STILLWATER, Okla. — J’Wan Roberts shone for No. 14 Houston, scoring 20 points and securing 11 rebounds, guiding the Cougars to a 60-47 victory over Oklahoma State on Monday night as both teams kicked off their Big 12 Conference schedules.
L.J. Cryer was also instrumental, adding 18 points, while Milos Uzan, a transfer from Oklahoma, contributed 12 points along with six rebounds. The Cougars, sporting a record of 9-3, set the tone for their title defense by restricting the Cowboys to just 18 points in the first half, where they struggled with a shooting percentage of 22.2%, making only 6-of-27 attempts.
Brandon Newman led the scoring for Oklahoma State (8-4) with 12 points coming off the bench, and Robert Jennings added 10 points. The Cowboys had a tough night, hitting only 25.9% of their shots, converting just 14 of 54 attempts from the field.
Houston displayed dominant and aggressive play throughout the matchup, generating 14 turnovers that they converted into 16 points while also blocking five shots from their opponents. The fierce Houston defense proved too much for Oklahoma State, who typically averaged close to 80 points per game but found it challenging to score against the relentless Cougar pressure.
A pivotal moment occurred when Oklahoma State went on a brief 9-0 scoring run, taking a 17-11 lead with just over 10 minutes to go in the first half. However, the Cowboys went ice cold afterward, failing to make any of their next ten field goals and committing eight turnovers before halftime. This allowed Houston to gain momentum, as they responded with a staggering 17-1 run, finishing the half with a 28-18 advantage.
A significant statistic from the game highlighted Oklahoma State’s struggles; their starting lineup shot a combined 4-for-24 from the field. In contrast, the team’s bench players accounted for the majority of the scoring, contributing 28 of Oklahoma State’s total 47 points.
Looking ahead, Houston will host BYU on Saturday, while Oklahoma State will travel to West Virginia on the same day.
