Rockets win; UT and UH in H-town

The Rockets upped their record to 11 and 9 Friday night with a solid 96 to 89 road win over the New Jersey Nets.

Yao Ming (25) and Tracy McGrady (24) combined for 49 points in the game. Yao also added 11 rebounds and five assists while T-Mac dished out six dimes.

The Rockets led the Nets from start to finish -- thanks to draining six of their first eight three point shot attempts.

The Nets didn't give up and trimmed Houston's lead to nine points with six and a half minutes left in the fourth quarter; however, Yao Ming helped push the lead back to 15; and, despite the Nets' turning the final few minutes into a foul fest, the Rockets were never in serious trouble.

Next up for the Rocks: a trip north of the border to play the Toronto Raptors, Sunday, December 9. Tip - off is at 11:30 am CST.


Longhorns and Cougars in H-town Saturday Night

The 4th-ranked Texas Longhorns and the 8 and 1 Houston Cougars are in Houston tonight; however, the teams will not be facing each other. Instead, both teams will be facing inferior opponents.

Texas will play the banged up and undermanned Rice Owls at 7pm in Toyota Center while the Cougars continue their eight game home stand against mid-major (and lower) level teams and host Southern University at Hofheinz Pavilion also at 7pm. (Yes, I know Kentucky comes to the HOF on December 18; but, that's one national power team out of eight!)

Neither game is expected to be close.

I don't blame Rice for scheduling the Longhorns; but, come on people in charge, WAKE UP! Whatever the excuses (and that's what they are -- excuses not reasons), it's ridiculous UH and Texas don't play each other on the basketball court on a regular basis.