UH guard Tramon Mark, who hit the game-winning 3-pointer from half-court over Memphis, rises up for a shot over Tigers sophomore Malcolm Dandridge. | Andy Yanez/The Cougar
Houston won its regular-season finale 67-64 in a thriller off freshman guard Tramon Mark’s half-court prayer game-winner and give the Cougars a 21-3 overall record on the year.
Just the possession prior, Tigers guard Lester Quinones missed the tying three off the inbound, but an offensive board by Malcolm Dandridge gave Memphis sophomore Boogie Ellis a wide-open look and he sunk it to tie the game at 64 apiece with 1.7 seconds to go.
Then came the rest of the madness when sophomore guard Marcus Sasser inbounded the ball to Tramon Mark at half court and Mark knocked in the off-balance three for the win to power UH over the finish line.
After the shot, Mark was swarmed by his teammates as they celebrated the absurd finish to the game.
“Don’t ever underestimate your Coogs,” UH head coach Kelvin Sampson told fans after the game.
Prior to the chaos, senior guard Dejon Jarreau, who posted 19 points, four assists and eight rebounds, got an 8-1 run starting, with a crossover 3-pointer that gave UH a one-point lead with six minutes in the second half.
Baskets from junior guard Quentin Grimes and Sasser gave UH a five-point edge until Memphis came back and tied the game.
Grimes also had 17 points and eight boards and Justin Gorham also had a big afternoon with a 10-point, 11-rebound, double-double.
The Cougars led the game in rebounding as well with 40 total and 15 offensive, Memphis only had six offensive boards.
With the win, the UH men’s basketball team secured the No. 2 seed in the AAC Tournament, which starts on Thursday.
