Jan. 31, 2004

Final Stats

Tampa, Fla. - Anwar Ferguson and Andre Owens scored 15 points each to lead the University of Houston men's basketball team to a 65-53 victory over South Florida in the Sun Dome Saturday night.

The victory was Houston first road victory in the last 10 games dating back to last season and Houston's first win at South Florida since February 11, 1999.

The Cougars led throughout the game as Houston scored the first eight points of the game. Owens scored the first basket for the Cougars when he made a reverse lay-up to put Houston up 2-0 with 18:21 left to play.

Then, Lanny Smith hit the first of his two free throws and trey from the top of the key on the Cougars' next two possessions and senior Marcus Oliver made a baseline jumper over USF's Terrence Leather on the left baseline.

Houston extended its lead to 10 with 3:46 left in the first half when Smith passed to Owens for a lay-up off a fast break to make the score 25-15.

The two teams extended baskets during the final minutes of the first half and the Cougars went into halftime with a 28-18 lead.

After the intermission, Houston worked the ball inside to Andy Ikeakor and Ferguson. Ikeakor made tow free throws to put the Cougars up 32-19 with 18:14 left to play in the game.

Then, Ferguson scored a pair of buckets on a lay-up and a fast break dunk shot to give the Cougars a 36-21 lead just before the first media timeout of the second half.

Houston maintained a 15-point lead until the final 10 minutes when Leather scored six points on a pair of free throws and a pair of lay-ups off offensive rebounds to pull the Bulls to within 41-32 with 9:24 left to play.

However, the Cougars began working the ball back inside to Ferguson and he responded with a lay-up, a 15-foot baseline jumper and a three-point play off a lay-up and free throw.

On Houston's next possession, Owens hit a jumper to give the Cougars a 48-34 lead with 6:10 left to play.

The Cougars had to withstand a challenge in the final three minutes of the game after Ferguson was forced to Houston's bench with his fifth foul.

But, Ikeakor replaced him and scored a lay-up and made one of his two free throws to put the Cougars up 58-44 with 1:52 left to play.

Houston went on and improved its record to 8-10 overall this season and 2-5 in Conference USA play. The Cougars return home to play Southern Mississippi on Tuesday night, February 3, at 7:30 p.m. in Hofheinz Pavilion.