UH Cougars Beat SDSU, Advance In NCAA Basketball Tournament

WICHITA, KS — University of Houston senior Rob Gray made an incredible athletic basket and the Cougars thwarted a last-second shot to beat San Diego State, 67-65, Thursday in the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Gray scored a game-high 39 points and the Cougars won their first NCAA tournament game since 1984.

Houston (27-7) advances to the Round of 32 on Saturday to face Michigan, who beat Montana, 61-47. Saturday's game will tip off at approximately 8:40 p.m. CT and will air live on TNT. Michigan, the Big 10 champion, is 29-7 this season.

Houston led most of the game but San Diego State chipped away and tied it late. The teams traded 3-point baskets until the game was tied at 65-65 with 36 seconds to go. Gray took the ball and held the dribble until five seconds left, when he drove the land, split three defenders and made an aerial, acrobatic Jordanesque layup with 1.1 to go.

SDSU (22-11) chunked a long ball down court and missed a last-second desperation shot, sending the UH fans into a frenzy.

Gray's 39 points was a season-high.

Image: Rob Gray (32) of the Houston Cougars attempts a shot defended by Jeremy Hemsley (42) and Malik Pope (21) of the San Diego State Aztecs during the second half of the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at INTRUST Arena on March 15, 2018 in Wichita, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)