HOUSTON — L.J. Cryer delivered an impressive performance, netting 28 points, while Milos Uzan contributed another 19 points, helping No. 5 Houston secure a 68-59 victory over No. 8 Iowa State on Saturday.
The duo was particularly effective, shooting a combined 18 of 27 from the field, including an impressive 8 of 12 from beyond the arc. Emanuel Sharp also made his mark, chipping in 11 points for Houston (23-4, 15-1 Big 12), who celebrated their sixth consecutive win.
Milan Momcilovic was a standout for the Cyclones (21-6, 11-5), scoring all 16 of his points during a vigorous second-half comeback. Nate Heise added 12 points to the effort, while Tamin Lipsey contributed 11 points.
At one point, the Cyclones found themselves down by 16 with roughly half the second half remaining. However, they launched an impressive 18-3 run, narrowing the gap to just 48-47 following a Heise 3-pointer with eight minutes to go. The Cougars quickly responded by scoring four consecutive points, extending their lead back to five.
In terms of takeaways, Iowa State faced offensive challenges at times, particularly in the absence of their top two scorers. Nonetheless, they excelled defensively, forcing Houston into a season-high 17 turnovers. Keshon Gilbert was sidelined due to a muscle strain, and Curtis Jones missed the game because of illness.
For Houston, their victory brought them closer to clinching a second consecutive Big 12 regular-season championship, currently holding a 2½ game lead over second-place Arizona with four games remaining. The Cougars hold an impressive record of 30-4 in the Big 12 since joining the league.
A crucial moment of the game came when Iowa State drew within 58-56 following two free throws from Momcilovic with just over four minutes to play. However, Uzan quickly answered with a 3-pointer, and Houston maintained at least a four-point cushion for the rest of the game.
Notably, Houston shot 53% from the field and connected on 10 of 17 attempts from three-point range, while Iowa State managed to shoot 39%, making eight of their 20 tries from beyond the arc.
Looking ahead, Houston will head to face No. 9 Texas Tech on Monday, while Iowa State will travel to take on Oklahoma State on Tuesday.
