Dedan Thomas Jr. scores 16 points and No. 10 Houston opens season with 94-55 win over La Salle
Houston guard Dedan Thomas Jr. (9) drives between La Salle forward Noah Collier, left, and forward Vice Zanki, right, during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, in Houston. Credit: AP/Kevin M. Cox
HOUSTON — Dedan Thomas Jr. scored 16 points, Corey Hadnot II added 14 and No. 10 Houston opened its season with a 94-55 win over La Salle on Monday night.
Delrecco Gillespie had 13 points — 11 in the first half — and Chase McCarty scored all 10 of his points in the opening 20 minutes as the Cougars built a 43-23 halftime lead. Arafan Diane also scored 10 for Houston.
The Cougars shot 54% and outrebounded the Explorers 47-32. Houston also turned 19 turnovers into 25 points and had a 44-10 scoring advantage in the paint.
Kam Burton scored 15 points and Devin Booker added 12 for the Explorers. La Salle shot 25% and went 8 of 39 on 3-pointers.
The teams combined for 46 fouls, three technicals and one flagrant foul. Houston finished 27 of 37 from the free-throw line, while La Salle was 17 of 23.
Houston took a 20-3 lead on a layup by Braden East with 11 minutes left in the first half. La Salle responded with an 8-0 run to cut the lead to nine on a 3-pointer by Burton.
The Cougars outscored La Salle 23-12 to end the half, with McCarty scoring his 10 points over the final nine minutes.
Houston head coach Kelvin Sampson argues a call during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against La Salle, Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, in Houston. Credit: AP/Kevin M. Cox
Up next
La Salle: Hosts Long Island on Saturday.
Houston: Faces California in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, on Sunday night.
