Houston Men's Basketball Defeats Montana Tech in Exhibition Game

Sophomore guard Chase McCarty led the team with 19 points, contributing significantly with nine of those points coming from three-pointers. He finished the game shooting 5-of-6 from beyond the arc. McCarty was one of six Cougars who scored in double figures, joined by graduate forward Delrecco Gillespie (13), sophomore guard Kordel Jefferson (12), freshman center Arafan Diane (11), freshman guard Ikenna Alozie (11), and senior forward Joseph Tugler (10).

The Cougars opened strong, jumping ahead with a 22-4 run, and by halftime, they led 56-29, having restricted the Orediggers to just 10 points in the first half. Montana Tech struggled with 20 turnovers, which Houston capitalized on to score 33 points.

Asher Williams was Montana Tech’s leading scorer with 12 points, all recorded in the first half. The second half saw Houston continue its pressure with a 33-3 surge, again led by contributions from McCarty and Tugler. Alozie scored all 11 of his points in the second half after entering the game with eight minutes remaining.

The Cougars will continue their exhibition schedule against defending national champion Michigan at Noon (CT) on Sunday, Oct. 25, in Grand Rapids, Mich. Following that, Houston will open its regular season against La Salle at 7 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 2, marking the first matchup with the Explorers since the 1975-76 season.

Regular-season tickets for home games at Fertitta Center are currently available for purchase.