No. 10 UH romps past La Salle in season opener, but faces immediate injury concern
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Dedan Thomas Jr. had a game-high 16 points to lead five players in double figures as No. 10 Houston cruised to a 95-55 victory over La Salle on Monday night.
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The Cougars' 18th consecutive season-opening win was overshadowed by forward Chase McCarty's exit with about 12 minutes left with an apparent left knee injury.
McCarty, who moved into the starting lineup for the first time, was injured when a La Salle player tripped into the back of his left leg. He remained on the court for several minutes before being helped by team trainers to the locker room.
There was no immediate word on the severity of the injury to McCarty, who had 10 points, six rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot in 20 minutes.
Thomas, an LSU transfer who took over the point guard duties, made 11 of 14 free throws to offset a 2-of-7 shooting performance in his debut. He also added five assists, three rebounds and no turnovers.
Delrecco Gillespie added 13 points and seven rebounds and Corey Hadnot II had 14 points off the bench - 11 coming in the second half - as the Cougars jumped out to a 20-3 lead and never looked back.
UH 95, LA SALLE 55
FGFTRebLA SALLEMinM-AM-AO-TAPFPTSCollier110-02-31-2152Finkley232-60-00-0036Burton294-123-41-20415Dockery70-11-21-3051Johnson251-72-20-1214Booker264-123-30-10212Moss191-42-20-1115Beatty171-33-53-7125Smith151-80-01-2512Zanki141-60-00-1122Nkoy-Eale130-11-22-2001Webb20-00-00-1000Totals20015-6017-239-23112755Percentages: FG .250, FT .739.
3-Point Goals: 8-39, .205 (Burton 4-12, Finkley 2-5, Moss 1-2, Booker 1-7, Johnson 0-2, Zanki 0-5, Smith 0-6).
Team Rebounds: 9. Team Turnovers: 1.
Blocked Shots: 3 (Beatty, Collier, Finkley).
Turnovers: 18 (Dockery 5, Booker 3, Beatty 2, Johnson 2, Moss 2, Burton, Collier, Finkley, Smith).
Steals: 6 (Burton, Collier, Finkley, Moss, Smith, Zanki).
Technical Fouls: Burton, 7:27 first; coach Darris Nichols, 00:39 first.
FGFTRebHOUSTONMinM-AM-AO-TAPFPTSGillespie225-62-32-72313McCarty202-46-72-61210Tugler174-61-23-6149Miller261-43-40-7505D.Thomas272-711-140-35216Hadnot226-101-20-15214Diané205-90-12-40310East153-53-43-5129Jefferson132-40-00-1126Jackson100-10-00-1000Alozie40-00-00-0000Silimana31-10-00-0002T.Thomas20-00-00-0000Totals20031-5727-3712-41212194Percentages: FG .544, FT .730.
3-Point Goals: 5-14, .357 (Jefferson 2-4, Gillespie 1-1, D.Thomas 1-2, Hadnot 1-4, McCarty 0-1, Miller 0-2).
Team Rebounds: 6. Team Turnovers: 2.
Blocked Shots: 3 (Jackson, Jefferson, McCarty).
Turnovers: 11 (Diané 3, McCarty 2, Tugler 2, East, Hadnot, Jefferson, Miller).
Steals: 11 (D.Thomas 2, Diané 2, East 2, McCarty 2, Tugler 2, Gillespie).
Technical Fouls: coach Kelvin Sampson, 4:22 first.
La Salle2332-55Houston4351-94.
La Salle, a member of the Atlantic 10, made only one field goal in the game's first nine minutes and finished with 18 turnovers.
Joseph Tugler, the only returning starter from last season's 30-win team that reached the Sweet 16, had nine points and six rebounds. The Cougars had to replace four starters, including three - Kingston Flemings, Chris Cenac Jr. and Emanuel Sharp - that were selected in the NBA draft.
Arafan Diané, the Cougars' heralded signee who was the nation's No. 1 center in the 2026 recruiting class, had 10 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including a pair of dunks, and four rebounds.
Kam Burton led La Salle with 15 points, including four 3-pointers.
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