J’Wan Roberts powers No. 5 Houston past Cincinnati 67-62
CINCINNATI (AP) J’Wan Roberts scored a game-high 20 points, including a game-sealing dunk with six seconds left, as No. 5 Houston outlasted Cincinnati 67-62 on Saturday.
Jamal Shead added 16 on 6-of-25 shooting for the Cougars (21-3, 8-3 Big 12), who won their 10th straight game against their longtime foe.
Both Houston and Cincinnati are in their first season in the Big 12 Conference after leaving the American Athletic Conference in July.
“I coached against Bob (former Cincinnati coach Bob Huggins) a lot,” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said. “One of the best teams I’ve coached against was Kenyon (Martin's) team. ... I felt like we were boys against men that night. ... Any time you play Cincinnati, it’s always going to be a tough, physical game. But we don’t mind that.”
Dan Skillings Jr. led the way with 13 points and John Newman III added 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Bearcats (15-8, 4-6), who haven’t defeated Houston since February 2020.
Houston scored the game’s first six points and led by as many as 13 before Cincinnati found any rhythm offensively.
Skillings knocked down a 3-pointer to bring the Bearcats to within 23-13 with 8:13 to play in the first half. The deep jumper sparked a 15-4 run by the Bearcats, and Cincinnati seized its first lead at 28-27 on a putback by Skillings with 1:49 left before halftime.
The Bearcats led 32-29 at the break.
“We’re certainly disappointed in the result,” Cincinnati coach Wes Miller said. “I thought we had a real opportunity there against a top-five team in the country. ... We squandered an opportunity, but we’ve got to learn from this one and we’ve got to bounce back quickly.”
Houston went back to its bread and butter in the second half - physicality and suffocating defense. Roberts slammed home two points to put the Cougars back up 40-38 with 14:04 to play.
Houston jumped out to an 11-1 advantage in rebounds and ended with a 41-34 edge, including a 17-9 lead on the offensive glass.
CJ Fredrick checked in for Cincinnati with 11:29 to play in the first half. It was the Kentucky and Iowa graduate transfer’s first game since suffering a hamstring injury Dec. 22. Fredrick had zero points in two minutes.
BIG PICTURE
Houston: The Cougars again proved to be one of the truly elite defensive teams in the country. They rode that defense in the second half and avoided suffering their second loss in three games. But Houston’s relative struggles on the road this season continued. The Cougars improved to just 4-3 on the road while posting a 17-0 record everywhere else.
Cincinnati: The Bearcats have shown a great deal of toughness in their first season in the Big 12, losing six conference games by single digits. But those close losses are more than starting to pile up, as Cincinnati looks to find a path to its first NCAA Tournament berth since 2019.
UP NEXT
Houston: Hosts Texas on Feb. 17. The Cougars defeated the Longhorns 76-72 in overtime on Jan. 29.
Cincinnati: Hosts No. 14 Iowa State on Tuesday.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | (Cougars gains possession) | |||
19:46 | Simas Lukosius shooting foul (Emanuel Sharp draws the foul) | |||
19:46 | +1 | Emanuel Sharp makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 1-0 | |
19:46 | +1 | Emanuel Sharp makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 2-0 | |
19:33 | Viktor Lakhin misses three point jump shot | |||
19:31 | Emanuel Sharp defensive rebound | |||
19:22 | Jamal Shead misses two point pullup jump shot | |||
19:20 | Ja'Vier Francis offensive rebound | |||
19:18 | +2 | Ja'Vier Francis makes two point layup | 4-0 | |
18:57 | Ja'Vier Francis blocks Viktor Lakhin's two point hook shot | |||
18:55 | Emanuel Sharp defensive rebound | |||
18:41 | Emanuel Sharp misses three point jump shot | |||
18:39 | Ja'Vier Francis offensive rebound | |||
18:22 | LJ Cryer misses three point jump shot | |||
18:20 | Emanuel Sharp offensive rebound | |||
18:05 | John Newman III shooting foul (LJ Cryer draws the foul) | |||
18:05 | +1 | LJ Cryer makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 5-0 | |
18:05 | +1 | LJ Cryer makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 6-0 | |
17:48 | Jamal Shead personal foul | |||
17:40 | +2 | Aziz Bandaogo makes two point dunk (John Newman III assists) | 6-2 | |
17:10 | +3 | Emanuel Sharp makes three point pullup jump shot | 9-2 | |
16:55 | Viktor Lakhin misses three point jump shot | |||
16:53 | LJ Cryer defensive rebound | |||
16:45 | LJ Cryer misses three point jump shot | |||
16:43 | J'wan Roberts offensive rebound | |||
16:35 | +2 | J'wan Roberts makes two point dunk (Jamal Shead assists) | 11-2 | |
16:33 | Bearcats 30 second timeout | |||
16:22 | Emanuel Sharp personal foul | |||
16:07 | +2 | Day Day Thomas makes two point pullup jump shot | 11-4 | |
15:41 | Jamal Shead misses two point jump shot | |||
15:39 | Ja'Vier Francis offensive rebound | |||
15:30 | LJ Cryer misses three point jump shot | |||
15:28 | Jamille Reynolds defensive rebound | |||
15:17 | Jamille Reynolds turnover (bad pass) (Jamal Shead steals) | |||
15:09 | Day Day Thomas shooting foul | |||
15:09 | TV timeout | |||
15:09 | Wes Miller technical foul | |||
15:09 | +1 | LJ Cryer makes technical free throw 1 of 2 | 12-4 | |
15:09 | +1 | LJ Cryer makes technical free throw 2 of 2 | 13-4 | |
14:55 | +2 | Jamal Shead makes two point pullup jump shot | 15-4 | |
14:26 | John Newman III misses two point driving layup | |||
14:24 | J'wan Roberts defensive rebound | |||
14:04 | +2 | LJ Cryer makes two point pullup jump shot (Joseph Tugler assists) | 17-4 | |
13:43 | Viktor Lakhin misses three point jump shot | |||
13:41 | Jamal Shead defensive rebound | |||
13:35 | LJ Cryer turnover (lost ball) | |||
13:17 | +2 | Jizzle James makes two point stepback jump shot | 17-6 | |
12:59 | +2 | J'wan Roberts makes two point layup | 19-6 | |
12:41 | +3 | Dan Skillings Jr. makes three point jump shot (Jamille Reynolds assists) | 19-9 | |
12:11 | J'wan Roberts turnover (lost ball) | |||
12:03 | Mylik Wilson shooting foul (Jizzle James draws the foul) | |||
12:03 | Jizzle James misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
12:03 | +1 | Jizzle James makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 19-10 | |
11:43 | J'wan Roberts misses two point driving layup | |||
11:42 | Cougars offensive rebound | |||
11:42 | TV timeout | |||
11:35 | Jamal Shead misses three point stepback jump shot | |||
11:33 | Bearcats defensive rebound | |||
11:12 | Aziz Bandaogo misses two point hook shot | |||
11:10 | Ramon Walker Jr. defensive rebound | |||
10:53 | Aziz Bandaogo blocks Jamal Shead's two point driving layup | |||
10:51 | Jizzle James defensive rebound | |||
10:48 | LJ Cryer personal foul (Jizzle James draws the foul) | |||
10:36 | Simas Lukosius misses three point jump shot | |||
10:34 | Ja'Vier Francis defensive rebound | |||
10:09 | Jamal Shead misses two point jump shot | |||
10:07 | Damian Dunn offensive rebound | |||
10:04 | Aziz Bandaogo shooting foul (Ja'Vier Francis draws the foul) | |||
10:04 | Ja'Vier Francis misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
10:04 | +1 | Ja'Vier Francis makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 20-10 | |
9:46 | Joseph Tugler blocks Jizzle James's two point layup | |||
9:44 | Jamal Shead defensive rebound | |||
9:39 | LJ Cryer misses three point jump shot | |||
9:37 | Simas Lukosius defensive rebound | |||
9:27 | Aziz Bandaogo turnover (traveling) | |||
9:15 | Jamal Shead misses three point jump shot | |||
9:13 | Jamille Reynolds defensive rebound | |||
9:13 | Joseph Tugler personal foul | |||
8:54 | Joseph Tugler shooting foul (Jamille Reynolds draws the foul) | |||
8:54 | Jamille Reynolds misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
8:54 | Jamille Reynolds misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
8:54 | Jamal Shead defensive rebound | |||
8:24 | +3 | Jamal Shead makes three point jump shot (LJ Cryer assists) | 23-10 | |
8:12 | +3 | Dan Skillings Jr. makes three point jump shot (Viktor Lakhin assists) | 23-13 | |
7:46 | +2 | J'wan Roberts makes two point jump shot | 25-13 | |
7:20 | Dan Skillings Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Emanuel Sharp steals) | |||
7:20 | Viktor Lakhin personal foul (Emanuel Sharp draws the foul) | |||
7:20 | TV timeout | |||
7:07 | Emanuel Sharp misses two point jump shot | |||
7:05 | Viktor Lakhin defensive rebound | |||
6:50 | LJ Cryer personal foul (Jamille Reynolds draws the foul) | |||
6:50 | +1 | Jamille Reynolds makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 25-14 | |
6:50 | +1 | Jamille Reynolds makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 25-15 | |
6:24 | Jamal Shead misses two point driving layup | |||
6:22 | Simas Lukosius defensive rebound | |||
6:17 | Dan Skillings Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
6:15 | Jamille Reynolds offensive rebound | |||
6:12 | +2 | Jamille Reynolds makes two point putback dunk | 25-17 | |
5:46 | Damian Dunn misses two point pullup jump shot | |||
5:44 | Viktor Lakhin defensive rebound | |||
5:31 | Day Day Thomas misses two point jump shot | |||
5:29 | Jamille Reynolds offensive rebound | |||
5:26 | Dan Skillings Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
5:19 | Cougars defensive rebound | |||
5:12 | Jamal Shead misses two point jump shot | |||
5:10 | Jamal Shead offensive rebound | |||
5:10 | Jamille Reynolds personal foul (Jamal Shead draws the foul) | |||
5:10 | +1 | Jamal Shead makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 26-17 | |
5:10 | +1 | Jamal Shead makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 27-17 | |
4:55 | +3 | John Newman III makes three point jump shot (Simas Lukosius assists) | 27-20 | |
4:28 | Jamal Shead misses two point turnaround fadeaway jump shot | |||
4:26 | John Newman III defensive rebound | |||
4:21 | Emanuel Sharp shooting foul (Dan Skillings Jr. draws the foul) | |||
4:21 | Dan Skillings Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
4:21 | +1 | Dan Skillings Jr. makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 27-21 | |
4:05 | Ja'Vier Francis misses two point hook shot | |||
4:03 | John Newman III defensive rebound | |||
3:50 | Jamille Reynolds misses two point jump shot | |||
3:48 | John Newman III offensive rebound | |||
3:42 | +3 | Simas Lukosius makes three point jump shot (John Newman III assists) | 27-24 | |
3:15 | Damian Dunn misses two point jump shot | |||
3:13 | Simas Lukosius defensive rebound | |||
3:09 | Simas Lukosius misses three point jump shot | |||
3:07 | Ja'Vier Francis defensive rebound | |||
3:03 | Cougars 30 second timeout | |||
3:03 | TV timeout | |||
2:42 | J'wan Roberts misses two point turnaround jump shot | |||
2:40 | Jizzle James defensive rebound | |||
2:21 | Ja'Vier Francis shooting foul (Aziz Bandaogo draws the foul) | |||
2:21 | +1 | Aziz Bandaogo makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 27-25 | |
2:21 | +1 | Aziz Bandaogo makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 27-26 | |
1:57 | Damian Dunn turnover (bad pass) | |||
1:52 | Jizzle James misses two point layup | |||
1:50 | Dan Skillings Jr. offensive rebound | |||
1:49 | +2 | Dan Skillings Jr. makes two point layup | 27-28 | |
1:22 | Damian Dunn misses three point pullup jump shot | |||
1:20 | Aziz Bandaogo defensive rebound | |||
1:01 | +2 | Jizzle James makes two point driving layup | 27-30 | |
0:44 | Jamal Shead misses three point jump shot | |||
0:42 | Damian Dunn offensive rebound | |||
0:32 | Damian Dunn misses two point jump shot | |||
0:30 | Bearcats defensive rebound | |||
0:30 | Ja'Vier Francis personal foul (Aziz Bandaogo draws the foul) | |||
0:30 | +1 | Aziz Bandaogo makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 27-31 | |
0:30 | +1 | Aziz Bandaogo makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 27-32 | |
0:08 | Jamal Shead misses two point jump shot | |||
0:06 | J'wan Roberts offensive rebound | |||
0:02 | +2 | J'wan Roberts makes two point layup | 29-32 | |
0:00 | End of period |