LAS VEGAS (AP) — Emanuel Sharp scored 17 points to lead No. 3 Houston to a 66-56 victory over Notre Dame on Wednesday in the consolation game of the Players Era Championship.
Houston (7-1), which had its season-opening six-game win streak halted in the tournament's second round against No. 17 Tennessee 76-73, opened with a 26-4 run against Notre Dame (5-3) and withstood a late comeback try by the Irish.
Milos Uzon scored 15 points and Joseph Tugler added 10 before fouling out for Houston.
Markus Burton led Notre Dame with 19 points and Jalen Haralson added 14.
Houston led by 22 points with 5:21 remaining in the first half and led 39-25 at the break. The Irish went on a 10-point run midway through the second half that cut a 14-point lead to four with 12:16 left in the game. However, Notre Dame never got closer.
Houston had been 1-1 in the first two tournament games, a two-point win over Syracuse and the loss to Tennessee. The fast start in the finale came as Joseph Tugler hit a short jumper and a layup to start the game, followed by another layup by Uzon.
Notre Dame broke the streak when Haralson scored on a fast-break layup with 15:20 left in the half. Houston then went on a 10-0 run to go up 16-2. Sharp scored five points to start the run and Uzon added a 3-pointer.
Up next
Houston: Hosts Florida State on Saturday, Dec. 6 Notre Dame: Hosts Missouri on Tuesday.
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