Houston Cougars guard Mercy Miller (25) briefly looks back after scoring against the Louisiana Lafayette Ragin Cajuns during the first half of an NCAA men’s college basketball game, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in Houston, Texas. | Oscar Herrera/The Cougar
No. 8 Houston basketball defeated the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Wednesday night at the Fertitta Center.
“One thing we have always been good at here is bringing our team along,” coach Kelvin Sampson said. “We are not trying to be the best team in the country in November. Early in the season, every coach is trying to play as many guys as they can.”
The Cougars did just that with the bench playing a big role in the victory as they totaled 39 points, with Redshirt sophomore guard Terrance Arceneaux and freshman guard Mercy Miller combining for 26.
Arceneaux had a rough start shooting 0-6 from the field with just two points. He flipped a switch late in the second half knocking down two three-pointers and leading all scorers with 14 points.
“I felt great out there today,” Arceneaux said. “I didn’t have any problems with my foot, and it’s a blessing to be out there.”
Miller stole the show midway through the first half as he went on to score seven straight points. He finished the night with 12 points and four steals.
It took a few minutes to begin the game for the Cougars to get their footing. Their shots were not falling early as the team managed only a 14.3% field goal percentage at the first media timeout.
Louisiana’s senior guards Kentrell Garnett and Kyndall Davis combined for seven early points to take a 7-6 advantage over the Cougars.
Back-to-back threes by redshirt junior Emanuel Sharp reignited the energy in the arena as UH reclaimed a 13-10 lead and there was no turning back for the Cougars.
Houston’s starters strung together a 23-5 run to enter the half with a 51-25 advantage.
The first-half trend continued as Houston maintained its strong performance, leading by as many as 49 points.
Junior guard Milos Uzan led the starters with 13 points and five assists. Roberts scored 11 points while shooting a perfect 3-3 from the field and also grabbed six boards.
Senior guard L.J. Cryer had a quiet night with eight points on 3-6 shooting. Senior forward Ja’Vier Francis played 13 minutes compared to nine in his first back from injury on Saturday. He finished the night with nine points and led the team with three blocks.
“Ja’Vier is two to three games away from being back from where he was last year,” Sampson said. “The thing I learned most about last game is we got to have Ja’Vier healthy.”
Sharp also contributed 11 points and made both of his three-point attempts. However, his impact was most noticeable on the defensive end, as he recorded four steals and made multiple hustle plays.
“If you go into a game with just an offensive mindset, you aren’t going to play well,” Sharp said. “Starting the game on the defensive end usually sets you up for the rest of the game because you came out with the right mentality.”
Sampson stated that Auburn’s senior forward Johni Broome was the best player in Saturday’s game. Tonight, the Cougars did not allow that to happen, as they had five players in double-digit scoring and held Louisiana to just 45 points.
“The toughest dude on that floor tonight was Emanuel,” Sampson said.
Sampson’s culture at UH is built on defense. In 2023, the Cougars led all NCAA Division I teams in defensive efficiency, and they seek to mirror that this season.
The Cougars defense created 23 turnovers which led to 27 points. They also held the Rajin’ Cajuns to 33% shooting from the field and 29% from behind the arc.
Houston also controlled the paint as they scored 34 points and grabbed 46 rebounds, with 18 being offensive.
“We had a great practice today,” Sampson said. “I think that had a lot to do with how we played tonight. Our kids came out ready.”
The Cougar’s next game will be at home against Hofstra on Friday, Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. where they look to improve their 2-1 record.
