Jamal Shead scored 20 of his 26 points in the second half to lead Houston over Iowa State

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POSTED: February 19, 2024 -- 11:33 p.m. CT

HOUSTON, TX -- Fertitta Center

In a battle for first place in the Big 12 Conference, the Houston Cougars Men's Basketball Team defeated the Iowa State Cyclones 73-65 Monday night. Houston senior point guard Jamal Shead scored a game-high 26 points to lead Houston to the victory. Shead scored 20 of his 26 points in the second half.

"It's nice to have the best point guard in the nation," Kelvin Sampson, Houston Head Coach, said of Shead after the game.

"Jamal Shead. He is amazing," TJ Otzelberger, Iowa State Head Coach, said after the game. "He's a winner. He's a guy that's worked for it. He's earned it. He's put the time in. It didn't come easy to him when he came it; and, he stayed the course.

"And, to play 37 minutes and 39 seconds and give what he gave on both ends every possession, it's amazing. Nothing short of amazing."

Houston (23-3 overall, 10-3 in Big 12) jumped to a 15-4 lead 9 minutes into the game. Emanuel Sharp scored 9 points during the run.

"We got off to a great start like they did at their place; and, we know they're coming back," Coach Sampson said of Iowa State.

Iowa State (20-6, 9-4) did come back. Iowa State trailed 19-6 with 8:10 left in the first; however, the Cyclones outscored the Coogs 17-9 the rest of the way to trail by just 5 (28-23) at halftime.

As many expected, both teams struggled to make shots against the stingy defenses. Houston made 8 of 27 field goals (29.6 fg%) in the first half while Iowa State made 9 of 27 fgs (33.3 fg%) in the opening 20 minutes.

Iowa State's Keshon Gilbert scored a second-chance layup to start the second-half scoring and bring the Cyclones within 3 (28-25) of Houston.

Seventeen seconds later, Jamal Shead scored a floater in the paint and was fouled. Shead sank the free-throw to extend Houston's lead to 6 (31-25).

Houston had an answer each time Iowa State made a run in the second half.

"You feel like they just hit timely shot after timely shot," Coach Otzelberger said after the game. "Anytime that we had any type of surge or push, they would hit a big shot and answer."

The answer was Jamal Shead. After having just 1 assist in the first half, Shead had 4 assists in the first 4 minutes of the second half.

Houston led 38-32 after a three-point basket by Iowa State's Tre King. Then, Shead assisted on an alley-oop slam dunk to big man Ja'Vier Francis.

Next, Emanuel Sharp hit a corner 3 (assist from veteran forward J'Wan Roberts).

Houston led 43-32 when Gilbert hit another three-pointer. Shead answered with a pull-up three-point basket.

Iowa State responded. Gilbert hit his third three-pointer of the second half; then, teammate Curtis Jones swished a three to cut Houston's lead to 5 (46-41) with 11:45 on the game clock.

After a Houston timeout, Sharp missed a three-pointer; and, Iowa State big man Robert Jones split 2 free throws.

With Houston clinging to a 46-42 lead, Shead hit a stepback three-pointer. Gilbert sank 2 free throws; Shead scored a layup. King hit a 3; Shead hit a pull-up jumper.

At one point in the second half, Shead scored 10 straight points for Houston.

"There's a lot of things we can run; but, sometimes the simplest thing is to keep the ball in your best player's hands and put him in position to turn the corner to make a play," Coach Sampson said of Shead after the game. "That's what we did, we kept the ball in our best player's hands; and, he delivered time and time again."

Houston led Iowa State 55-52 when J'Wan Roberts scored a layup and Shead followed with 2 made free throws. However, Keshon Gilbert knocked down another three-point shot as the Cyclones refused to go away.

Shead sank two free throws then after a missed jumper on Iowa State's possession, Shead passed to a wide open Mylik Wilson in the corner. Wilson, not a prolific three-pointer, swished the corner 3 to extend Houston's lead to 66-55 with 2:54 remaining in the game.

Iowa State sent Houston to the foul line to close out the game; and, Shead and Sharp combined to go 7 for 8 at the line to seal the win.

After struggling to make field goals in the first half, both teams shot well in the second half. Iowa State made 14 of 28 field goals -- including an astounding 7 for 9 (77.8 3pt%) from three. Houston made 13 of 23 (56.5 fg%) including 5 for 11 (45.5 3pt%) from three.

Shead finished the game with 26 points, 6 assists, and 4 rebounds.

Sharp added 20 points and 4 steals.

"I felt comfortable with the ball in my hand because I know everybody's strengths," Shead said after the game. "When I can go and create for everybody and put them in their best spots to be successful, it makes the game a lot easier."

NEXT: Houston's next game is Saturday, February 24, in Waco, against the Baylor Bears. Tip is set for 11 am CT on CBS.

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