HOUSTON, Texas (AP) – A tight game saw a four-game winning streak for Texas State (6-3) end as they were topped by Houston (4-2) 68-60 Wednesday night at the Fertitta Center.

The Cougars' sophomore guard Quentin Grimes led all players with 21 points while senior guard Nijal Pearson finished with 17 to lead the Bobcats.

Although the Bobcats went into intermission with a 29-28 lead, the turning point came when the Cougars ended the first half on a 5-0 burst and picked up where they left off by opening the second half on a 5-2 run, giving the home team a 33-31 lead that they would not relinquish. The Bobcats trimmed the lead to one-point on three different occasions but was not able to get over the hump.

Junior forward Fabian White Jr. had 15 points for Houston, sophomore guard Nate Hinton added 14 points and junior guard DeJon Jarreau had 12.

Sophomore guard Mason Harrell added 11 points, while sophomore forward Alonzo Sule rounded out the Bobcats' top scorers with 10 points.

RECORDS & SERIES NOTES
• The Bobcats trail 13-2 vs. Houston in the all-time series.
• It was the Bobcats first loss this season when leading at halftime (4-1).
• Pearson has 1,683 career points after the game at Houston and needs 159 more to move to No. 2 on the all-time scoring list.
• Pearson now has 611 career rebounds (No. 14 in program history), 317 career made free-throws (No. 6 in program history), and 147 career steals (No. 5 in program history).
 
TEAM NOTES
• Texas State's largest lead of the night came in the first half with the score at 29-23 with 1:17 remaining in the half prior to Houston's 5-0 run.
• Texas State held Houston well below its 86.0 scoring average and turned the Cougars over 11 times that translated into 13 points.
• The Bobcats were edged in field good percentage (.360-.340), 3-point field goal percentage (.280-.250) and free-throw percentage (.780-.720). The teams were tied in points in the paint (18) and fast-break points (11).
• The Cougars outrebounded the Bobcats 43-35. UH pulled down 14 offensive rebounds and had 12 second-chance points to TXST's three. TXST is now 1-3 this season when outrebounded.
• The Bobcats were outscored 40-31 in the second half.  
 
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
• Pearson has scored 13 or more points in every game this season and. He also recorded two rebounds and two steals.
• Harrell logged his fifth straight game with 10 or more points after scoring 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting in the setback. He led the Bobcats with four assists.
• Sule dropped 10 points, marking the second straight game the Houston native scored in double figures. He along with Junior forward Isiah Small paced the Bobcats with five rebounds. Small added seven points and a team-high two blocks.
• Although held scoreless, Houston's senior center Chris Harris Jr. had a game-high 12 rebounds and six blocks. Nine of his rebounds and all six blocks came in the second half.
 
UP NEXT
Texas State returns to San Marcos for the I-35 rivalry vs. UTSA at 4 p.m. on Dec. 7 at Strahan Arena.
 
WHAT THEY SAID
Head coach Danny Kaspar
"Our guys played very hard and our defense overall was pretty good. Houston's size advantage hurt us, particularly on the offensive boards. I was proud of our effort tonight, however, and we lost a close one on the road to a very good basketball team."
 
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