March Madness 2022: Taze Moore scores 21, Houston hammers Illinois to make Sweet 16

Taze Moore scored 21 factors, Jamal Shead added 18 and Houston, a Ultimate 4 group final season, superior to the Candy 16 of the NCAA Match with a 68-53 win Sunday over Illinois, ousted within the opening weekend for the second straight yr.

The fifth-seeded Cougars (31-5), who misplaced their two greatest gamers to season-ending accidents, are headed house to Texas for the following spherical, which can be in San Antonio, a couple of three-hour drive from Houston.

Kyler Edwards added 15 factors for Houston, a group typically neglected however making main noise once more this March.

With Houston’s followers chanting “Candy 16, Candy 16” within the closing seconds, Edwards dropped one final 3-pointer and seconds later lifted Moore, one other of Houston’s transfers, off the ground.

For Illinois, it is one other yr of deep disappointment. The fourth-seeded Preventing Illini (23-10) had been decided to go farther after being bumped by Loyola Chicago final yr, however could not get previous the second spherical once more.

All-American middle Kofi Cockburn did his half, scoring 19 in 38 minutes to steer Illinois. The massive man spurned the NBA final yr for a shot at some event redemption, solely to come back up quick in what was probably his final faculty recreation.

Down by 12 within the first half, Illinois battled again and was inside 56-49 after Alfonso Plummer’s four-point play.

However after Shead hit a floater, Houston’s Fabian White Jr. made the play of the sport by racing into the backcourt and swatting the ball earlier than it went out of bounds together with his left hand to Moore for a layup.

It has been that form of season for the Cougars, who misplaced Marcus Sasser and Tramon Mark — two mainstays from final yr’s semifinal group — however are one in every of 16 groups nonetheless alive for a nationwide title,

Each groups had been tight within the early going, and the extreme stress appeared to squeeze the edges a little bit tighter, too.

Not like Friday’s recreation, when Houston began six of seven on 3-pointers to startle UAB, the Cougars had been off the mark — in some circumstances, approach off. Illinois was even worse, beginning 1 of 9 on 3s.

The larger situation, although, was the Illini could not determine the right way to get the ball inside to Cockburn, who had two and three Houston gamers swarming on him every time he bought a contact. On one of many uncommon events the 7-footer bought it cleanly, Josh Carlton grabbed his arms and was referred to as for a Flagrant 1 foul.

Houston opened a 12-point lead, and Illinois was reeling.

That is when coach Brad Underwood turned to freshman reserve Luke Goode, who got here off the bench and made a pair of 3-pointers.

Trent Frazier’s nailed a 3 on the horn to tug the Illini inside 30-26 at half.