Guard Pat Birt scored 27 points to lead Tulsa to a 77-63 win over Houston on Sunday at the Reynolds Center in Tulsa, Okla.

Birt scored 10 straight points late in the first half as the Golden Hurricane (15-8, 7-4 American) started to assert itself and opened a double-digit lead. His 3-pointer with less than three minutes in the half gave Tulsa its largest lead of the first half at 32-18.

Guard Damyean Dotson tried to keep Houston close but got little help from anyone else. Dotson accounted for nine of Houston's 23 first-half points. Dotson went four-for-six; the rest of the Cougars (16-7, 6-5) made only five of 17 field-goal attempts.

Birt, who came into Sunday's game averaging 10.3 points per game, scorched the Cougars for 19 first-half points making seven of 10, including three of five from beyond the arc.

Guard James Woodard and forward Rashad Smith had the hot hands for Tulsa early in the second half as the Golden Hurricane took control. Woodard tallied eight points and Smith nine during a stretch that saw Tulsa build a 58-43 advantage.

In addition to being the game's high scorer, Birt grabbed six boards as the Golden Hurricane outrebounded the Cougars, 32-23.

Woodard chipped in 15 points for the Golden Hurricane.

The Cougars, who had won three straight, were led by Dotson's 23 points. Guard Ronnie Johnson and forward Devonta Pollard each scored 13 in the losing effort.