Nov. 15, 2004

Final Stats

Columbia, Mo.- Sophomore guard Lanny Smith scored a game-high 22 points to lead the University of Houston men's basketball team to a 72-69 come-from-behind victory over intrastate rival Sam Houston State in the first round of the Guardians Classic.

The victory was Tom Penders' first victory as Houston's new head coach and the 528th victory in his illustrious career.

Houston trailed by 10 points, 63-53, with 6:27 to play before the Cougars went on a 15-1 run to win the game.

"I kept saying to our players, `we will have our run, we will have our run,'" Pender said. "We kept wearing down their team and kept putting in fresh players. We also switched from the trap to a rotating man-to-man, and got some easy baskets."

Andrew Francis began the rally when he stole the ball from Aaron Wade that set up a three-point play on a lay-up and free throw. Then, Brian Latham stole the ball and passed the ball ahead to Smith.

Smith drove in and was fouled by Sam Houston's Joe Thompson. He made both free throws to cut the Bearkats' lead in half, 63-58 with 5:33 left to play.

After Sam Houston's Othel Alford threw the ball out of bounds, Andre Owens missed a three-point shot from the right corner. But, Ramon Dyer grabbed the offensive rebound and was fouled by Sam Houston's Chris Jordan. Dyer made one of his two free throws. After Sam Houston turned the ball over again, Latham pulled the Cougars to within one, 63-62, when he nailed a trey from the left wing.

Smith stole the ball right back for the Cougars and passed the ball ahead to Dyer, who scored a lay-up and free throw to give Houston the lead for good, 65-63.

Thompson hit one of his two free throws to pull Sam Houston State to within one, but Latham made another three-point shot from the left wing to give the Cougars a 68-64 lead with 2:16 seconds left.

Thompson made two more free throws on the Bearkats' next possession, but Dyer came right back and hit a jumper from the right baseline. Smith hit one of his two free throws and Owens hit the second of his two free throws to account for Houston's final points.

"This was a good team win," Penders added. "We faced adversity and came back from being down 10 points. We played our hearts out tonight, and it's a good first win."

The victory marks Houston's first season-opening victory since 1999 when Houston beat Alaska-Fairbanks in the first round of the Top of the World Classic.

Houston will face the host school, Missouri, in the second round of the tournament tomorrow night. The Tigers defeated Brown, 68-60, in another first round game.