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University of Houston
UCF
No. 21 Houston Routs UCF
3/10/2018 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
 | Game Book | Season Stats |
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) Houston was determined not to repeat its recent losses in the American Athletic Conference Tournament.
The Cougars used a dominant performance against UCF to erase the sting of two consecutive first-round losses.
Galen Robinson scored 18 points, Rob Gray had 17 points, six assists and five rebounds, and No. 21 Houston beat UCF 84-56 on Friday night.
''We went 0-2 in this game the last two years, and we wanted to make sure that didn't happen again,'' Gray said. ''We wanted to come out and hit them in the mouth first, and not let up for 40 minutes. That's what we tried to do, and now we're on to the next round.''
The third-seeded Cougars (25-6) will play 11th-ranked and second-seeded Wichita State (25-6) in Saturday's semifinal round.
Devin Davis had 16 points and seven rebounds for the Cougars, who held a 37-28 edge in rebounds and scored 20 points off the Knights' 11 turnovers. Armoni Brooks and Corey Davis Jr. each scored 10 points.
''We remember what happened last year, and the year before,'' Davis said. ''So it was all about preparation coming in. We had intense practices, making sure everyone was locked in for 40 minutes. It made a difference.''
B.J. Taylor scored 20 points for UCF, and Ceasar DeJesus had 10.
The Cougars led almost the entire game, smothering the Knights defensively and outhustling them at the other end. The Knights (19-13) never got closer than eight points in the second half.
The Cougars had a 37-28 rebounding advantage and held a 20-6 edge in points off turnovers.
Houston's 84 points were the most scored against UCF this season.
''Houston's a very good team, and they have so many guys capable of making shots, and they did,'' UCF coach Johnny Dawkins said. ''You have to tip your hat to what they were able to do. It's a credit to them for keeping their foot on the gas for 40 minutes.''
Davis scored 10 points in the first six minutes and had 14 points on 6-for-6 shooting by halftime as Houston went ahead 40-27. Armoni Brooks had eight points, including a pair of 3-pointers, in the first 20 minutes.
BIG PICTURE
Houston: The Cougars have won nine of their last 10 games. Houston has held a rebounding edge in all but five games this season and should have an advantage on the boards against smaller Wichita State.
UCF: The Knights are hoping for an NIT bid. They already are looking forward to next season, when guard Chance McSpadden and Aubrey Dawkins, son of coach Johnny Dawkins, are expected to return. Both missed this season with injuries. Also returning will be 7-foot-6 center Tacko Fall, who missed half of this season with a shoulder injury.
UP NEXT
• The Cougars meet No. 3 seed and No. 14/11 Wichita State at 2:30 p.m. (CST) in the American Athletic Conference Championship Semifinals inside Amway Center. • The winner of Saturday's semifinal will face the winner of the No. 8 Cincinnati-Memphis semifinal in the title game at 2:30 p.m. (CST) Sunday for the championship with the league's automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament at stake. • The Cougars split with Wichita State during the regular season with each team winning on its home court.
TELEVISION/RADIO
Fans can watch Saturday's game live on CBS with Jim Nantz calling the play-by-play action, Bill Raftery and Grant Hill providing analysis and Tracy Wolfson reporting from the sidelines. Fans also can watch the game on-line by visiting cbs.com/all-access, signing up and following the appropriate links or by clicking here.
Fans can hear Saturday's game live on KPRC 950 AM with Jeremy Branham calling the play-by-play action and Hall of Famer Elvin Hayes providing analysis. The pregame show begins at 2:15 p.m. (CST), Saturday.
Fans also can hear the game online by visiting UHCougars.com/allaccess and following the appropriate links or by clicking here.
JOIN the 50-50 CLUB
Fans are invited to join the 50-50 Club to support Houston Men's Basketball. 50-50 Club members help fund program necessities and enhance the experience for our student-athletes.
Fans who join the 50-50 Club will receive embroidered team apparel, a signed basketball, invitations to practice, a tour of the $25 million Guy V. Lewis Development Facility, regular updates about the program and much more.
To join the 50-50 Club, fans can call 713-743-9742 or email UHMensBasketball@uh.edu. For more information about the 50-50 Club, levels of giving and benefits, fans can click here.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarMBK on Twitter and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook and Instagram pages.
