COLLEGE HOOPS: Houston knocks off No. 12 SMU

University of Houston senior forward Devonta Pollard lines up a free throw against 12th-ranked Southern Methodist University Monday, February 1, 2016 at Hofheinz Pavilion. Pollard connected on eight free throws in the 71-68 Houston win in a superb 23-point performance. less University of Houston senior forward Devonta Pollard lines up a free throw against 12th-ranked Southern Methodist University Monday, February 1, 2016 at Hofheinz Pavilion. Pollard connected on eight free throws ... more Photo: University Of Houston Athletics Photo: University Of Houston Athletics Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close COLLEGE HOOPS: Houston knocks off No. 12 SMU 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

HOUSTON - The University of Houston Cougars shocked the basketball world Monday night, knocking off 12th-ranked Southern Methodist University 71-68, buoyed by a stellar performance from senior forward Devonta Pollard.

Pollard finished with a game-high 23 points to spur on the Cougars, beating their highest-ranked opponent since 1996, when Houston took down third-ranked Memphis.

The Cougars enjoyed superb fan support all night, even when down by 11 to the Mustangs with 17:26 remaining in the second half. Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson suggested that the stretch following that game-high deficit, beginning with a contested layup by junior center Kyle Meyer, was a vital moment for his program, and a testament to the team’s character.

“There were a lot of turning points in this game,” Sampson said. ”One was when we got down 11, our fight. That’s part of our identity. Our kids stayed together. A lot of teams, when they play against a highly-ranked team, they back down. Our kids just don’t.”

The Houston fans mirrored the team’s resolve, staying loud and on their feet as the Cougars fought back from the double-digit margin. Southern Methodist head coach Larry Brown said that the energy in Hofheinz hearkened back to an earlier era of Houston basketball.

“This is like the old days, with the noise and the environment,” Brown said. “I think the first game I coached at [the University of Kansas in 1983] was against Phi Slama Jama. The atmosphere was very similar in a lot of ways.”

Pollard has suffered through several lackluster offensive performances, but shook them off, erasing all memory of those nights with his 7-of-13 shooting performance and 13 trips to the free throw line, where he connected on eight.

“There were a couple games where I couldn’t make a shot, couldn’t make a free throw,” Pollard said. “I just couldn’t do nothing offensively. As a basketball player, if you’re not strong mentally, that stuff starts to mess with your head. I just kept going in the gym in my off-time and working on my game.”

Pollard, unaccustomed to the raucous energy the Cougar faithful demonstrated Monday, thrived with the home crowd’s loud support.

“Having a great crowd helps your team, the energy,” Pollard said. “Me, myself, individually, I really haven’t been playing in front of a huge crowd all my life, so playing in front of a big crowd like that, it hypes me up and gets me ready to play.”

Sampson acknowledged that the fan support impacted the team and the game, and expressed his gratitude on behalf of a squad that has not experienced that level of backing.

“It makes a huge difference,” Sampson said. “I’m so happy that our kids get to experience that. Our coaching staff has experienced that, but [senior guard] LeRon Barnes hasn’t, Chicken [junior forward Danrad Knowles] hasn’t. I’m just real proud of our fans.”

Sampson found the fan turnout evocative, even poignant, bolstering a Houston team that, at 6-4 in American Athletic Conference play, now finds itself plausibly in sight of a first-round bye in the conference tournament.

“It almost brings a tear to your eye, because of where we were last year and earlier this year,” Sampson said. “Two things had to happen - style of play, and we had to win. Here we are in our second year, and we’re a game out of first place in the conference. Who’d have thought it?”

Houston travels to Tulsa Sunday, to take on a Golden Hurricanes team they just beat by 15 points two games ago. Sampson is confident that when the Cougars return to Hofheinz to take on Memphis on Feb. 10, the fans will return, too.

“Now that we’re winning, they’ll come back,” Sampson said. “The Louisiana State University game was a huge crowd, too, but tonight was our crowd. Those were our people. I was real proud of that. We’re going to get this thing going, and I’m excited about that.”