HOUSTON — In a strong response following their first conference defeat, L.J. Cryer led the fifth-ranked Houston team to a 72-63 victory over Oklahoma State on Tuesday evening, scoring 18 points. Milos Uzan contributed significantly with 17 points, while J’Wan Roberts recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Terrance Arceneaux also chipped in with 10 points for Houston, who now stand at 18-4 overall and 10-1 in the Big 12 Conference. The Cougars managed a shooting percentage of 42%, including hitting 8 of 21 three-point attempts.

Houston’s previous game ended in a narrow overtime loss to Texas Tech (82-81), but the team has historically rebounded well after losses, boasting a record of 31-2 since February 1, 2017, in such situations. For Oklahoma State, Abou Ousmane was the top scorer with 16 points, followed by Arturo Dean who recorded 13 points, and Bryce Thompson added 11 points. Their record now sits at 11-11 (3-8 in Big 12 play). Oklahoma State managed a shooting efficiency of 51% and went 7 of 19 from beyond the arc.

Oklahoma State started the game strongly, taking an early lead of 18-9 and shooting an impressive 8 of 10 from the floor. However, the team struggled with Houston’s intense defensive pressure and the rebounding battle, which proved costly in the outcome. Missing key players like Emanuel Sharp and Ja’Vier Francis due to injuries affected Houston initially, leading to a slow start. Despite this, the Cougars gathered momentum towards the end of the first half, converting 11 of their last 16 field-goal attempts to take a 39-33 advantage into halftime.

A pivotal moment in the game occurred when Oklahoma State narrowed the gap to 68-63 with just 30 seconds left on the clock. Nevertheless, Houston’s Mylik Wilson and Cryer each sealed the victory by sinking two crucial free throws.

One of the notable statistics from the game was Houston’s dominance on the boards, where they outrebounded Oklahoma State by a staggering 40-24 margin, with an impressive 18-4 edge in offensive rebounds that translated into 16 second-chance points.

Looking ahead, Houston will travel to Colorado for their next game on Saturday, while Oklahoma State will host Arizona State on Sunday.