Jamal Shead found J’Wan Roberts for the game-winning dunk with eight seconds left in double overtime Sunday, lifting No. 14 Houston to a 76-74 win over Wichita State.
Roberts’ only points of the game rescued the Cougars (22-4, 11-2 American Athletic Conference), who trailed by two points in the final two minutes of the second overtime. Kyler Edwards hit a tying jumper and Josh Carlton converted a three-point play following a wild loose-ball sequence.
The Shockers (13-11, 4-8) drew even on a 3-pointer by Craig Porter Jr. with 5.4 seconds to play before Shead dribbled down the court and found a wide-open Roberts for the decisive slam.
Carlton paced Houston with 23 points and 11 rebounds, while Shead notched 13 points, nine assists, seven rebounds and four steals. Three Cougars players chipped in 11 points, including Edwards, who also pulled down 10 boards.
Porter and Ricky Council IV led Wichita State with 17 points apiece. Council had 10 rebounds, as did Dexter Dennis, and Tyson Etienne contributed 15 points for the Shockers.
Houston led by six midway through the first overtime before Etienne’s 3-pointer halved the Shockers’ deficit. Council’s second-chance putback made it a one-point game with just under a minute left, and Porter made one of two foul shots with 18 seconds remaining to create a 66-66 deadlock.
Ramon Walker Jr. forced a contested 3-pointer near the overtime buzzer and it fell short, sending the game to a second extra session.
Edwards’ driving layup snapped a tie with about five minutes left in regulation. Walker drained a 3-pointer on the Cougars’ next possession, and then Edwards converted a jumper for a 54-48 lead.
However, Porter’s thunderous dunk highlighted a 6-0 run as the hosts forged a 54-54 tie with 1:27 to play.
Shead then weaved through traffic for the go-ahead layup for Houston, but Council’s two free throws drew Wichita State even with 29 seconds left. Neither team scored down the stretch, as Houston missed two shots on its final possession of regulation.
–Field Level Media
