Houston’s Drexler Returns to Scene of His Prime

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Clyde Drexler and the Houston Cougars finally got another win in The Pit.

In its first appearance on the same floor where it lost the 1983 national championship game to Jim Valvano’s North Carolina State team, Houston defeated Portland State, 79-67, Monday night in the first round of the Lobo Invitational.

Houston (5-5) was scheduled to play No. 15 New Mexico (9-1) in Tuesday night’s championship game. New Mexico reached the championship game of its tournament for the 33rd time in its 35-year history with a 93-67 win over New Hampshire.

Drexler, the former NBA superstar, is in his first season as the head coach of his alma mater. Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon were the stars of Phi Slama Jama Houston team that beat Louisville in the 1983 Final Four semifinals, then lost to North Carolina State, 54-52, on Lorenzo Charles’ last-second dunk.

“It’s nostalgic,” a smiling Drexler said of his and the Cougars’ return to the site of what ranks as the school’s toughest loss. “A lot of good memories and some bad ones.”

The Cougars, with only one senior on the squad, have struggled this season while playing a tough schedule. They were blown out by No. 3 Cincinnati (115-78) last week and by North Carolina State (100-73) on Dec. 12.

On Tuesday, they played a New Mexico team that has won 36 consecutive games at home against non-Western Athletic Conference opponents. Being the underdog, says Drexler, doesn’t concern him.

“Good competition makes you better,” Drexler said. “I want to play the best competition every night. That’s our goal.”

It is not New Mexico’s.

Despite its national ranking, New Mexico to date has played one of the softest schedules in the country and has done it by hardly leaving The Pit. In its only road game thus far, New Mexico lost 70-61 to Washington on Christmas Eve.

The diplomatic Drexler, however, would not knock the Lobos’ schedule.

“They’re worthy of their national accolades and we’ll have our hands full,” he said. “They’ve got players that can shoot some NBA threes and a solid inside game. They’ve got a good combo.”

New Mexico used the combination of center Kenny Thomas and guard Kevin Henry to rout New Hampshire.

Henry hit seven three-point baskets and scored a career-high 27 points, while Thomas had a career-high 18 rebounds in 29 minutes.

Thomas, who played with a sprained right thumb, had no trouble dominating inside against the Wildcats, who lost their sixth in a row.

New Hampshire (2-6) made 13 three-point baskets, with Carmen Maciariello making five of them and Austin Ganly four. Maciariello finished with 20 points and Ganly scored 12.

Gee Gervin, the son of former San Antonio Spurs guard George Gervin, teamed with freshman Torrance Botts to lead a second half rally that gave Houston the win over Portland State (6-3).

Gervin scored 20 points and Botts got all of his 14 points in the final 20 minutes. Kenny Younger also scored 20 points for the Cougars.

The Cougars took their first lead at 62-61 on a three-point basket by Botts with 4:29 left. That came early in 13-3 run by Houston, during which Botts made two three-point baskets and Gervin contributed an 18-foot jump shot. Another three-point basket by Botts ended the run and put the Cougars up 70-61 with 2:40 left.