Houston 54, Rice 52: TaShawn Thomas scored a game-high 16 points — including six in the final 2:11 — to lead the Cougars to a narrow win over their cross-town rival.

Brandon Morris added 10 points for Houston (8-5), which won despite shooting 2-of-7 from 3-point range and missing 14 free throws. Thomas also grabbed 10 rebounds, blocked three shots and recorded two steals in the contest.

Austin Ramljak led Rice (5-6) with 15 points, all on 3-pointers, and Sean Obi and Seth Gearhart each scored nine points. Gearhart had a team-best nine boards and Obi added seven as the Owls won the rebound battle, 40-36.

Rice took the early lead in the game, upping its advantage to as much as 10 eight minutes into the game. Houston responded with an 11-0 run to take back the lead, and neither team led by more than two the rest of the half, with the Cougars settling for a two-point lead at the break.

Houston was up for much of the second half, leading by as many as nine, but Rice finally took back the lead on Obi's layup with 2:56 to play. The Cougars responded, though, scoring six straight — four by Thomas — to take the lead for good.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Rice had its troubles shooting, finishing 30.5 percent from the field, including 10-of-26 from 3-point range. … Cougars freshman F Danrad Knowles had scored 37 points on 13-of-18 shooting in his previous two outings, but was 0-for-5 with two points against the Owls. … Houston upped its advantage in the all-time series to 61-18.