Did the Cougars' Dominant Paint Presence Overwhelm the Mountaineers at Fertitta Center?
89-55. The Houston Cougars, ranked third, delivered a commanding performance against the unranked West Virginia Mountaineers. The Cougars improved their record to an impressive tally while the Mountaineers faced another setback in their season's journey.
At Fertitta Center, home advantage seemed to play a significant role as the Houston Cougars showcased a dominant game against their opponents. With an overwhelming 89 points scored over West Virginia's 55, it was clear that the Cougars were in control from start to finish. The first half saw them rack up 48 points and they maintained momentum with an additional 41 in the second.
The statistics reveal just how much of a stronghold the Cougars had on this game. Their shooting was particularly effective; they achieved a field goal percentage of 53 and were successful on half of their three-point attempts. Inside scoring was also a highlight for them with 48 points coming from within the paint – demonstrating their ability to penetrate West Virginia's defense effectively.
Defensively, Houston was just as formidable, amassing nine blocks and ten steals throughout the contest which contributed to fourteen points off turnovers – capitalizing on every opportunity presented by West Virginia’s twelve turnovers. Moreover, with forty total rebounds compared to thirty-four by West Virginia and seventeen second-chance points resulting from those efforts, it is evident that rebounding played a critical role in extending possessions and creating additional scoring opportunities for Houston.
West Virginia did have some notable performances despite being outplayed overall. They managed five blocks and three steals but only converted these into three fast break points which paled in comparison to Houston’s four fast break points despite fewer opportunities (steals). Furthermore, while they attempted more free throws than Houston (20 vs 14), this did not translate into enough scoring advantage as both teams had high free throw percentages - Houston at an impressive 86 percent and West Virginia at a respectable 75 percent.
As for individual contributions from both sides – although specific players are not mentioned – it can be inferred that there were standout performances given such decisive team statistics like assists where Houston led with sixteen versus ten by West Virginia indicating efficient ball movement leading to scores.
The upcoming schedule sees the Houston Cougars heading northward for another conference clash against Iowa State Cyclones at James H. Hilton Coliseum in Ames on January 9th at 6:00 PM Central Time Zone. Fans eager not to miss any action can tune into ESPN2 channel number two hundred nine for national coverage of what promises to be another exciting matchup.