Dec. 31, 2005

Final Stats

Houston - Oliver Lafayette scored 26 points and Lanny Smith added 10 points and five assists to lead the University of Houston to a 78-67 victory over McNeese State to close out the year 2005 in Hofheinz Pavilion.

The victory was Houston's third straight win, but it was much more difficult than Lafayette or his teammates envisioned.

Houston opened up leads of 16 points twice in the second half, but McNeese State continued to fight back.

"You have to give them a lot of credit because they kept playing hard with no fear," Houston head coach Tom Penders said. "In our previous games, teams have tried to keep the game close and ended up getting blown out. But, McNeese State kept playing hard as they could and didn't worry about the score. They turned the ball over 34 times, but 22 of their turnovers were off steals by our team."

One of the key statistics in the game was that Houston was able to score 31 points off the steals and turnovers by McNeese State. The 34 turnovers are also the most turnovers forced by the Cougars this season.

"We have been a strong defensive team ever since I came here last year," Penders said. "Offensively, we continue to make strides. I expect us to get rolling offensively in February. When we get consistent on the offensive end, we are really going to be tough to beat."

McNeese State scored the first four points of the game before Houston got going on the offensive end as Lafayette hit the first of his six three-point baskets to give the Cougars an 8-4 lead.

But, the Cowboys fought right back with a 10-3 run to take a 14-11 lead with 13:05 left to play in the opening period.

The teams fought back and forth during the next five minutes until Darrius Brannon made a lay-up to give the Cougars the lead for good at 20-19 with 8:24 remaining in the first half.

Lafayette hit another trey with 1:27 left to give the Cougars a 40-27 lead, but McNeese State scored the closed to within eight at halftime, 41-33.

McNeese State's Ryan Price opened the second half scoring with a lay-up, but Lanny Smith countered with his first of two three-point baskets in the second half to start a 11-2 run to help Houston open up a 52-37 lead with 16:13 left.

The Cowboys couldn't get any closer than nine points the rest of the way as Houston won its seventh game of the season.