CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Houston had a problem… again. The No. 5 Cougars, one week removed from blowing a 15-point lead against Alabama, had seen a double-digit lead vs. No. 2 Virginia dwindle to six points in front of a raucous, sold-out crowd at John Paul Jones Arena on Saturday.
Then came a hard take — and a soft touch — from Marcus Sasser on a layup over Cavaliers’ shot-blocking standout Kadin Shedrick.
Then came a laser pass from Jarace Walker to Tramon Mark for a 3-pointer to answer a Shedrick dunk.
Then came a forced turnover and a fadeaway from Walker, which (talk about high praise) Virginia coach Tony Bennett compared to Dirk Nowitzki’s trademark shot.
The undefeated Cavaliers never got any closer, and Houston disappointed most of the 14,623 fans with a 69-61 win vs. Virginia, its best victory of the season.
Every time Virginia asked the question “Would Houston collapse again?” the Cougars answered with an authoritative “no.” The Cavaliers never scored more than four consecutive points in the second half. Houston shot 50% from the field — and 50% from 3-point range — over the final 20 minutes.
“I’m not sure we’re able to do that without the Alabama experience,” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said. “You know, guys, they all think they’re Superman. It’s not about being a Superman, it’s about playing on a super team.”
Houston certainly wasn’t a super team all afternoon Saturday, but the Cougars appeared to be playing close to that level for several stretches vs. the Cavaliers. Before Houston had to hold off a UVA rally, it had to stage one of its own. Virginia led 9-0 at the first media timeout. Houston demonstrated poise and patience, weathering the storm and eventually settling in on both ends.
“The most important thing — and I was trying to tell my teammates when we went down 9-0 — was to stay together,” Houston forward J’Wan Roberts said. “It’s part…
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