No. 3 Houston improves to 13-0 with 81-42 win over Penn
HOUSTON (AP) — L.J. Cryer scored 16 points, Jamal Shead added 14 points and No. 3 Houston stayed unbeaten with an 81-42 win over Penn on Saturday night.
Cryer scored 12 points in the first half as Houston (13-0) jumped to an 18-0 lead and led 39-17 at the half. Cryer scored his 1,000th career collegiate point between Baylor and Houston on a 3-pointer with 14:15 left in the first half.
Joseph Tugler had 13 points and seven rebounds, Emanuel Sharp scored 12 and Damian Dunn had 11 for Houston, which shot 48%. The Cougars forced 22 turnovers, which they converted into 25 points. Houston also held a 42-28 rebounding advantage.
Tyler Perkins had 10 points and Nick Spinoso added eight points for Penn (8-6).
Houston is one of three remaining undefeated teams along with No. 20 James Madison and No. 24 Mississippi.
Houston has won 13 straight home games and improved to 13-0 for the third time in school history, joining the 2018-19 and 1967-68 Cougar teams.
The Quakers shot 31% and were 7 of 26 on 3-pointers.
BIG PICTURE
Penn: The Quakers fell to 1-2 against ranked teams this season. They fell to 0-8 all-time against No. 3 ranked teams. … Clark Slajchert, who leads Penn in scoring with 18.8 points per game, did not score before hobbling to the bench early in the first half and not returning.
Houston: The Cougars were without starting forward J’Wan Roberts, who has been dealing with a knee injury. Tugler started in his place. … Houston continued to get it done on the defensive end but also continued to get it done in the paint, outscoring Penn 44-14 in the paint.
UP NEXT
Penn: At Auburn on Tuesday.
Houston: Hosts West Virginia on Jan. 6 to open Big 12 conference play.
___
AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball