Quentin Grimes scored 22 points Wednesday night, including seven in a game-changing 16-0 run, as No. 11 Houston overcame a 10-point second-half deficit to stop visiting Wichita State 70-63 in their American Athletic Conference matchup.
Three other players reached double figures for the Cougars (9-1, 4-1 AAC). Justin Gorham contributed 14 points and 10 rebounds for his second straight double-double, while DeJon Jarreau stuffed the stat sheet with 13 points, 10 boards and five assists. Marcus Sasser added 12 points.
Tyson Etienne paced the Shockers (6-3, 2-1) with a game-high 25 points, but he made just 7 of 20 shots. Dexter Dennis scored 18 before fouling out, but the duo didn't get enough help. Wichita State finished the night at just 33.9 percent from the field, including 8 of 26 on 3-pointers.
Still, the Shockers led 35-25 when Dennis canned two foul shots with 18:44 remaining in the game. Then Gorham started the big spurt with a 3-pointer and a jumper, followed by a trey and a putback from Grimes.
Jarreau converted a short jumper and hit a layup off a turnover, and Grimes' two foul shots capped the run with 12:55 left. Wichita State went scoreless for more than seven minutes.
After Wichita State started the game with a 3-pointer and a layup to lead 5-0, Houston responded with a 14-2 run, establishing a seven-point lead at the 13:37 mark on a 3-pointer by Gorham.
Then the Shockers clamped down and didn't allow a point for more than four minutes, taking a 15-14 edge when Etienne canned two free throws with 10:04 left in the half. The teams spent most of the half's remainder swapping defensive stops.
With the score tied at 20 after Grimes sank a pullup jumper with 4:31 remaining, Wichita State made the half's final run.
Isaiah Poor Bear-Chandler capped it by grabbing an Etienne miss and converting it for a stickback as time expired, enabling the Shockers to take a 31-25 lead to intermission.
--Field Level Media
Wichita St. | Houston | |
Tyson Etienne 25 | Scoring | Quentin Grimes 22 |
Alterique Gilbert 4 | Assists | Dejon Jarreau 5 |
Tyson Etienne 8 | Rebounds | Justin Gorham 10 |
Tyson Etienne 7 | Free Throws Made | Quentin Grimes 6 |
Alterique Gilbert 2 | Steals | Quentin Grimes 1 |
Isaiah Poor Bear-Chandler 1 | Blocks | Reggie Chaney 1 |
Team | Points | FG% | 3PM-3PA | FTM-FTA | Assists | Rebounds | Blocks | Steals | Turnovers |
Wichita St. | 63 | 33.9 | 8-26 | 15-22 | 6 | 37 | 2 | 6 | 11 |
Houston | 70 | 38.3 | 7-22 | 17-24 | 9 | 43 | 4 | 3 | 10 |