COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Houston drops fourth straight conference game

University of Houston sophomore guard Wes VanBeck drives on University of South Florida senior forward Jaleel Cousins, younger brother of NBA star DeMarcus Cousins, in a 71-62 Houston loss at Hofheinz Pavilion Saturday, January 23, 2016. VanBeck scored 15 points in the contest and was relentless in driving to the rim. less University of Houston sophomore guard Wes VanBeck drives on University of South Florida senior forward Jaleel Cousins, younger brother of NBA star DeMarcus Cousins, in a 71-62 Houston loss at Hofheinz Pavilion ... more Photo: Tony Gaines Photo: Tony Gaines Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Houston drops fourth straight conference game 1 / 5 Back to Gallery

HOUSTON - The University of Houston Cougars lost their fourth straight game and second straight at home Saturday afternoon to the University of South Florida Bulls 71-62.

The Cougars were facing a shorthanded Bulls team, who suited up only seven players for the contest. Their record prior to Saturday’s contest was 3-17 and they were 0-7 in American Athletic Conference play.

The Cougars had offered credible efforts against top-shelf AAC teams the past three games, most recently hanging tough with then eighth-ranked Southern Methodist University on the road, but came out flat against South Florida, shooting 27 percent from the floor in the first half.

Houston also hit just one of 11 three-point attempts and shot 58 percent from the free throw line and trailed 32-22 after the first half.

Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson clearly did not appreciate the effort he was getting from his squad, because he ultimately played 12 different players in the first half.

Of the starters, only junior forward Danrad “Chicken” Knowles was effective, scoring 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting and logging seven boards. The rest of the starting lineup struggled mightily, with junior guard Ronnie Johnson, senior guard LeRon Barnes and junior guard Damyean Dotson combining to score only 19 points on 5-of-21 shooting, roughly 24 percent. Sampson claimed full responsibility for the loss after the game.

“We played Cincinatti tough,” Sampson said. “We played Connecticut tough. We played SMU tough. Then we come home today and we got off to such a poor start shooting the basketball. We’ve just got to do a better job of getting our guys ready to play. When things are going like this, you don’t look any further than the head coach. I take responsibility for this. I’ve got to do a better job of getting them ready to play, and putting them in a position to be successful.”

When asked to what he attributed the loss, Sampson demurred, simply saying that, as a team, the Cougars did not approach the game properly.

“I’m not big on excuses,” Sampson said. “You only get to play thirty of these games. Individually, they’re all important. I’m not into excuses. Everything starts with effort and enthusiasm and energy. We didn’t come out and play this one the right way.”

Reaching deep into his bench early to try to find a spark meant that Sampson got to see extended minutes from players who might not ordinarily even see the floor, most notably sophomore guard and Westside High School alum Wes VanBeck. VanBeck, a Houston fan favorite, made the most of his opportunity, scoring 15 points, dishing four assists and grabbing two rebounds in 23 minutes of play.

Sampson often explains that basketball is a simple game, and he had a simple explanation for why he went to the sophomore guard with the offense slumping.

“I was just looking for somebody that could make an open shot, really,” Sampson said. “Wes has been our best shooter every day in practice. I’ve seen how hard he works on his own. Sometimes you’ve got to reward a kid.”

Sampson explained that this team cannot rely on exceptional contributions from role players, though, if it hopes to be successful. The team’s fortunes rest squarely on the shoulders of its best players.

“Guys like [senior forward] Devonta Pollard, [sophomore guard] Rob Gray Jr., who were playing great early in the year, we have to have those guys,” Sampson said. “They’re good players. For this team to be a good team, our best players have to play well.”

With the loss, the Cougars fall to 3-4 in conference play and face another tough opponent in Tulsa Wednesday at Hofheinz. Sampson says this team is far from giving up, despite four tough losses in a row, and has a simple answer to its woes.

“I’ve always been a grinder,” Sampson said. “We’ll grind our way through this. There’s not going to be any white towels coming from over here. The answer to most problems is usually to work harder and stay together. That’s how these things get resolved.”