Emanuel Sharp scores 21 as No. 4 Houston holds off Texas A&M 70-66 for its 11th win
HOUSTON (AP) Emanuel Sharp scored Houston's last five points and finished with 21 points, L.J. Cryer added 17 and the unbeaten fourth-ranked Cougars held off Texas A&M 70-66 on Saturday.
Cryer has scored in double figures in 10 straight games, and Sharp has reached double figures in nine of 11 games this season.
“When we get into situations like this in the game where I am open and have a chance to take a shot like that, I don’t have any hesitation taking it because I have worked a lot,” Sharp said about scoring his team's final five points. “I have a lot of confidence that I can make those shots.”
Cryer and Sharp combined to score 23 points in the first half on 8-for-17 shooting, including five 3-pointers, as Houston built a 38-23 halftime lead.
“He’s fearless,” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said of Sharp. “These guys have all played in big games. … Having a guy like Emanuel in his second year, a sophomore, this is only going to help him going forward. Our whole team, I think we all can get better from this experience.”
Jamal Shead had 12 points and eight assists, and J’Wan Roberts had 10 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists for Houston (11-0), which shot 43% and made 11 3-pointers.
Wade Taylor IV scored 34 points, including 26 in the second half, to lead an Aggies’ rally. Texas A&M (7-4) shot 38% from the field, including 9 of 27 on 3-pointers.
“When our backs are against the wall, we’re not going to back up,” Texas A&M forward Henry Coleman III said. “We’re going to be right in the middle of the ring, and we’re going to keep punching, punching, punching until there is zero on the clock.”
The Aggies have lost two straight.
“I’m just staying together with my team,” Taylor said. “We just got back to the things that got us here, and I feel like that played a big part today.”
Houston led 53-32 with 15½ minutes remaining before the Aggies rallied to tie it at 63 with 1 ½ minutes left. Ja’Vier Francis put Houston ahead with a dunk. Taylor missed a jumper with a minute left and Houston got the rebound. Sharp connected on a 3-pointer with 29 seconds left to push the lead to five.
Taylor hit another 3 with 21 seconds remaining to cut the lead to 68-66, and Houston had a violation on an inbounds play with 17 seconds left. Taylor missed a 3, but Coleman was fouled on the putback attempt with six seconds remaining. He missed both free throws and Roberts got the rebound. Sharp made two free throws with five seconds left to seal the win.
BIG PICTURE
Texas A&M: The Aggies missed a chance for a marquee win ahead of SEC play, which starts Jan. 6 against LSU. The Aggies owned a 21-9 advantage in second-chance points.
Houston: The Cougars picked up another Quad 1 win, according to the NCAA Net rankings. Houston has four Quad 1 wins. Houston snapped a three-game losing streak to the Aggies in the teams’ first meeting since December 2013.
UP NEXT
Texas A&M: Hosts Houston Christian on Friday.
Houston: Hosts Texas State on Thursday.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20:00 |  | J'wan Roberts vs. Wildens Leveque (Jamal Shead gains possession) | ||
| 19:45 | | Wildens Leveque blocks Emanuel Sharp's two point layup | ||
| 19:43 | | Cougars offensive rebound | ||
| 19:43 | | Cougars turnover (5-second violation) | ||
| 19:20 |  | Jace Carter misses three point jump shot | ||
| 19:18 | | Jamal Shead defensive rebound | ||
| 19:11 | | Emanuel Sharp misses three point jump shot | ||
| 19:09 | | Henry Coleman III defensive rebound | ||
| 18:56 | | +2 | Wade Taylor IV makes two point driving layup | 2-0 |
| 18:29 | | LJ Cryer misses three point jump shot | ||
| 18:27 | | LJ Cryer offensive rebound | ||
| 18:13 | | Emanuel Sharp misses three point jump shot | ||
| 18:11 | | Wildens Leveque defensive rebound | ||
| 17:58 | | +3 | Hayden Hefner makes three point jump shot (Wildens Leveque assists) | 5-0 |
| 17:35 | | Jamal Shead turnover (bad pass) (Wade Taylor IV steals) | ||
| 17:29 | | Jace Carter misses three point jump shot | ||
| 17:27 | | Henry Coleman III offensive rebound | ||
| 17:27 | | Ja'Vier Francis personal foul (Henry Coleman III draws the foul) | ||
| 17:19 | | Wade Taylor IV misses two point layup | ||
| 17:17 | | Andersson Garcia offensive rebound | ||
| 17:16 | | J'wan Roberts blocks Andersson Garcia's two point layup | ||
| 17:15 | | Henry Coleman III offensive rebound | ||
| 17:15 | | Ja'Vier Francis shooting foul (Henry Coleman III draws the foul) | ||
| 17:15 | | +1 | Henry Coleman III makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 6-0 |
| 17:15 | | +1 | Henry Coleman III makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 7-0 |
| 16:55 | | Hayden Hefner blocks Jamal Shead's two point jump shot | ||
| 16:53 | | Henry Coleman III defensive rebound | ||
| 16:49 | | Emanuel Sharp personal foul (Andersson Garcia draws the foul) | ||
| 16:36 | | Andersson Garcia misses three point jump shot | ||
| 16:34 | | LJ Cryer defensive rebound | ||
| 16:29 | | +2 | Jamal Shead makes two point driving layup | 7-2 |
| 16:10 | | Joseph Tugler shooting foul (Andersson Garcia draws the foul) | ||
| 16:10 | | Andersson Garcia misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 16:10 | | +1 | Andersson Garcia makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 8-2 |
| 15:51 | | +2 | LJ Cryer makes two point pullup jump shot (Jamal Shead assists) | 8-4 |
| 15:31 | | Jace Carter turnover (lost ball) | ||
| 15:31 | | TV timeout | ||
| 15:15 | | +3 | LJ Cryer makes three point jump shot (Jamal Shead assists) | 8-7 |
| 14:52 | | Hayden Hefner turnover (traveling) | ||
| 14:25 | | Jamal Shead misses three point jump shot | ||
| 14:23 | | Andersson Garcia defensive rebound | ||
| 14:01 | | Wade Taylor IV turnover (bad pass) | ||
| 13:44 | | LJ Cryer misses two point jump shot | ||
| 13:42 | | Jace Carter defensive rebound | ||
| 13:34 | | Manny Obaseki misses two point layup | ||
| 13:32 | | Solomon Washington offensive rebound | ||
| 13:26 | | Solomon Washington turnover (bad pass) (Jamal Shead steals) | ||
| 13:22 | | Andersson Garcia shooting foul (LJ Cryer draws the foul) | ||
| 13:22 | | +1 | LJ Cryer makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 8-8 |
| 13:22 | | +1 | LJ Cryer makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 8-9 |
| 13:02 | | Jamal Shead personal foul (Andersson Garcia draws the foul) | ||
| 12:54 | | Manny Obaseki misses two point jump shot | ||
| 12:52 | | Solomon Washington offensive rebound | ||
| 12:52 | | +2 | Solomon Washington makes two point tip layup | 10-9 |
| 12:34 | | +3 | Emanuel Sharp makes three point jump shot (Jamal Shead assists) | 10-12 |
| 12:12 | | Wade Taylor IV turnover (bad pass) | ||
| 11:51 | | Wade Taylor IV personal foul (Emanuel Sharp draws the foul) | ||
| 11:51 | | TV timeout | ||
| 11:32 | | +2 | J'wan Roberts makes two point layup (Damian Dunn assists) | 10-14 |
| 11:11 | | Terrance Arceneaux blocks Solomon Washington's three point jump shot | ||
| 11:09 | | J'wan Roberts defensive rebound | ||
| 11:03 | | +2 | Emanuel Sharp makes two point driving layup | 10-16 |
| 10:40 | | Wildens Leveque offensive foul (Emanuel Sharp draws the foul) | ||
| 10:40 | | Wildens Leveque turnover (offensive foul) | ||
| 10:26 | | Emanuel Sharp misses three point jump shot | ||
| 10:24 | | Henry Coleman III defensive rebound | ||
| 10:03 | | J'wan Roberts shooting foul (Hayden Hefner draws the foul) | ||
| 10:03 | | Hayden Hefner misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 10:03 | | +1 | Hayden Hefner makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 11-16 |
| 9:34 | | Jamal Shead misses two point jump shot | ||
| 9:32 | | Manny Obaseki defensive rebound | ||
| 9:28 | | Jump ball. Manny Obaseki vs. Terrance Arceneaux (Aggies gains possession) | ||
| 9:00 | | +2 | Wade Taylor IV makes two point pullup jump shot | 13-16 |
| 8:41 | | LJ Cryer misses two point jump shot | ||
| 8:40 | | Emanuel Sharp offensive rebound | ||
| 8:40 | | Wade Taylor IV personal foul (Emanuel Sharp draws the foul) | ||
| 8:30 | | +2 | Jamal Shead makes two point driving layup (J'wan Roberts assists) | 13-18 |
| 8:26 | | Official timeout | ||
| 8:02 | | Manny Obaseki misses two point jump shot | ||
| 8:00 | | LJ Cryer defensive rebound | ||
| 7:55 | | +2 | J'wan Roberts makes two point driving dunk (Jamal Shead assists) | 13-20 |
| 7:40 | | +3 | Hayden Hefner makes three point jump shot (Manny Obaseki assists) | 16-20 |
| 7:12 | | +2 | Emanuel Sharp makes two point stepback jump shot | 16-22 |
| 6:50 | | Henry Coleman III misses two point layup | ||
| 6:48 | | J'wan Roberts defensive rebound | ||
| 6:44 | | +2 | Joseph Tugler makes two point cutting layup (Jamal Shead assists) | 16-24 |
| 6:40 | | Aggies 30 second timeout | ||
| 6:40 | | TV timeout | ||
| 6:29 | | Wade Taylor IV misses three point jump shot | ||
| 6:27 | | Joseph Tugler defensive rebound | ||
| 6:27 | | Wildens Leveque personal foul (J'wan Roberts draws the foul) | ||
| 6:01 | | +2 | Joseph Tugler makes two point floating jump shot (J'wan Roberts assists) | 16-26 |
| 5:35 | | Joseph Tugler shooting foul (Wade Taylor IV draws the foul) | ||
| 5:35 | | +1 | Wade Taylor IV makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 17-26 |
| 5:35 | | +1 | Wade Taylor IV makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 18-26 |
| 5:07 | | +2 | J'wan Roberts makes two point floating jump shot (Jamal Shead assists) | 18-28 |
| 4:57 | | +2 | Wade Taylor IV makes two point driving layup | 20-28 |
| 4:39 | | Emanuel Sharp misses three point jump shot | ||
| 4:37 | | Henry Coleman III defensive rebound | ||
| 4:17 | | Jamal Shead personal foul (Eli Lawrence draws the foul) | ||
| 4:17 | | +1 | Eli Lawrence makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 21-28 |
| 4:17 | | Eli Lawrence misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 4:17 | | Damian Dunn defensive rebound | ||
| 3:54 | | Henry Coleman III shooting foul (Damian Dunn draws the foul) | ||
| 3:54 | | TV timeout | ||
| 3:54 | | +1 | Damian Dunn makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 21-29 |
| 3:54 | | Damian Dunn misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 3:54 | | Ja'Vier Francis offensive rebound | ||
| 3:51 | | Damian Dunn turnover (bad pass) (Wade Taylor IV steals) | ||
| 3:45 | | Wade Taylor IV misses three point jump shot | ||
| 3:43 | | J'wan Roberts defensive rebound | ||
| 3:20 | | Solomon Washington blocks Emanuel Sharp's two point layup | ||
| 3:18 | | Emanuel Sharp offensive rebound | ||
| 3:17 | | LJ Cryer turnover (lost ball) | ||
| 3:00 | | Hayden Hefner turnover (traveling) | ||
| 2:41 | | +3 | LJ Cryer makes three point jump shot (J'wan Roberts assists) | 21-32 |
| 2:23 | | Ja'Vier Francis blocks Manny Obaseki's two point jump shot | ||
| 2:22 | | J'wan Roberts defensive rebound | ||
| 2:15 | | +3 | LJ Cryer makes three point jump shot (J'wan Roberts assists) | 21-35 |
| 2:12 | | Aggies 30 second timeout | ||
| 1:59 | | Jace Carter turnover (lost ball) | ||
| 1:28 | | Emanuel Sharp turnover (lost ball) (Wade Taylor IV steals) | ||
| 1:21 | | +2 | Henry Coleman III makes two point driving layup (Wade Taylor IV assists) | 23-35 |
| 0:55 | | Ja'Vier Francis misses two point layup | ||
| 0:53 | | Hayden Hefner defensive rebound | ||
| 0:48 | | Jace Carter misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:46 | | Ja'Vier Francis defensive rebound | ||
| 0:42 | | Cougars 30 second timeout | ||
| 0:26 | | +3 | Emanuel Sharp makes three point jump shot (J'wan Roberts assists) | 23-38 |
| 0:05 | | Ja'Vier Francis blocks Manny Obaseki's two point layup | ||
| 0:03 | | Aggies offensive rebound | ||
| 0:01 | | Henry Coleman III misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:00 | | Cougars defensive rebound | ||
| 0:00 | | End of period |