Houston Cougars Secure Victory at Moody Coliseum Against SMU Mustangs
The Houston Cougars, with a rank of 2, faced off against the unranked SMU Mustangs at Moody Coliseum in a conference game that showcased both teams' competitive spirit. The Cougars emerged victorious with an 80-65 scoreline, improving their record to an impressive tally. The Mustangs fought valiantly but fell short, reflecting on their performance through the game's statistics.
The Houston Cougars demonstrated remarkable efficiency from two-point range, converting 68 percent of their attempts. Their overall field goal percentage stood at 49 percent as they made 27 successful shots out of 55 attempts. From beyond the arc, the team managed to sink 10 three-pointers at a rate of 33 percent. Free throws were another story for the Cougars; they hit just over half of them with a success rate of approximately 62 percent.
On defense and in transition, the Houston team was active and alert. They tallied seven steals and blocked three shots while also contributing nine fast break points to keep pressure on the Mustangs throughout the game. The rebounding effort was strong for Houston as well; they grabbed a total of 38 rebounds—27 defensive and nine offensive—providing additional scoring opportunities which led to eight second-chance points.
The SMU Mustangs put up a resilient fight despite being outmatched by their higher-ranked opponents. They finished with an overall field goal percentage of around 44 percent and matched Houston's three-point shooting percentage at about 33 percent. In terms of free throws, they were slightly less successful than their counterparts making approximately 58 percent from the line.
SMU's presence in paint was notable as they scored half their points there but struggled with turnovers which limited their chances to build momentum; they ended up turning over possession eleven times compared to ten by Houston.
Looking ahead for fans of the Houston Cougars: The next challenge will be against Memphis Tigers at Fertitta Center located in Houston itself on February 19th scheduled for broadcast on ESPN channel number two hundred six starting at eight o'clock PM Central Time.