No. 7 Houston basketball took down Baylor 77-64 in an incredible Senior Night in the final home game of the year.
Houston improved to 25-5 on the season and 13-4 in the Big 12 with one game left. The Cougars ended the home season at Fertitta Center with a 15-1 record. Freshman point guard Kingston Flemings was the leading scorer with 21 points on 50% shooting along with seven assists.
Houston basketball shot 46% overall and got 28 points off 18 Baylor turnovers. Here are two key takeaways.
Takeaway #1: Second Half Run
Houston went on an extended 18-3 run that completely changed the game. The Cougars did not even have the lead the entire game until the seven minute mark of the second half when senior guard Emanuel Sharp drained the clutch 3-pointer for the 59-58 lead. After that, it was all Houston.
The Cougars were getting looks the entire game, but the shots finally starting falling during this stretch. Flemings was. aggressive going to the basket, and Sharp and Uzan made some shots. Sharp hit five 3-pointers on his senior night where he bounced back individually with 19 points.
Chase McCarty did well off the bench for Houston as well. The defense really locked Baylor down during this period and Houston did well in transition. Houston basketball had 16 fast break points.
Takeaway #2: Joseph Tugler
Tugler, the junior forward, had arguably one of the best games of his career against Baylor with 14 points on 6/8 shooting from the field. While he started out cold like the rest of his team, Tugler heated up from the paint and did well in the post. He also only picked up one foul, which is a huge step in the right direction. He played 30 minutes and also grabbed six rebounds.
Tugler was key in the run that Houston made down the stretch.
Up next for Houston basketball: at Oklahoma State, 11 a.m. March 7