J’Wan Roberts lifts No. 10 Houston to last-second win over UCF

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — J’Wan Roberts made a go-ahead layup with 1.1 seconds left to lift No. 10 Houston to a 69-68 win over UCF on Saturday.

Roberts powered his way to the basket off an inbounds pass, beating UCF’s shot blockers to the rim. The Knights were unable to get off a final shot attempt.

Roberts scored 17 of his 21 points in the second half. He went 10 for 17 from the field for the game, and also grabbed nine rebounds.

Ja’Vier Francis added 16 points and 10 boards for Houston (14-3, 6-0 Big 12), which trailed 38-30 at halftime.

UCF’s Moustapha Thiam, a 7-foot-2 center, had 18 points, five rebounds and three blocks. Jordan Ivy-Curry scored 14 points for the Knights (12-5, 3-3), and Darius Johnson finished with 13.

UCF took the lead with nine seconds left when Keyshawn Hall took the ball to the basket and finished over two defenders. Hall, who scored 40 points in the Knights’ win over Arizona State on Tuesday night, had six points on 2-for-12 shooting.

Takeaways

Houston: The Cougars rallied in the second half for their 10th consecutive win. They remain undefeated in the Big 12.

UCF: The Knights are still on the NCAA Tournament bubble but looking for a resume-boosting win.

Key moment

Houston opened the second half on a 7-0 run and took a 41-40 lead with 14:39 left. That gave the Cougars momentum and confidence on the road that helped them secure the win.

Key stat

Houston struggled with Thiam at times. But that did not stop the Cougars from attacking the offensive glass. Houston finished with 18 offensive rebounds and outscored UCF 48-26 in the paint.

Up Next

Houston returns home Tuesday to face Utah. UCF heads to Ames, Iowa, to face No. 2 Iowa State on Tuesday.

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