot
9:38
L.J. Cryer offensive rebound
9:23
+3
L.J. Cryer makes three point jump shot
13-20
8:56
Cyclones 30 second timeout
8:52
Joshua Jefferson misses two point jump shot
8:50
Joseph Tugler defensive rebound
8:43
+3
L.J. Cryer makes three point jump shot
13-23
8:23
Mylik Wilson personal foul
8:09
Joshua Jefferson turnover (traveling)
7:52
Mylik Wilson misses two point jump shot
7:50
Cade Kelderman defensive rebound
7:31
Terrance Arceneaux blocks Dishon Jackson's two point layup
7:29
Demarion Watson offensive rebound
7:23
Demarion Watson misses two point jump shot
7:21
Terrance Arceneaux defensive rebound
7:14
Joseph Tugler turnover (Joshua Jefferson steals)
7:09
Cade Kelderman turnover (Joseph Tugler steals)
7:02
+2
Terrance Arceneaux makes two point layup
13-25
6:41
Joshua Jefferson misses three point jump shot
6:39
Ja'Vier Francis defensive rebound
6:37
Dishon Jackson personal foul
6:37
TV timeout
6:24
Emanuel Sharp misses three point jump shot
6:22
Joseph Tugler offensive rebound
6:10
Emanuel Sharp turnover (out of bounds)
6:01
Joshua Jefferson turnover (Milos Uzan steals)
5:52
Milos Uzan turnover
5:34
Tamin Lipsey turnover (bad pass)
5:23
Nate Heise shooting foul (Milos Uzan draws the foul)
5:23
+1
Milos Uzan makes regular free throw 1 of 2
13-26
5:23
+1
Milos Uzan makes regular free throw 2 of 2
13-27
5:06
Emanuel Sharp personal foul (Brandton Chatfield draws the foul)
5:06
+1
Brandton Chatfield makes regular free throw 1 of 2
14-27
5:06
+1
Brandton Chatfield makes regular free throw 2 of 2
15-27
4:44
+3
L.J. Cryer makes three point jump shot
15-30
4:26
Demarion Watson turnover (Joseph Tugler steals)
4:03
Emanuel Sharp turnover (lost ball) (Joshua Jefferson steals)
3:56
Milan Momcilovic misses three point jump shot
3:54
Demarion Watson offensive rebound
3:54
Milos Uzan personal foul
3:54
TV timeout
3:49
Nojus Indrusaitis turnover (traveling)
3:32
Joshua Jefferson personal foul
3:11
Cougars turnover (shot clock violation)
3:00
Demarion Watson misses two point jump shot
2:58
Cougars defensive rebound
2:48
Joseph Tugler turnover (Joshua Jefferson steals)
2:37
Joseph Tugler shooting foul (Joshua Jefferson draws the foul)
2:37
+1
Joshua Jefferson makes regular free throw 1 of 2
16-30
2:37
+1
Joshua Jefferson makes regular free throw 2 of 2
17-30
2:28
Milos Uzan turnover (Joshua Jefferson steals)
2:22
+3
Tamin Lipsey makes three point jump shot (Joshua Jefferson assists)
20-30
2:05
L.J. Cryer misses two point jump shot
2:03
Nate Heise defensive rebound
1:33
Milan Momcilovic misses three point jump shot
1:31
Ja'Vier Francis defensive rebound
1:03
+2
L.J. Cryer makes two point jump shot
20-32
0:42
+2
Joshua Jefferson makes two point jump shot
22-32
0:33
Cougars 30 second timeout
0:25
Cougars 30 second timeout
0:09
+2
Milos Uzan makes two point jump shot
22-34
0:01
Tamin Lipsey misses three point jump shot
0:00
Cyclones offensive rebound
0:00
End of period
2nd Half
IAST
Cyclones
37
HOU
Cougars
34
Time
Team
Play
Score
19:46
Joseph Tugler misses two point jump shot
19:44
J'Wan Roberts offensive rebound
19:39
J'Wan Roberts misses two point layup
19:37
Tamin Lipsey defensive rebound
19:25
Jump ball. (Cyclones gains possession)
19:17
Joseph Tugler shooting foul (Nate Heise draws the foul)
19:17
+1
Nate Heise makes regular free throw 1 of 2
23-34
19:17
+1
Nate Heise makes regular free throw 2 of 2
24-34
18:51
J'Wan Roberts misses two point jump shot
18:49
Ja'Vier Francis offensive rebound
18:43
Ja'Vier Francis misses two point layup
18:41
Joshua Jefferson defensive rebound
18:36
Ja'Vier Francis blocks Joshua Jefferson's two point jump shot
18:34
L.J. Cryer defensive rebound
18:21
Emanuel Sharp misses three point jump shot
18:19
J'Wan Roberts offensive rebound
18:14
+2
Ja'Vier Francis makes two point jump shot (J'Wan Roberts assists)
24-36
18:14
Dishon Jackson shooting foul (Ja'Vier Francis draws the foul)
18:14
Ja'Vier Francis misses regular free throw 1 of 1
18:14
Joshua Jefferson defensive rebound
18:02
Milan Momcilovic misses three point jump shot
18:00
L.J. Cryer defensive rebound
17:46
Milan Momcilovic shooting foul (Emanuel Sharp draws the foul)
17:46
+1
Emanuel Sharp makes regular free throw 1 of 2
24-37
17:46
+1
Emanuel Sharp makes regular free throw 2 of 2
24-38
17:35
+2
Brandton Chatfield makes two point dunk (Tamin Lipsey assists)
26-38
17:21
Brandton Chatfield blocks Ja'Vier Francis's two point layup
17:19
Milan Momcilovic defensive rebound
17:07
Tamin Lipsey misses three point jump shot
17:05
Ja'Vier Francis defensive rebound
17:01
Nate Heise personal foul
16:45
+2
J'Wan Roberts makes two point jump shot (Milos Uzan assists)
26-40
16:20
Joshua Jefferson misses two point layup
16:18
Ja'Vier Francis defensive rebound
16:17
Ja'Vier Francis turnover (bad pass)
16:05
+3
Milan Momcilovic makes three point jump shot
29-40
15:44
J'Wan Roberts misses two point jump shot
15:42
Milan Momcilovic defensive rebound
15:35
Milan Momcilovic turnover (traveling)
15:35
TV timeout
15:24
+2
Emanuel Sharp makes two point layup
29-42
14:57
Milan Momcilovic misses three point jump shot
14:55
Emanuel Sharp defensive rebound
14:30
Cade Kelderman personal foul
14:16
+3
Emanuel Sharp makes three point jump shot
29-45
13:53
+3
Tamin Lipsey makes three point jump shot (Milan Momcilovic assists)
32-45
13:32
Emanuel Sharp turnover (traveling)
13:19
Milan Momcilovic turnover (lost ball) (Mylik Wilson steals)
