With just a few games left in conference play, the AAC basketball regular season title hung in the balance of the outcome of Sunday’s game. Houston led SMU by a game going into their meeting in Houston. SMU’s win in their previous matchup gave them the tiebreaker, making this game crucial for both teams.
In a complete turn from the result of their past meeting, Houston controlled the entire game, winning 75-61. The Cougars never trailed today and relied on their big men down low. With a two-game lead and just three games left to play, Houston has all but wrapped up the AAC basketball regular season title.
Houston Dominates Down Low in 75-61 Win Over SMU
Poor Shooting All Around in SMU vs Houston
Scoring was not hard to come by in the last meeting between SMU and Houston, with both teams shooting over 46% from the field and 42% from deep. This game was much different, as neither team was able to shoot 20% from deep. SMU also shot under 40% from the field which is why they struggled to even reach 60 points.
Houston’s defense has always been their strength. However, that idea was reinforced on Sunday. Against one of the hottest teams in AAC basketball, the Cougars were able to buckle down and get the job done. They harassed the Mustangs for a full 40 minutes and will need to do the same to be able to go anywhere in the NCAA tournament.
Cougars Crashing the Glass
Rebounding is always important, but in games where both teams are struggling to put the ball in the net, it becomes even more crucial. A big reason SMU won their last meeting with Houston was thanks to winning the rebounding battle. On Sunday, Houston basketball made a statement by destroying SMU on the glass on both sides of the court.
Houston outrebounded SMU, 49-25. An absurd 21 of their rebounds came on the offensive glass. Houston will always prove tough for any team to go up against. If they can continue to have their guards crashing the boards on top of their big men inside, they’ll be nearly impossible to beat. If Houston can build some consistency off of this performance, they may find themselves in the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament once again.
