Sports

Free throws win game for Coogs

UH improves to 3-2 in C-USA

By Emily Davis
The Daily Cougar

Louis Truscott and his UH teammates didnit mean to put 3,284 Cougar fans at Hofheinz Pavilion into cardiac arrest Wednesday night, but that might have been the end result of a second-consecutive heart-stopping Conference USA victory.

Truscott (12 points, 11 rebounds) converted a one-and-one at the foul line with 4.4 seconds left as the Cougars won their third consecutive C-USA game, 59-57, over South Florida.

"Coach (Ray McCallum) has instilled how free throws will make or break a team," C-USAis double-double leader said. "They will decide a game and were very important tonight."

Just as critical to the Cougarsi victory as free throws was sharpshooter Andre Owens, who had 23 points, seven rebounds and four assists. The sophomore guard went 5-of-10 from three-point range, including a 57-57 game-tying longshot with 32 seconds left.

"I knew I was going to take that shot regardless of anything else," Owens said. "I told (Truscott), ‘If God wants me to get this shot, I will,i and I did." Also tapping into that divine intervention was senior Jarett Sidney, who tapped away South Floridais final possession, sealing the Cougarsi victory.

"This was an important win," McCallum said. "We came up with the big plays, and showed how much weive grown this season."

McCallum said the teamis youth and inexperience were a rough spot earlier in the year, but it was the teamis youngest players who came up with some of the biggest plays against the Bulls.

Freshman Cederick Hensley, who had four points and three rebounds, hit a three-pointer with 12:22 left in the first half to spark a 12-0 UH run that put the Cougars up 21-17. 

Freshman Kevin Barber came up big in the second half when he recovered a wayward South Florida pass and laid the ball in, putting the Cougars up 42-35 with 13:10 left to play.

"Barber just keeps getting better," McCallum said. "He is a confident kid."

The Bulls returned top scorer Will McDonald to the lineup after he missed last weekis game against East Carolina, but could not make heads or tails of their offense.

"We just did not make the shots," USF head coach Seth Greenberg said. "Offense was our only problem tonight, and this loss is just unacceptable."

South Florida matched UHis defense Wednesday night, out-rebounding the Cougars 40-34 and coming up with seven steals. But the Bulls could not convert their foul shots and went just 2-of-11 from the free throw line.

"We just need to learn to close out games," said USF guard Jimmy Baxter, who had 15 points and four rebounds on the night.

As the Cougars look to another conference game against Texas Christian on Saturday, McCallum said Wednesdayis win gives UH the confidence it will need to gain a victory on the road.

"We will use this game as more experience, as a great experience," he said. "Now we will hit the gym, practice hard and move on."

Following Saturdayis match against the Horned Frogs, UH will head south to take on Tulane in New Orleans.

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