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Sports

‘Fluff' goes off as UH lights up Prairie View

by CHRIS ELLIOTT
THE DAILY COUGAR

With 3:06 left in Wednesday's game against Prairie View A&M, Houston junior point guard Robert "Fluff" McKiver hit the bulls-eye. The record-breaking shot from way downtown swished through the net and seemed to drown out the "We want Kyle Hatcher" chants Cougar fans have grown so fond of in their home team's last two blowout victories.

McKiver's ninth successful three-point shot of the night gave the Cougars (4-1) an 88-50 lead, tied his career-high in scoring at 33, and more importantly assisted Houston in its 101-54 win at Hofheinz Pavilion. And it just so happened to break the school record for the most three-pointers made in a game, which was set by Andre Owens, a current NBA guard. 

McKiver said he's not afraid to step up and take shots, and even though he knew he was knocking them down from three-point land, he wasn't aware he was breaking records.

"I'm from New Haven, Conn.," McKiver said. "I don't really worry about if I shoot and I miss. I've been through worse stuff than that. When I shoot I just tell myself, ‘Fluff, you've worked hard all through the offseason. You just have to go in and go win.' 

"They told me at the end. I didn't know during the game. I found out after my shot went in."

McKiver hit 11 of 23 from the field and nine of 17 from behind the arc in Houston's 47-point win over the Panthers, but Houston head coach Tom Penders said people should not just think of McKiver as a scoring point guard. He had some nice dishes to compliment his record-setting shooting night.

"Not many point guards can do that," Penders said. "I mean, he's that kind of player. He can explode and get the team going, but he also made some great passes tonight. If (senior guard) Oliver (Lafayette) and (junior guard) Robert Lee were hitting a little bit, he would have had some great assists out there as well."

One of McKiver's six assists was finished with style points by senior forward Jahmar "Dunk Master Flex" Thorpe. Thorpe ended the night with six dunks, three by way of alley-oops. The other three were the result of fast-break opportunities off Prairie View turnovers. Thorpe ended the game with a season-high 20 points and hit eight of nine from the field. 

Two minutes and 30 seconds after starting the second half leading with 45-22, Thorpe, who struggled to play within his game at the start of the season, ignited the crowd by posterizing two Panther defenders. He caught the high inbound pass from Lafayette, cocked back and threw it down over the two helpless post men, who got to experience first-hand the return of Dunk Master Flex. 

Thorpe credits his success on the night to the play of his teammates.

"Our guards are very unselfish, and they were finding me on open looks so I was able to finish," Thorpe said. "I don't worry about my shots not falling, (because) my teammates got my back and my coach got my back. When you've got guards that can distribute the ball like they do and draw two men to guard them, all we have to do is knock down open shots. They make our jobs easier."
 

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