Post-Game Notes
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March 9, 2006
GAME 8: (4) Houston 71, (5) UCF 52
Houston advances to Friday's semifinals to face top seed Memphis at 3:30 p.m. (CT)
The No. 4 Cougars join No. 2 UAB, No. 3 UTEP, and No. 1 Memphis in the semis. This marks the first time since 2001 that all top four seeds have advanced to the C-USA semifinals.
This will be Houston's second appearance in the C-USA semifinals. The Cougars lost to Marquette in the 2002 C-USA semis in their only other appearance.
Houston has now won 10 of its last 12 games and is 20-8 overall. This is Houston's first 20-win season since 1993.
Conference USA now has four teams with 20 wins for the fourth consecutive year and the eighth time in the league's 11 year history.
UH's Jahmar Thorpe recorded his second career double-double with 11 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Oliver Lafayette led the Cougars with 19 points and Lanny Smith added 13.
Houston opened the game with four straight three-point baskets, including two each by Lanny Smith and Oliver Lafayette, to jump out to a 12-2 lead. The Cougars first two point bucket was a lay up by Brian Lathan at the 13:53 mark. Six of the Cougars 10 field goals in the first half were from behind the three point arc.
The quarterfinal game was the third meeting between the two schools this season. The two split during the regular season with each winning on the others home floor. UCF and Houston had never met prior to this season.
The Golden Knights were led by Memphis native Josh Peppers' 15 points.
UCF (14-15) saw its seven-game conference tournament winning streak come to and end. The Golden Knights won Atlantic Sun Conference titles in each of the last two seasons and won their first ever C-USA conference tournament game Thursday over East Carolina.
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