Men’s Hoops Rolls to Wednesday Win Over Texas Southern

HOUSTON (AP) – University of Houston senior guard Marcus Sasser scored 20 points, and freshman forward Jarace Walker added 19 to help the third-ranked Cougars rout Texas Southern, 83-48, inside the Fertitta Center in the finale of the Cougar Classic on Wednesday night.

Sasser, who scored 15 points in the first half, has scored at least 19 points in three of the first four games this season. Walker shot 9 of 11 from the field.

''Where Jarace is now compared to where he is going to be a month from now, two months from now, I think he's going to continue to blossom,'' Houston Head Coach Kelvin Sampson said. ''When I say this I mean it, Jarace has no ego. He doesn't. His ego is winning. Same with Marcus.''

Junior forward J'Wan Roberts had 10 points for Houston, which shot 52%. The Cougars (4-0) forced 18 turnovers, which they converted into 21 points. Houston also held a 50-24 advantage in points in the paint and dished out 19 assists on 31 made field goals.

''Your team is never as good as you think it is,'' Sampson said. ''It's never as bad as you think it is. Are we a great team? Absolutely not. We're not. I know what a great team looks like. I've had some. This one's not there yet. Maybe it will be. Who knows? I don't know. But, they're certainly not now. . We've got a lot question marks that will get answered as we go into December and January.''

Zytarious Morlte scored 15 points, and Davon Barnes and P.J. Henry each added nine points for Texas Southern (1-4). The Tigers shot 37%.

''I thought Zy has been really good each game for us,'' Texas Southern coach Johnny Jones said. ''I thought he really played big tonight. . I know what a great defensive team and how tough (the Cougars) are.

''For Zy to come into this type of environment against a team of this magnitude - possibly, the No. 1 team in the country - to be able to come in and make the plays he did against such a great defensive team, gives us reason to be excited.''

Houston outscored Texas Southern 23-6 over an eight-minute span of the first half to open up a 31-15 lead on a 3-pointer by Walker with five minutes left in the half. Walker had 11 points in the run.

BIG PICTURE
Texas Southern: The Tigers played their third game in four days after defeating Arizona State in overtime on Sunday and losing to Oral Roberts Tuesday night. Texas Southern got 26 points from its bench.

''I told them before the game `You'll be challenged tonight and your response is going to have a big reflection on you because the tape will tell the truth','' Jones said. ''I thought a lot of our guys responded again to the physicality, the toughness of this basketball team, and I think it's an opportunity to have a great learning tape from this.''

Houston: The Cougars continue to lean on their defense to get everything started. Houston has held all four of its opponents under 37% shooting. The first half has been where Houston has taken control of the games, holding each of their four opponents so far to under 31% shooting in the half and 26 or less points.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Most Valuable Player – Marcus Sasser, Houston
Tramon Mark, Houston
Jarace Walker, Houston
Davon Barnes, Texas Southern
Zytarious Morlte, Texas Southern
DeShang Weaver, Oral Roberts
Kareem Thompson, Oral Roberts

MOVING UP THE CHARTS
The win gave Houston coach Kelvin Sampson his 703rd career win and gave him sole possession of 32nd on the NCAA winningest coaches list. Sampson broke a tie with Larry Hunter.

SERIES HISTORY
Despite being a couple blocks away from each other, Wednesday marked just the eighth meeting between the two schools, with Houston owning a 6-2 edge.

BUY 2022-23 TICKETS
Fans may now purchase single-game tickets for the Cougars' regular-season home games inside the Fertitta Center. Supplies are limited, and fans are encouraged to purchase soon before they run out.

To purchase single-game tickets, fans may call the Athletics Ticket Office at 713-GO-COOGS (462-6647) during regular business hours or click here any time.

For the third straight season, the Cougars sold out of their season tickets for home games inside the Fertitta Center.

Fans who were unable to purchase season tickets in 2022-23 are invited to join the team's 2023-24 Wait List as the Cougars prepare to enter the Big 12 Conference. To join the 2023-24 season tickets Wait List, fans can click here.

UP NEXT
• Following Wednesday's game, the Cougars meet Oregon at 8:30 p.m., Sunday, in Eugene, Ore.
• That game will air on ESPN and can be heard on 950 AM KPRC.
• From there, Houston returns home to meet Kent State Nov. 26, inside the Fertitta Center.

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Join Houston Rise, a $150 million fundraising campaign for Houston Athletics dedicated to championship success in the Big 12 Conference.

Every Houston Rise contribution prepares our Cougars to compete and win when we start Big 12 competition in July 2023. Click here to rise and be counted.

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 Jordan Brand team apparel, invitations to exclusive events, regular updates about the program and much more.

For more information or to sign up, fans may visit uhcougars.com/5050club or click here. To join the 50-50 Club, fans may call Cougar Pride at 713-743-GoUH (4687).

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