CCU

Men's Basketball Comes Up Just Short at Houston, 86-79

       

Men's Basketball Comes Up Just Short at Houston, 86-79

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            HOUSTON, TEXAS -- Junior forward Joseph Harris (Lejeune, N.C./Lejeune) posted his first double-double of the year with season-highs of 16 points and 10 rebounds, but Coastal Carolina's could not hold on to a late lead in losing at Houston, 86-79, Nov. 26. The Chanticleers fell to 3-3 on the year, while the host Cougars advanced to 6-1.             Houston got off to a hot start, opening the game on a 12-1 run over the first 3:35, but CCU fought back, trimming it to just three at 21-18 with 13 minutes remaining in the first half. The Cougars made another run, this time a 16-4 run over 6:16 to take their largest lead of the game at 15, 37-22 with 6:44 remaining in the opening period. The Chants got no closer than 11 the remainder of the way, but that was the margin at the intermission, 48-37.             After several basket exchanges to start the second half made it 53-42, the Chanticleers started their charge, kicking off a 10-2 run with five points each by junior guard Steven Sexton (Ky.) and senior guard Everage Richardson (Brooklyn, N.Y./) to trim it to 55-52. Coastal cut it to one on three occasions before taking its first lead of the game at 64-63 with 11:48 remaining. CCU built as much as a six-point lead at 72-66 and held on to the lead until Dion Dowell's layup put Houston back up 77-76 with just under four minutes to go. CCU kept it within one possession for the next two minutes but couldn't get back ahead before a three-pointer by Robert McKiver and four points for Dion Dowell ended the Chants' hopes.             CCU shot 49.2 percent (31-of-63) from the floor including 50.0 percent (11-of-22) from the three-point arc, while holding the Cougars to just 40.0 percent (26-of-65) from the field and 37.5 percent (12-of-32) from the three-point line. One major difference was the charity stripe, as Houston was the beneficiary of 24 trips to the free throw line, connecting on 22, while CCU was there just eight times, hitting six of them. Houston outrebounded Coastal 41-33 while converting 17 offensive rebounds to 23 points.             The Chants were led by Harris' effort, while Sexton and senior guard Jack Leasure (Rochester, N.Y./McQuaid Jesuit) each tallied 15, while Richardson added 12. Houston had five in double figures, led by Dowell's double-double of 22 points and 16 rebounds, while McKiver had 21, all but three of them from beyond the three-point stripe.             Coastal will take the next 10 days off, getting their next action Fri., Dec. 7 at home, hosting Presbyterian at 7 p.m.