Coogs Edged by Bulldogs in Dogfight
HOUSTON, TX (Hofheinz Pavilion) -- The Houston Cougars played their best defense all season Saturday afternoon versus the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Unfortunately, the Coogs' offense struggled and MSU edged the Coogs 70-64 in a hard fought ball game in front of 3422 fans.
"It was a heck of a defensive battle," said UH head coach Tom Penders. "Our guys left everything they had out there on the floor. I thought they played their best defensive game. On the bright side, that's a giant step for us. I think, defensively, we looked like some of our teams in the past."
Houston (5-3) shot 31.2% (24 for 77, 10 for 31 on three-point shots) from the field for the ball game. Aubrey Coleman made just 10 of his 31 field goal attempts. Coleman scored 28 points and pull down a team-high 12 rebounds for his 16th career double-double. Coleman played all 40 minutes.
The Cougars led for much of the first half because they forced the Bulldogs into 12 turnovers.
Houston did not trail until MSU's Ravern Johnson drained a three-point basket at the 1:55 mark of the first half to give the Bulldogs a 33 to 32 lead.
Coleman closed out the first half with a thunderous slam dunk off a drive to the basket to tie the game at 34.
Neither team shot the ball well from the field. Mississippi State (9-2) shot 38.6% (22 for 57) from the field.
The Bulldogs blitzed the Coogs with a 9-0 run to start the second half; however, Houston's Kelvin Lewis hit back-to-back three-point shots and Coleman followed with a driving layup to pull within one point (43-42) at the 14:22 mark.
Mississippi State stretched the led to seven (49-42); but, Houston responded with a 14 to 3 run to lead 56-52 with 5:34 left in the game. Lewis hit three three-pointers during the run.
The Bulldogs refused to cave and scored seven straight points capped off by a three-point bucket by Dee Bost to give MSU a 59-56 lead with just 2:47 remaining in the game.
With 2:14 remaining, Zamal Nixon tied the game at 59 with a three to begin a see-saw of quick baskets.
With 1:50 on the clock, Barry Stewart banked in a tough driving shot to put MSU ahead 61-59; however, Coleman answered with a tough finish at the 1:40 mark to tie the game at 61. Then, 17 seconds later, Ravern Johnson swished a three-point bucket to give the Bulldogs a three-point lead.
Coleman split two free throws; but, he followed up his own miss and tied the game with a put back with his left hand.
With 34 seconds remaining, Stewart hit a short jumper to give the Bulldogs a 66-64 lead. Coleman was unable to hit his tough fadeaway; and, the Bulldogs' Jarvis Varnado rebounded the miss and was fouled. After struggling from the foul line all game (missed 10 of his first 15 foul shots), Varnardo sank both foul shots to give the Bulldogs a 68-64 lead.
The Cougars did not score in the final 13 seconds.
"We had open looks," said Aubrey Coleman after the game. "We just weren't knocking them down. We had key shots we could have hit but we didn't. But we gave it our all."
"It was a big dogfight," Lewis said after the ball game. "We knew that coming into the game. We prepared all week. We fought to the end. Mississippi State came out on top. They're a great team."
The Cougars return to action this Monday, December 21, versus The Citadel. Tip is set for 7 p.m.
"It was a heck of a defensive battle," said UH head coach Tom Penders. "Our guys left everything they had out there on the floor. I thought they played their best defensive game. On the bright side, that's a giant step for us. I think, defensively, we looked like some of our teams in the past."
Houston (5-3) shot 31.2% (24 for 77, 10 for 31 on three-point shots) from the field for the ball game. Aubrey Coleman made just 10 of his 31 field goal attempts. Coleman scored 28 points and pull down a team-high 12 rebounds for his 16th career double-double. Coleman played all 40 minutes.
The Cougars led for much of the first half because they forced the Bulldogs into 12 turnovers.
Houston did not trail until MSU's Ravern Johnson drained a three-point basket at the 1:55 mark of the first half to give the Bulldogs a 33 to 32 lead.
Coleman closed out the first half with a thunderous slam dunk off a drive to the basket to tie the game at 34.
Neither team shot the ball well from the field. Mississippi State (9-2) shot 38.6% (22 for 57) from the field.
The Bulldogs blitzed the Coogs with a 9-0 run to start the second half; however, Houston's Kelvin Lewis hit back-to-back three-point shots and Coleman followed with a driving layup to pull within one point (43-42) at the 14:22 mark.
Mississippi State stretched the led to seven (49-42); but, Houston responded with a 14 to 3 run to lead 56-52 with 5:34 left in the game. Lewis hit three three-pointers during the run.
The Bulldogs refused to cave and scored seven straight points capped off by a three-point bucket by Dee Bost to give MSU a 59-56 lead with just 2:47 remaining in the game.
With 2:14 remaining, Zamal Nixon tied the game at 59 with a three to begin a see-saw of quick baskets.
With 1:50 on the clock, Barry Stewart banked in a tough driving shot to put MSU ahead 61-59; however, Coleman answered with a tough finish at the 1:40 mark to tie the game at 61. Then, 17 seconds later, Ravern Johnson swished a three-point bucket to give the Bulldogs a three-point lead.
Coleman split two free throws; but, he followed up his own miss and tied the game with a put back with his left hand.
With 34 seconds remaining, Stewart hit a short jumper to give the Bulldogs a 66-64 lead. Coleman was unable to hit his tough fadeaway; and, the Bulldogs' Jarvis Varnado rebounded the miss and was fouled. After struggling from the foul line all game (missed 10 of his first 15 foul shots), Varnardo sank both foul shots to give the Bulldogs a 68-64 lead.
The Cougars did not score in the final 13 seconds.
"We had open looks," said Aubrey Coleman after the game. "We just weren't knocking them down. We had key shots we could have hit but we didn't. But we gave it our all."
"It was a big dogfight," Lewis said after the ball game. "We knew that coming into the game. We prepared all week. We fought to the end. Mississippi State came out on top. They're a great team."
The Cougars return to action this Monday, December 21, versus The Citadel. Tip is set for 7 p.m.
posted by Kris G @ 4:34 PM
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