Feb. 18, 2003

Box Score

Houston, Texas - In a game where both teams needed to win desperately, the University of Houston defeated Southern Miss, 46-42, in Hofheinz Pavilion on Tuesday, February 18.

Louis Truscott scored 15 points to lead the Cougars and Andre Owens hit two free throws with two seconds left to clinch the victory.

"Both teams needed this win to stay alive for the Conference USA Tournament," Houston head coach Ray McCallum said. "After a tough stretch on the road last week, we needed to win this one at home. This win gives us some separation from Southern Miss and TCU (in the C-USA standings)."

Houston hit just eight of their 21 field goal attempts and had 11 turnovers in the opening period as the Cougars trailed 22-18 at halftime. Truscott and McGuire scored four points each to lead the Cougars.

Houston natives Dante Stiggers and Charles Gaines combined for 15 of Southern Mississippi's 22 points in the first half. Stiggers, a former high school player at Hastings, penetrated Houston's zone defense for eight points in the first half as he connected on four of his five shots. Gaines, who played at Klein Forest, added seven points and four rebounds for the Golden Eagles.

In the second half, Houston worked the ball inside to Truscott and he responded with 11 points. The Cougars also made five of their eight free throws in the second period after not attempting a free throw in the first half.

Jarrett Sidney hit Houston's first two free throws to pull Houston to within 22-20 with 19:29 left to play in the game.

Houston took its first lead in the second half, 25-24, when Cedrick Hensley hit a three-pointer from the left wing with 16:31 left to play.

The Cougars extended their lead to three on their next possession when Truscott hit a lay-up off one of his two offensive rebounds in the game.

Southern Miss made one last run when they took a 31-30 lead on David Haywood's lay-up with 10:43 left to play. But, Truscott hit a jumper from the left baseline on Houston's next possession and the Cougars never trailed again. Houston extended its lead to 39-33 with 5:13 left to play on Jeremee McGuire's slam-dunk and a three-pointer from the top of the key by Owens.

The Golden Eagles came back to tie the score, 42-42, with 59 seconds left to play. But, McGuire hit Truscott for a lay-up and Owens hit his two free throws to clinch the victory.

Owens has made 22 consecutive free throws in Houston's last nine games dating back to January 25 when he was 8-of-8 at the free throw line against Southern Miss in Biloxi's Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum.

Gaines finished the game with 13 points and a game-high 10 rebounds, while Stiggers was held scoreless in the second half and ended the contest with eight points and six assists.

The victory raises Houston's Conference USA record to 5-6 and the Cougars are 7-15 overall this season. Southern Miss fell to 10-13 overall and 3-9 in C-USA play.

Houston will travel to Birmingham, Ala., on February 22 and play UAB in a C-USA game. The Blazers 14-8 overall and own a 6-5 C-USA record after beating TCU, 88-85, in overtime at Fort Worth Tuesday night.

"We have five games left and we've got to get wins to gain some momentum going into the tournament," McCallum said.