HOUSTON (AP) — L.J. Cryer scored a season-high 24 points, J’Wan Roberts added 13 and No. 6 Houston beat Montana 79-44 on Friday.
Cryer finished 9 of 16, including 5 of 12 on 3-pointers. He has scored in double figures in six straight games.
Jamal Shead had 13 points and seven assists. He became the seventh Houston player to surpass 500 career assists.
Houston (7-0) shot 47%, including 7 of 24 on 3-pointers.
Houston forced Montana into 16 turnovers and turned them into 21 points. The Cougars owned a 34-20 advantage in points in the paint.
Money Williams scored 15 points and Te’Jon Sawyer added eight for Montana (2-3). The Grizzlies shot 33% and were 3 of 17 on 3-pointers.
Houston jumped out a to an 11-0 lead on a jumper by Roberts and extended the lead to 25-7 with 9 ½ remaining in the first half on a layup by Jamal Shead.
BIG PICTURE
Montana: The Grizzlies are 5-44 all-time against ranked opponents, including 1-23 against top 10 teams. Montana has lost 16 straight games against ranked opponents.
Houston: The 14 first-half points the Cougars allowed tied a season low. It marked the fifth time this season Houston has allowed fewer than 20 points in a half. … Free throws remain an area of concern for the Cougars, who entered shooting 64.5% from the line. The Cougars were 18 of 30 from the line Friday.
IT’S BEEN A WHILE
Houston and Montana met for the first time since the Cougars defeated the Grizzlies 60-58 in the NAIB Tournament on March 11, 1947.
UP NEXT
Montana: Travels to Nevada Nov. 29
Houston: Travels to Xavier Dec. 1 as part of the Big East-Big 12 Battle.
