Houston tops Georgia Tech 70-59 in semifinal game of Diamond Head Classic

POSTED: December 24, 2019 -- 8:28 a.m. CT

HONOLULU, HI (Stan Sheriff Center) -- The Houston Cougars defeated Georgia Tech 70-59 Monday evening in the first semifinal game of the 2019 Diamond Head Classic held in Honolulu, Hawai`i.

Sophomore guard Quentin Grimes, for the second consecutive game, led Houston in scoring. Grimes scored 23 of his game-high 26 points in the first half. Junior forward Fabian White Jr had a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds; and, redshirt-freshman guard Caleb Mills added 12 points.

Grimes was sensational in the first half as he only missed one of his 11 field goal attempts. Grimes attacked Georgia Tech's difference at will and scored in the paint numerous times.

Tech pulled within 30-26 in the half; however, Houston scored six points in 62 seconds as Grimes scored a driving layup after DeJon Jarreau scored four points on layups.

Houston led 43-32 at halftime. The Coogs made 19 of 35 field goal attempts in the first half.

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Georgia Tech made adjustments to its defense in the second half and utilized more zone, especially a 1-3-1 zone defense, which limited Houston's drives to the basket.

Grimes hot start cooled considerably in the second half. He was 0 for 4 from the floor and a pedestrian 3 for 8 from the free throw line. In addition to Grimes' cold shooting, Houston's offense went through a couple of lengthy scoring droughts as Houston only made 7 of 23 field goal attempts in the second half. Houston also turned over the ball 11 times in the second half.

However, Tech went through similar scoring droughts and only made 8 of 26 field goal attempts in the half. Tech managed to get within 56-51 of Houston with 4:23 remaining; but, Houston solved the riddle of Tech's defense long enough to score 7 straight points to put the game away.

Fabian White Jr knocked down an open baseline jump shot followed by a pull up jump shot plus the free throw by sophomore guard Nate Hinton; then, Mills sank two free throws after he attacked Tech's zone.

Houston led 63-51 with 2:37 remaining in the game. Tech did not get closer than 8 points in the closing minutes.

Houston out-rebounded Tech 42-25 including 16-7 on the offensive glass; however, Houston struggled to convert many of their second-chance opportunities and only scored 13 second-chance points.

Houston (9-3) never trailed in the game and has not trailed in its first two games in the Diamond Head Classic.

Houston's next game is Wednesday night, December 25, at 7:30 p.m., versus the Washington Huskies (10-2), in the championship game of the Diamond Head Classic. ESPN2 will broadcast the game.

CLICK HERE for The HRR's write-ups of Coogs' men's hoops games.