THE HOUSTON Cougars have continued their strong form in the NCAA Division I Men’s competition, taking down the Temple Owls in convincing fashion earlier today.

The Owls started the match in fine fashion, even carving out a four-point lead at the main change of play. However, the class of Houston came to the fore in the second half, outscoring the opposition 48-28 to snatch a 16-point victory.

It was an impressive upset denial from the number-three seeded Cougars, who fell to Temple just weeks earlier in similar fashion. Instead, Houston dominated the second half and delivered some of its best play of the season.

The win was launched from the performance of forward Jarace Walker, who was the star of the show on both ends of the court. After getting into his rhythm, the 19-year-old continued to punish the opposition both in half and open court possessions.

Houston Cougars (81) def. Temple Owls (65)

Jarace Walker – 23 points, six rebounds, three steals

Walker was the match’s best performer, sparking the visiting side’s second half resurgence with his elite scoring ability.

His 23 points were a match-high total, with no other player having as big an impact on the match. Even more impressive was the efficiency in which he did it with, not wasting many of the looks granted by the opposition.

Of his 12 attempts from the field, eight found the bottom of the net, thanks to a mixture of his shot making ability and the quality of the shots he took. From behind the arc, Walker was as deadly as anyone in the game, making four of his five attempts from behind the arc.

With a strong and confident shooting motion, the forward was not afraid to let it fly from downtown. He often benefited from zippy ball movement from the Cougars, and made sure to finish off the strong play with a bucket.

On the defensive end, he made sure to remain active at all times, and reaped the rewards for his awareness with three steals. Whether it was stripping the ball handler or intercepting an errant pass, Walker was a menace on the defensive end of the court. His steals also meant the Cougars could get out in transition more frequently than the opposition, which is where they looked at their best.

Walker was an elite performer in one of Houston’s more impressive performances of the season. After being tested in the first half, Walker and the Cougars stormed home to close out the match in emphatic style.