Junior guard DeShaun Williams brought the Cougars within 2 points of tying Tulsa by hitting two free throws with 5 minutes, 18 seconds left in the game, but Houston (24-10) went more than 4 minutes without a point. The drought eliminated the Cougars from the Inaugural College Basketball Invitational in the semi-finals as they fell to Tulsa 73-69.
Even with the cold spell, Houston had a chance to tie the game with 11.7 seconds left. Senior guard Robert McKiver had an open 3-pointer from the corner but missed the shot.
"We had an opportunity to tie it (the game) and we got a great look but it just didn’t go down," head coach Tom Penders said. "It was a great game that went back and forth. The intensity level was unbelievable."
The Cougars went 0-5 from the field and 0-2 from the line during Houston’s cold streak. McKiver’s 3-pointer with 1:05 left was the last time the Cougars would score.
"They were just defending us well and we just missed our shots at the end," McKiver said. "The ball didn’t bounce our way on the last couple of plays. We played our hearts out and we have nothing to be ashamed of. The coaches did a great job and we just couldn’t get it done tonight."
Junior guard Kelvin Lewis missed two crucial free throws that would have made it a 1-point game with almost four minutes left to play.
"Kelvin Lewis is a great free-throw shooter and him missing free throws was totally atypical, and if he knocks down those free throws we have the game in hand," Penders said.
McKiver led the Cougars with 30 points on 9-of-27 shooting. He took 18 3-pointers and hit six.
Tulsa sophomore guard Ben Uzoh led the Golden Hurricane with 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds.
Tulsa grabbed 20 offensive rebounds, out-rebounding the Cougars 52-32. Tulsa sophomore center Jerome Jordan went to work on the Cougars, compiling 18 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks.
The Golden Hurricane hit 7-of-18 3-pointers in the first half, so Penders decided to stop doubling Jordan down low and have junior center Marcus Cousin play one-on-one. The strategy worked and Houston limited Tulsa to one 3-pointer in the second half.
"I thought that Marcus Cousin did a great job on (Jordan) one-on-one and it was hard playing physically because they were giving him a close whistle. He’s a fine, young prospect," Penders said.
Houston took a 12-5 lead in the first five minutes to open the game, but Tulsa stormed back with a 15-2 run to take a 20-14 lead. Tulsa went into halftime ahead 41-36.
The Cougars took their first lead since the first half when McKiver knocked down two free throws with 10:38 left to put the score at 57-56.
Senior forwards Dion Dowell, Marcus Malone, Tafari Toney, guards Lanny Smith and McKiver played their last games as Cougars, and McKiver said he gave it his all while at Houston.
"Coach told us that he appreciated everything we’ve done," McKiver said. "I appreciate coach Penders for giving me an opportunity to play here."
