Houston advances past Tulane 66-60 in AAC first round

Mar 12, 2015, 08:30 pm

HARTFORD, Conn. -- Jherrod Stiggers made five 3-pointers and finished with 23 points as Houston beat Tulane 66-60 in the first round of the American Athletic Conference tournament on Thursday.

Cavon Baker secured the victory on a defensive rebound and pair of free throws with nine seconds left. Baker finished with 20 points and the 10th-seeded Cougars, winners of four straight, will take on No. 2 seed Tulsa in the quarterfinals on Friday.

Houston (13-18) led 57-45 on Danrad Knowles's jumper with 5:24 left, but seventh-seeded Tulane (15-16) answered with seven straight points and pulled within 64-60 with 22 seconds left. But Kajon Mack missed the second of two free throws and Jonathan Stark and Louis Dabney both missed follow-up chances.

After Tulane tied it 36-all midway through the second half, the Cougars pulled away with a 15-3 run.

Payton Henson led the Green Wave with 14 points. Dabney and Jay Hook added 13 apiece.