Louisiana State Tigers vs Houston Cougars Box Score on Dec 12, 2018

Guard Galen Robinson Jr. scored a team-high 18 points and guard Armoni Brooks added 13, all in the second half, as No. 24 Houston rallied from a 15-point deficit for an 82-76 victory over visiting LSU on Wednesday night.

Houston (9-0), one of nine remaining unbeaten teams, won its 22nd consecutive home game after trailing by 15 points early in the second half.

When Naz Reid hit a layup and Ja'vonte Smart made three foul shots, LSU (7-3) opened its biggest lead of the game, 50-35, less than a minute into the second half.

Brooks, the Cougars' leading scorer at 16.5 points per game, missed his first seven shots and did not score until five minutes into the second half. But he scored seven consecutive points of a 13-3 run and the Cougars cut the deficit to 53-48 by the 15:35 mark.

Houston ultimately used a 34-14 surge over a 12:58 span to turn the 15-point deficit into a 69-64 lead with 6:06 to go. Brooks scored 10 points and Fabian White added seven during the run.

Brooks hit a critical 3-pointer from the left corner to put Houston up 76-72 with 3:08 left.

Two foul shots by Tremont Waters drew LSU within 78-76 with 28.7 seconds left, but Corey Davis Jr. hit four free throws on the Cougars' next two possessions for an 82-76 lead with 15 seconds to go.

LSU, which was led by Smart's 18 points, closed a foul-marred first half with a 12-2 run to take a 45-35 halftime lead. The teams combined for 25 fouls in the first half -- LSU was called for 12 and Houston for 13 -- and each team was in the bonus 11 minutes into the game.

The Tigers made 13 of 20 free throws, while Houston was 10 of 17 on foul shots in the opening half.

Smart, Mr. Basketball of Louisiana three times, scored 12 first-half points, including eight in the final 2:46 as LSU built its early lead.

Reid finished with 13 points in the loss, while Marlon Taylor had 11 and Waters 10.

--Field Level Media