UH, A&M postpone games over COVID
The University of Houston’s upcoming home games against Memphis and East Carolina are postponed because of COVID-19 issues at those programs, the American Athletic Conference announced Thursday.
The No. 8 Cougars were scheduled to play Memphis on Sunday and East Carolina on Wednesday at Fertitta Center.
No makeup dates have been set.
Memphis and East Carolina were forced to pause basketball activities this week because of positive COVID-19 test results, contact tracing and ensuing quarantine protocol.
It’s UH’s seventh and eighth games to be interrupted by COVID-19 this season.
Three non-conference games (Sam Houston State, Rice and Alabama) were canceled in midDecember, and another against Central Florida had to be rescheduled when the Cougars paused due to a COVID-19 outbreak.
Two other AAC games against South Florida and Cincinnati were postponed in January because of positive testing within those programs. Of the postponements, UCF and USF have since been played, while a road game against Cincinnati has yet to be rescheduled.
There remains a possibility UH could arrange a non-conference game for this weekend, a person with knowledge of the situation said.
UH (17-2, 11-2 AAC), winners of 10 of the last 11 games, is next scheduled to host Cincinnati on Feb. 21. The Cougars are currently in first place in the AAC, 1 ½ games ahead of Wichita State.
Elsewhere, Texas A&M’s scheduled game at Florida on Saturday night has been postponed because of multiple positive COVID-19 tests within the A&M program. This is the fourth consecutive game A&M has had postponed because of COVID-19 issues in the program.
A&M is 8-7 overall and 2-6 in SEC play under second-year coach Buzz Williams, and last played in a 68-61 victory at Kansas State on in the annual Big 12/SEC Challenge on Jan. 30. Since then A&M has had home games against Vanderbilt and Georgia and road games at Arkansas and Florida postponed.
The Aggies are next scheduled to host No. 11 Alabama on Wednesday night. A&M has five regular-season games remaining, the last March 3 at home against Mississippi State, and the SEC tournament is scheduled to start March 10 in Nashville, Tenn., meaning the window for any potential makeup games is tight.
MINNESOTA 71 NO. 24 PURDUE 68
For more than 38 minutes of action, the Boilermakers had held the Golden Gophers’ leading scorer in check. But Marcus Carr ended the game in style, giving the Golden Gophers a dramatic comeback victory.
Carr finished with 19 points, including eight in the final 1:08, to lift host Minnesota past Purdue.
Gabe Kalscheur broke out of a shooting slump to score 16 points, Brandon Johnson scored 15 and Liam Robbins added 11 points and 10 rebounds for Minnesota (12-7, 5-7 Big Ten), which trailed by five with two minutes to play.
Trevion Williams led Purdue (13-8, 8-6) with 24 points and 10 rebounds.
NO. 20 SOUTHERN CAL 69 WASHINGTON 54
Evan Mobley scored 17 points, brother Isaiah Mobley added 12 points and 12 rebounds, and the Trojans (16-3, 10-2 Pac-12) rolled over the Huskies in Seattle.
TEXAS STATE 63 TEXAS-ARLINGTON 56
Mason Harrell had 19 points, seven assists and six rebounds as the Bobcats defeated the host Mavericks.
Caleb Asberry and Alonzo Sule each added 12 points for Texas State (14-6, 8-3 Sun Belt Conference), which earned its sixth straight road victory. Isiah Small had seven rebounds.
Shahada Wells had 20 points for Texas-Arlington (11-10, 7-6).
Women
NO. 1 SOUTH CAROLINA 77 MISSOURI 62
Destanni Henderson had seven of her 11 points in a decisive third-quarter run as the Gamecocks pulled away from the visiting Tigers for their 30th straight win against SEC competition.
It was a satisfying win for South Carolina (16-2, 11-0), which was beaten at No. 2 Connecticut on Monday night only hours after returning to No. 1.
NO. 3 LOUISVILLE 85 GEORGIA TECH 70
Dana Evans scored 25 points in her home finale, Kianna Smith scored 13 of her 21 points in the third quarter, and the Cardinals (19-1, 12-1 ACC) beat the Yellow Jackets.
NO. 20 KENTUCKY 71 NO. 16 TENNESSEE 56
Chasity Patterson had 21 points, and the host Wildcats (14-5, 7-4 Southeastern Conference) defeated the Lady Vols (12-4, 5-2).