Legendary UH players Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler and Elvin Hayes were honored after being selected as a Top 75 All-Time March Madness Players. Each is also a member of the NBA’s list of the top 50 players of all time. | Isabella Serimontrikul/The Daily Cougar
Dealing with emotions bigger than basketball, forward Leon Gibson — UH’s lone senior — had one of his best games at the University yet.
Gibson recorded a double-double, scoring 18 points and 12 rebounds and pacing the Cougars to a 84-62 victory against the Owls on the same night legends Hakeem Olajuwon, Elvin Hayes and Clyde Drexler were honored at halftime on top of his own senior night.
Gibson recognized that the moment was more important than a normal game.
“Those are top 50 players in the world,” Gibson said. “It was pretty emotional, I knew that (Olajuwon, Hayes and Drexler) would be watching, especially with it being my senior night.”
The Cougars had other motivations to defeat Rice, which UH took to heart. The Owls erased a 15-point second half lead for a 10-point victory the last time the two teams played.
“We let it go at their home, and we were ready to go after that. I said wait until my senior night. We have to go out with a bang and get the W,” Gibson said.
The Owls made this game interesting for a short while, too.
UH built an 18-point second-half lead that Rice cut to single digits with five minutes remaining. Then, the Cougars started moving the ball well and getting to the free throw line, which allowed them to put the game away by opening a 17-3 run to finish the contest. Sophomore guard Joseph Young led the Cougars in scoring with 20 points while sophomore forward TaShawn Thomas was third on the team with 16.
The Cougars took control of the game in the first half.
Before Hayes, Drexler and Olajuwon were given plaques for being named two of the 75 greatest members of March Madness, the Cougars went to break with a 13-point lead.
It was their defense that put them in a successful position. The Cougars held the Owls to 38-percent shooting in the first half and 42 percent for the game. Head coach James Dickey said the team’s defense led to a win.
“We turned them over 13 times; at Rice they only had four,” Dickey said. “I thought our defense was good.”
For Gibson, the game finished like it started. Before the game, he was honored with a big photo of himself and an ovation from the crowd. With 1:21 remaining in the contest, Dickey inserted Gibson into the lineup. He received standing ovation from the crowd.
After two dunks and three rebounds, his teammates mobbed him as he exited the Hofheinz Pavilion for the final time after a game.
“It’s been an awesome two years. Guys just wanted me to go out and do my best,” Gibson said.
