No. 15 Houston cruises past Toledo

Field Level Media|published: Wed 18th December, 22:32 2024

Dec 18, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Cougars guard Mylik Wilson (8) grabs a rebound from Toledo Rockets guard Sam Lewis (11) in the first half at Fertitta Center. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Terrance Arceneaux scored a career-high 16 points while Emanuel Sharp and Joseph Tugler combined for 26 points as the 15th-ranked Houston Cougars rolled to a 78-49 victory over the visiting Toledo Rockets on Wednesday.

The Cougars (7-3) extended their home court winning streak to 28 consecutive games, tied with Connecticut for the longest active streak in the nation. Houston parlayed another dominant defensive performance into its third consecutive victory in its penultimate nonconference game.

Arceneaux corralled a game-high nine rebounds. Sharp overcame an ankle injury that sent him to the locker room in the opening minute to pair 13 points with five rebounds, while Tugler added 13 points and three blocks.

The Cougars produced a 50-29 rebounding advantage and turned 16 offensive boards into 24 second-chance points.

Milos Uzan and Mylik Wilson (10 points each) also scored in double figures for the Cougars, who cruised to victory despite a modest performance from senior guard and leading scorer L.J. Cryer, who finished 1 for 8 from the floor, with his lone basket with 14:06 left to play.

Toledo (6-5) has dropped four of five games following a five-game winning streak. Sam Lewis led the Rockets with 14 points while Javan Simmons, the only player with multiple field goals in the first half for Toledo, added nine.

Sharp provided Houston with its first double-digit lead at 15-5 with two free throws at the 11:19 mark of the first half. The Rockets were mired in a 0-for-10 slump that enabled the Cougars to stretch their lead to 22-5 before Seth Hubbard nailed a 3-pointer with 9:00 left in the first half.

But the Cougars kept pouring it on, extending to a 28-8 lead when J'Wan Roberts converted a steal into a transition layup.

Simmons completed consecutive three-point plays inside the final seven minutes of the half to cut the deficit to 30-14, but Houston led by 17 at the break after limiting the Rockets to 7-for-26 shooting in the half while grabbing 10 offensive boards.

When Mercy Miller and Tugler recorded second-chance baskets in succession, Houston led 60-33 with 11:34 to play.

--Field Level Media