Houston Cougars guard Kingston Flemings (4) celebrates after scoring three against the BYU Cougars during the second half of the Big 12 Quarterfinals on Thursday Mar. 12, in Houston, Texas. | Raphael Fernandez/The Cougar
The Houston Cougars sprinted past the Idaho Vandals 78-47 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on March 19 at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City.
This win advances Houston to the next round of the NCAA tournament and continues to showcase why the Cougars are one of the toughest teams to beat in the country.
Idaho started the game with an early lead, 10-7 and looked comfortable against the Cougars’ defense. However, the confidence wouldn’t last, as Houston got settled in and sprinted past the Vandals and turned the game around.
As soon as Houston gained the lead they did not look back and controlled both ends of the floor. The Cougars went on a 41-14 surge to end the half and secured a lead of 48-24 at halftime.
In the second half, Houston continued to pounce on Idaho, as the Cougars consistently scored on offense, rebounded on defense and controlled Idaho in every aspect of the game. Although Idaho tried everything to stop Houston, the Cougars weren’t hesitant and kept the barrage of points coming.
The game ended with Houston on top with a 41-point lead, 78-47, against Idaho. Freshman guard Kingston Flemings went on to have 18 points, four assists and two steals. Senior guard Emanuel Sharp also contributed with 16 points and 6-7 from behind the arc.
On the defensive side, freshman forward Chris Cenac Jr. snagged 18 rebounds and a steal, with seven points to coincide with his performance.
Additionally, the Cougars’ defense only allowed Idaho to make 29 percent of their field goals, while Houston hit 50 percent. While Idaho led by only 9 percent, Houston led for 91 percent of the game and had the largest lead of 33 points.
With this win, the Cougars’ record advances to 29-6 and brings them one step closer to the National Championship game. With multiple runs and shutouts, Houston dominated Idaho with all-year toughness, tempo and explosiveness.
Houston’s next game will be against the Texas A&M Aggies on March 21 at the Paycom Center.
sports@thedailycougar.com
