TULSA, Okla. — J’Wan Roberts scored 15 points, Tramon Mark and Emanuel Sharp added 14 each, and No. 3 Houston routed Tulsa 89-50 on Wednesday night in the American Athletic Conference opener for both teams.
The Cougars (13-1) missed five of their first seven shots as Tulsa took an early 8-5 lead, but were deadly thereafter and finished the game shooting 59% (36 of 61).
Mark left the game with 17:51 remaining because of an apparent leg injury and did not return.
Bryant Selebangue led Tulsa (4-8) with 13 points.
Houston used a couple of big runs to pull away to a 43-26 halftime advantage, then opened the second half with a 12-2 burst.
Tulsa had success early using screen-and-rolls to free Selebangue, who was 5-for-5 in the first half for 10 points. But the Hurricane finished 19 of 56 (33%) against the nation’s leading team in field goal percentage defense and scoring defense.
BIG PICTURE
Houston was equally impressive on offense, scoring inside, from mid-range and making seven 3-pointers while getting just about any shot it wanted.
Tulsa, outsized and overmatched athletically, got a first-hand look at the type of team it would like to become in the future under first-year coach Eric Konkol.
UP NEXT
Houston: Hosts UCF on Saturday.
Tulsa: At SMU on Sunday.
