L.J. Cryer led No. 3 Houston with 22 points as the Cougars secured a 65-59 victory over Kansas on Monday night.
With the win, Houston extends their winning streak to nine games. Houston, which had already clinched its second consecutive outright Big 12 regular-season title, improved to 26-4 overall and 18-1 in conference play.
Cryer scored 18 of his 22 points in the first half, helping Houston take a 30-27 lead at the break. Emanuel Sharp added 12 points off the bench, including two crucial free throws with 20 seconds remaining to push the lead to 63-59.
The Cougars sealed the win by making all four of their free throws in the final moments.
Milos Uzan and Mylik Wilson each contributed 10 points for Houston. Wilson also added six assists and five rebounds. Despite shooting just 35% from the field and 7 of 20 from beyond the arc, the Cougars forced 20 turnovers, converting them into 18 points.
Kansas (19-11, 10-9 Big 12) struggled to find consistency, despite 17 points and 12 rebounds from Hunter Dickinson. KJ Adams Jr. added 15 points, while David Coit scored 14 off the bench. The Jayhawks shot 45% from the field but could not overcome their turnovers in a tightly contested matchup.
Key stats and takeaways
- Kansas: Fell to 3-3 against top-10 teams and 4-3 against AP Top 25 opponents this season.
- Houston: Won for the 22nd time in 23 games, improving to 8-4 in Quad 1 matchups, strengthening its case for a No. 1 NCAA Tournament seed.
- Defining Moment: After Sharp’s late free throws, Kansas guard Dajuan Harris Jr. slipped while receiving an inbound pass, allowing Cryer to steal the ball. He was fouled and sank two free throws to secure the win.
Houston visits Baylor on Saturday to close the regular season, while Kansas hosts No. 24 Arizona on the same day.
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