Milos Uzan and LJ Cryer lead Houston to 62-58 road win over Arizona

Support The HRR | HRR business directory

POSTED: February 15, 2025 -- 8:30 p.m. CT

TUSCON, AZ -- McKale Center

In a battle of the top two teams in the Big 12 this season, the Houston Cougars gutted out a 62-58 road win over the Arizona Wildcats Saturday afternoon. Houston improved to 21-4 overall and 13-1 in the Big 12 while Arizona (17-8, 11-3) is now two games behind Houston in the Big 12 with six conference games remaining this season.

With the win, Houston has won 11 consecutive road games. The Coogs' last road (not neutral site) loss happened at Kansas on February 3, 2024.

Houston was led by point guard Milos Uzan and shooting guard LJ Cryer. Uzan scored a season-high 19 points. Cryer scored 15 points. Uzan (13) and Cryer (10) combined for 23 of Houston's 37 second-half points.

"Throughout the game, he was telling me I might have to go get 20 tonight," Uzan said of what Head Coach Kelvin Sampson said to him during the game. "I'm just trying to do whatever it takes, honestly, to win. This team is so selfless they want me to do that."

Neither team shot the ball well in the first half; however, the poor shooting is a credit to both team's defense. Houston made 10 of 28 field goal attempts (35.7 fg%) in the opening 20 minutes while Arizona shot 37.5 fg% (12 for 32) in the first half.

Arizona guard Caleb Love was the leading scorer in the first half with 11 points. Love (5 for 10 from the floor) also had 3 rebounds and 3 assists.

Houston trailed Arizona, 30-25, at halftime.

The Coogs outscored the Wildcats 7-2 to tie the game at 32. Houston sophomore center JoJo Tugler scored 6 of the 7 points with 2 dunks and a jump hook in the paint.

The score was tied at 34 and at 36 and stayed nip and tuck until Arizona scored 6 in a row to lead Houston 48-41 with 9:10 left in the second half.

Houston called timeout. After the timeout, Cryer sank a pull up jump shot. Then, Uzan scored back to back baskets. Meanwhile, Arizona missed 4 consecutive shot attempts. Houston trailed 48-47 before Cryer hit a three-point basket; then, Cryer hit another 3-pointer for a 12-0 Houston run and a 53-48 lead with 5:15 on the clock.

"You can't give their best shooter a wide open three-point shot - at anytime - especially when you have the lead," Tommy Lloyd, Arizona Head Coach said after the game.

Houston's lead expanded to 57-50 after a layup by Houston's J'Wan Roberts and another Cryer jumper. However, Arizona responded with 6 straight points to slice Houston's lead to 57-56 with 1:41 left on the game clock. After a timeout by Arizona, Uzan hit a clutch basket for a 59-56 lead.

Arizona's Carter Bryant scored a put back layup. Next, with the shot clock winding down, Houston's Terrance Arceneaux attacked the basket and was fouled. Arceneaux made both free throws for a 61-58 Houston lead with 34 seconds remaining.

KJ Lewis launched a tough three-point attempt and missed. Roberts grabbed the loose ball and was fouled. Roberts made the first free throw but missed the second. The Wildcats failed to scored in the final 12 seconds as Houston pulled out the hard fought victory.

Houston made 15 of 30 shot attempts in the second half compared to Arizona's 8 for 22 field goal shooting.

"It gets to a point in the game where, sometimes, you have to take the first looks that's there," Cryer said in the postgame press conference. "And, I feel like later in the game, that's what we started doing: taking advantage of the first opportunity."

"We're not always pretty," Coach Sampson said after the game. "Our kids understand what it takes to win."

Next: Houston's next game is scheduled for Tuesday, February 18, at Arizona State. Tip is set for 8 pm CT on ESPN2.

Support The HRR

CLICK HERE for The HRR's write-ups of Coogs' men's hoops games.