No. 18 Houston to AAC title game with 86-66 win over Tulane

HOUSTON — Kyler Edwards put extra emphasis on what he wanted to do for 18th-ranked Houston with standout ahead Fabian White hurting. J’Wan Roberts was the participant who really needed to change the massive man on the ground.

With large video games by Edwards and Roberts, and loads of different contributions, the Cougars superior to their fourth consecutive American Athletic Convention Match championship recreation with an 86-66 semifinal win over Tulane on Saturday.

Edwards had 20 factors with six 3-pointers, together with eight assists, seven rebounds and just one turnover. Roberts, a 6-foot-7 sophomore, matched a profession excessive with 10 factors and added 13 rebounds.

“You all the time wish to step up when your teammates go down, like next-man-up mentality,” Edwards mentioned. “I talked to Fab earlier than the sport, he wasn’t feeling good, he mentioned the crew actually wanted me.”

Josh Carlton, like White a graduated senior and first-team all-AAC submit participant, added 16 factors for Cougars (28-5), who matched their win whole from final season, once they gained their first AAC Match title after which made it to the Ultimate 4. Taze Moore added 17 factors with seven assists and Ramon Walker Jr. had 11 factors with three 3-pointers.

Houston coach Kelvin Sampson mentioned White’s again tightened up earlier than the sport and did not reply to therapy. White wished to play and Sampson began him, however pulled him lower than three minutes in after a set play when the 6-foot-8 White got here up a foot brief on his solely shot — a 4-foot hook over his left shoulder.

“That is his cash ball,” Sampson mentioned. “And he didn’t come shut.”

Jaylen Forbes scored 19 factors for Tulane (14-15), which jumped out to a 9-2 lead earlier than White left. Houston responded with an 11-0 run after Sampson referred to as a 30-second timeout.

Carlton had a putback on the possession after that. Carlton punctuated the top to that spurt with a second-chance dunk about three minutes later for a 13-9 lead.

The Inexperienced Wave regained their final lead at 16-15 on a layup by Forbes with 10:46 left within the first half. That rapidly bought worn out by a pair of 3-pointers.

Edwards had a second-chance 3 with 10:31 left, then Jamal Shead made a steal and Edwards bought an help on a 3-pointer by Walker.

Shead and Edwards hit back-to-back 3s to open Houston’s scoring within the second half and lengthen the margin to double digits. The Cougars constructed as a lot as a 21-point lead.

Tulane performed its fourth recreation in a row with out first-team all-AAC guard Jalen Cook dinner, the second-year freshman switch from LSU who averaged 18 factors and three.5 assists per recreation. He was out with a hamstring damage.

Kevin Cross added 13 factors for the Inexperienced Wave. DeVon Baker had 12 and Tylan Pope 10.

“I’m extraordinarily pleased with our complete basketball program,” mentioned third-year Tulane coach Ron Hunter, who at instances had two sophomores and three freshmen on the courtroom collectively. “These guys did numerous nice issues for Tulane College, and the longer term is basically vibrant. … We have a look at Houston as a typical.”

Tulane: The Inexperienced Wave matched their most total wins up to now seven seasons, and their 10-8 report in AAC video games in the course of the common season was their first profitable report in convention play since 9-7 in Convention USA in 2006-07.

Houston: The Cougars misplaced AAC title video games in 2018 and 2019 to Cincinnati, and beat the Bearcats for the 2021 crown after the 2020 match was canceled due to the pandemic. White had 18 factors when Houston beat Cincinnati within the quarterfinal spherical of this yr’s match. … Carlton was scoreless within the first half of the quarterfinal win over Cincinnati after early foul hassle. He had no fouls in 25 minutes in opposition to Tulane.

Sampson frequently tells his gamers to by no means fear about lacking a shot.

The Cougars shot over 49% (32 of 65), but in addition had 17 offensive rebounds and outscored Tulane 30-0 on second-chance factors. Roberts and Carlton each had 5 offensive boards.

“We rebounded over 50% of our misses,” Sampson mentioned. “That takes numerous stress off your shooters.”

Hunter mentioned the Inexperienced Wave wish to play within the NCAA Match, and till then haven’t got curiosity in every other postseason tournaments.

“No disrespect to any of these tournaments, however I did not come to Tulane to play within the CBI, CIT, CSS,” he mentioned, trailing off right into a string of letters. “That’s not who we’re, it’s not what we wish to do.”

The Cougars play within the AAC last Sunday in opposition to the SMU-Memphis winner.