Cougars pound Razorbacks behind Davis’ career-high 28
Devin Davis left last year’s meeting with Arkansas with an injured right hand.
He dished some pain of his own Saturday night.
Davis had a career-high 28 points and 10 rebounds as Houston dismantled Arkansas 91-65 at Texas Southern’s H&PE Arena for one of the program’s biggest wins under fourth-year coach Kelvin Sampson.
“Personally, it was a payback game,” Davis said.
The Cougars (6-1) raced to an 11-0 lead, held the Razorbacks scoreless for seven minutes at the outset and led from start to finish.
Davis played only three minutes in last year’s 84-72 loss at Arkansas, suffering a deep gash that required six stitches.
In the rematch, Davis was 10-of-14 shooting, including a stretch midway through the second half when he scored eight straight points that drew a double-pump approval from Sampson.
Things went so well for Davis that he drained a 3-pointer as the shot clock expired to push the UH lead to 77-49 with 7:31 remaining. It was his first 3-point attempt of the season and only fifth of his career.
“When he’s making his perimeter shot, it just opens up a whole new game for him,” Sampson said. “He plays like a man.”
Corey Davis Jr. finished with 17 points, including five 3-pointers.
Sampson changed up the lineup, starting point guards Corey Davis Jr. and Galen Robinson Jr., and assigned the pair to Arkansas’ top two scorers. Jaylen Barford and Daryl Macon went a combined 6-of-21 for 23 points.
“At no point in the game were we content,” Corey Davis Jr. said. “We were focused on not only scoring but stopping them from scoring.”
Arkansas was held well below its season scoring average of 90.2 points, which ranks 14th in the nation. Sampson noted the Cougars run the same up-tempo style without getting the same recognition.
“Over in our little corner of the world, we run, too,” he said.
Arkansas had trailed for only 45 minutes, 29 seconds in six games this season. Houston led all 40 minutes, building a 30-point lead on a dunk by Fabian White Jr. with 3:04 remaining.
After opening the game 1-of-7, the Cougars took command by making 11 of the next 16 shots (69 percent). When Arkansas pulled within 30-22 less than five minutes before halftime, Corey Davis Jr. and Brooks responded with 3s. UH closed the half with a 14-3 spurt.
The Cougars played most of the first half without leading scorer Rob Gray, who picked up two fouls and played only seven minutes. He finished with 11 points.
Arkansas was held to 34.5 percent for the game.
“Defense wins championships,” Devin Davis said.