AP

Mark, Sasser lead No. 3 Houston past Oral Roberts 83-45

Nov 14, 2022, 5:17 AM | Updated: 8:47 pm

Houston's Reggie Chaney (32) dunks the ball as Oral Roberts's Connor Vanover (35), DeShang Weaver (...

Houston's Reggie Chaney (32) dunks the ball as Oral Roberts's Connor Vanover (35), DeShang Weaver (14) and Max Abmas (3) watch during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Nov. 14, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)


              Houston's Reggie Chaney (32) looks to pass the ball as Oral Roberts's Connor Vanover (35) and Kareem Thompson defend during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Nov. 14, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
            
              Houston's Jamal Shead (1) and Marcus Sasser, left, pressure Oral Roberts's Carlos Jurgens (11) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Nov. 14, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
            
              Houston's Terrance Arceneaux (23) is fouled by Oral Roberts's Trey Phipps (20) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Nov. 14, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
            
              Houston coach Kellen Sampson signals to the officials during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Oral Roberts Monday, Nov. 14, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
            
              Houston's Jamal Shead goes up for a shot as Oral Roberts's Issac McBride (10) defends during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Nov. 14, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
            
              Houston's Marcus Sasser (0) goes up for a shot as Oral Roberts's Nate Clover III (13) defends during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Nov. 14, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
            
              Houston's Tramon Mark (12) drives to basket as Oral Roberts's Carlos Jurgens (11) defends during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Nov. 14, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
            
              Houston's Reggie Chaney (32) dunks the ball as Oral Roberts's Connor Vanover (35), DeShang Weaver (14) and Max Abmas (3) watch during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Nov. 14, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

HOUSTON (AP) — Tramon Mark scored a career-high 23 points, Marcus Sasser added 19 points and a career-best seven rebounds, and No. 3 Houston defeated Oral Roberts 83-45 on Monday night.

Mark had 19 points and Sasser scored 15 in the first half as Houston (3-0) built a 51-24 lead at halftime.

“Tramon has always had a fantastic attitude,” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said. “He’s very coachable. When Tramon got here, if I had told him to run through a brick wall, he’d want to negotiate. … Now, he’d say, ‘Can I get a running start?’ But that means he’s bought into our culture.”

The duo combined to shoot 15 of 28 for the game. Mark and Sasser both missed most of last season due to injuries.

“I’m just happy to be back on the court playing with my teammates, grinding it out every minute that I’m out there,” Mark said.

Terrence Arceneaux had 14 points and five rebounds, and Ja’Vier Francis added 11 points and 11 rebounds off the bench. Houston shot 52% and outrebounded the Golden Eagles 52-30. The Cougars held a 42-8 advantage in points in the paint.

“Last year I always felt like I was coaching with one arm tied behind my back a little bit because I lived in constant fear of foul trouble and fatigue because we had no depth, and that was an issue,” Sampson said. “It affected the way I coached and the way I had to manage the game. This year if you are not doing what I ask you to do, sit down. I’m not going to ask twice.”

DeShang Weaver scored 12 points, and Connor Vanover had 11 points and five rebounds for the Eagles (1-2). Preseason Summit League player of the year Max Abmas was held to three points on 1-of-13 shooting, including 1 for 9 on 3-pointers.

“There’s going to be nights like this,” Oral Roberts coach Paul Mills said. “Every good player is going to struggle, going 2 for 23 between our two all-conference guards between Max and (Isaac McBride).

“You do have to be able to move on to it, but we can’t hang our hats on poor shooting nights as much as there’s things we can control. … The areas we can control, we need to do better. Those guys will be fine, they’ll be able to make shots, but the areas where we can be able to control, we need to.”

Oral Roberts shot 23% and finished 8 of 38 on 3s.

Houston used a 21-2 run over 6 1/2 minutes of the first half to open a 29-8 lead on a layup by Mark. Sasser and Mark combined to score 19 points during the spurt.

BIG PICTURE

Oral Roberts: The Eagles struggled early and could not recover. Oral Roberts was 1 for 15 from the field to start the game and missed 12 straight shots during that stretch. The team used three of its four timeouts in the first 11 minutes.

“It was that 16-minute mark to that 10-minute mark,” Mills said. “We knew how physical they were; they were able to get offensive rebounds, they were able to get putbacks. We let it snowball, and us not being able to make shots — we’ve been pretty good at making shots. We’ve been No. 1 in the country the last two years, but tonight it didn’t happen.”

Houston: The Cougars were more physical and outhustled Oral Roberts throughout, leading to their edge in the paint and on the boards. Houston shot 56% in the first half. The Cougars have scored at least 81 points in each of their first three games.

MOMENT OF SILENCE

Houston observed a moment of silence before the game for victims of the University of Virginia shooting. The school put the numbers 1, 15 and 41 on the scoreboards to remember Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D’Sean Perry.

UP NEXT

Oral Roberts: Plays at Texas Southern on Tuesday.

Houston: Will host Texas Southern on Wednesday.

___

AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP

Associated Press

Ex-Packer Guion gets 1 year for domestic violence assault

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Former Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Letroy Guion was sentenced to one year in jail after pleading no contest in a domestic violence assault at his home last fall. Brown County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Walsh also ordered Guion on Tuesday to serve three years’ probation and complete a domestic […]

1 year ago

Joe Jarzynka...

Associated Press

Durant eager for Suns debut vs. Hornets after knee injury

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Kevin Durant has been through quite a bit during his 15-year NBA career — but joining a new team midway through the season is a new one for the 13-time All-Star. The 34-year-old Durant doesn’t seem all that worried. Durant makes his highly anticipated Phoenix Suns debut on Wednesday night against […]

1 year ago

FILE - Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores stands on the sideline during the second half of an N...

Associated Press

Judge: NFL coach can press discrimination claims in court

NEW YORK (AP) — NFL Coach Brian Flores can pursue some of his discrimination claims against the league and its teams in court rather than through arbitration, a judge ruled Wednesday. The written decision by Judge Valerie Caproni in Manhattan was issued months after lawyers for the league tried to get the lawsuit moved to […]

1 year ago

Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Alex Stalock cools off in the first period during an NHL hockey game ...

Associated Press

Kane trade reinforces hard reality of Blackhawks rebuild

CHICAGO (AP) — After days of speculation, the harsh reality of the Chicago Blackhawks’ situation was reinforced by one move in a flurry of transactions ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Showtime is over, at least in Chicago, and a seemingly bright future is, well, way off in the distance. The reverberations of Chicago’s decision […]

1 year ago

FILE -  Yves Jean-Bart, president of the Haitian Football Federation, wearing a protective face mas...

Associated Press

Disgraced ex-Haitian soccer president announces he’s back

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s former soccer federation president whose lifetime ban from sport over sexual abuse allegations was overturned last month announced Wednesday that he is reclaiming his position. Yves Jean-Bart’s defiant announcement could lead to a standoff with FIFA, which already has appointed an emergency management committee to lead the Haitian Football Association […]

1 year ago

FILE - Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers walks off the field after an NFL football game against the ...

Associated Press

Rodgers says decision on future will come ‘soon enough’

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers says he will make a decision on his future “soon enough” as the four-time MVP quarterback ponders whether to play next season and if his future remains with the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers, 39, discussed his future while speaking on an episode of the “Aubrey Marcus Podcast” that […]

1 year ago

Mark, Sasser lead No. 3 Houston past Oral Roberts 83-45