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Sports 

Cougars ready for 2nd round of NIT challenge

Cougars to face Missouri State after beating Brigham Young 77-67

by CHRIS ELLIOTT
The Daily Cougar 

With a win against No. 2 seeded Tennessee, the Wichita Shockers proved the Missouri Valley Conference's four NCAA bids were worth the fuss. Missouri State, which finished second in the MVC but did not get the invite to the big dance, will host a 21-9, 9-5 C-USA Houston team with a little something of their own to prove tonight at 7:05 p.m. in the Hammons Student Center in Springfield, Mo.

"We want to prove that we should have made it to the NCAA tournament," senior guard Chris Lawson said. "We're going to prove that by making it to New York."

On Wednesday, Houston began its postseason play by hosting Brigham Young in the first round of the National Invitational Tournament. Entertaining a Spring Break crowd of 5,087 fans, the Cougars would defensively dominate the game and claim a 77-67 win.

Junior guards Oliver Lafayette and Lanny Smith would manhandle their Cougar counterparts, combining for an outstanding 13 steals. UH would force 25 turnovers, leading to 24 points. Houston would lead by as much as 21 points in its first postseason victory since the 1988 season.

Lafayette would provide a game high 23 points, while Smith put up a near triple-double with nine points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists.

In their second trial in the quest for an NIT championship, UH will face a 21-8 Missouri State team that is fresh off a 76-67 win over Stanford. The No. 1 seeded Bears also relied heavily on their defense for offense in their first round win, as they forced 21 turnovers, which lead to 21 points against the Cardinals. They were also able to shoot 42 percent from the field.

Senior guard Deke Thompson had a game-high 19 points, shooting 4-7 from the field and grabbed 4 rebounds.

Missouri State will enter the game led by their guard play. Junior shooting guard Blake Ahearn averages 16.8 points and 2.5 assists per game, but he and his fellow swingmen will face difficult match-ups in Lafayette -- Latham and Smith. Both teams prefer to run a three-guard lineup in order to play fast and try to force turnovers.

Missouri State forces an average of 16 turnovers per game, while Houston forces just over 20 per contest; it would appear that for both teams, defense is a top priority.

"Our defense is our key," Lafayette said. "We know defense is the key. If we don't play good defense, we don't win the ball game."

The Cougars defense has gotten them 21 wins for the season so far, but senior forward Ramon Dyer is not satisfied with that. He wants more than a win over BYU or Missouri State can offer.

"We were a little disappointed (on) selection Sunday," Dyer said. "Our goal is to get to New York and prove to the world that we were supposed to be in the tournament."

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