HOUSTON — L.J. Cryer made a significant impact in the second half, scoring 18 of his 20 points, while Emanuel Sharp contributed 16 points. The No. 17 ranked Houston team showcased a dominant performance in the latter half to overpower Butler with a score of 79-51 on Saturday evening.
Terrance Arceneaux provided a solid contribution off the bench with 14 points, and Milos Uzan added 13 points for Houston (5-3), which secured its 26th consecutive victory at home.
Butler (7-2), which was on a six-game winning streak, had Patrick McCaffery and Augusto Cassia each scoring 11 points in the loss.
Houston excelled in rebounding, holding a 41-22 advantage, and demonstrated strong shooting with a 53% field goal percentage while going 9 of 18 from beyond the arc. The Cougars shot an impressive 67% in the second half, including 7 of 11 on three-pointers. In total, Cryer, Sharp, Arceneaux, and Uzan combined for 47 points out of Houston’s 51 in the second half.
In contrast, Butler struggled significantly, shooting only 28% from the field and making just 9 of 28 attempts from three-point range.
Critical Observations
For Butler, the team faced challenges on both offense and defense. Entering the game ranked fifth nationally in field-goal percentage defense at 36.1%, they struggled to contain Houston, especially after halftime. Meanwhile, Butler’s shooting percentage fell short of their near 48% average.
On the other hand, Houston rebounded nicely after a disappointing stretch in Las Vegas, particularly in terms of defensive efforts. This season, they are now a perfect 5-0 when limiting opponents to fewer than 70 points.
Defining Moment
Following McCaffery’s three-pointer to start the second half, narrowing Houston’s lead to 28-21, Cryer quickly countered with a three-pointer of his own and Uzan added a layup, ensuring Houston’s lead remained comfortably above nine points for the remainder of the game.
Notable Statistic
Houston posted a significant 28-6 edge in points scored in the paint.
Looking Ahead
Butler will host North Dakota State on Tuesday night, while Houston will face Troy on the same date.
