Houston Forward J’Wan Roberts (13) and Auburn Forward/Center Johni Broome (4) lose control of the ball during the first half of the Mattress Firm Battleground 2k24, Saturday, Nov 9, 2024, in Houston, Texas. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar
No. 4 Houston lost to No. 11 Auburn Saturday night at the Toyota Center in a heartbreaking 74-69 defeat in the Mattress Firm Battleground 2k24.
Momentum shifted in Houston’s favor late in the first half when redshirt sophomore Terrance Arceneaux hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Cougars a 33-28 lead.
Graduate forward J’Wan Roberts added a layup in the second half that grew Houston’s advantage to nine, the largest lead by any time during the contest.
The Tigers responded with an 8-0 run to trim the Cougars’ lead to just one.
With 6:02 remaining, redshirt junior guard Emanuel Sharp sank a 3-pointer to force an Auburn timeout and give Houston a five-point lead as Auburn rallied and outscored Houston 15-6.
Sharp hit another 3-pointer on the ensuing possession to give the Cougars a one-point advantage, but Auburn senior forward Chad Baker-Mazara answered with a shot on the other end to put the Tigers back on top.
As Houston’s graduate guard, L.J. Cryer and redshirt sophomore Terrence Arceneaux picked up costly fouls, Auburn capitalized at the free-throw line.
After Cryer missed a 3-pointer, he made a second-chance layup to cut the Cougars’ deficit to three, but with eight seconds remaining, it was too little, too late.
“This is why we scheduled this game,” coach Kelvin Sampson said. “Tonight we got exposed in some areas that we have to go back and figure out how to improve. It’s Nov. 9. We have wins, losses and wisdom. Tonight was a learning experience for us.”
In the first half, both teams combined to go 0-for-10 from beyond the arc before Auburn freshman guard Tahaad Pettiford hit two straight 3-pointers to give the Tigers a seven-point lead.
Pettiford finished with 21 points, shooting 5-of-8 from 3-point range. “I thought Pettiford was really good,” Sampson said. “He changed the game.”
Auburn senior forward Johni Broome also made a big impact, scoring 16 points in the second half for a total of 20 points and grabbing nine rebounds.
The Tigers outscored Houston 36-28 in the paint.
On the Houston side, Cryer led the Cougars with 13 points, while Roberts added 12 points and seven rebounds.
Senior forward Ja’Vier Francis, who missed the season opener and exhibition games due to a groin injury, made his debut and contributed four points and one rebound in 9 minutes.
Houston will look to bounce back on Nov. 13 when it hosts Louisiana at the Fertitta Center.
