HOUSTON – LSU senior guard Keith Hornsby did everything he could in his 2015 season debut, but it wasn’t enough at the end of a wild Sunday afternoon road trip to Houston.
Hornsby recorded a career-high 32 points and hit a three-pointer with seven seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime. But the Tigers (4-4) couldn’t contain Cougar guard Rob Gray Jr., as Houston outlasted LSU, 105-98, in overtime at Hofheinz Pavilion.
“It’s tough to win games when you give up 100 points,” said LSU coach Johnny Jones. “Tonight, that’s exactly what we did. Scored enough – 98 – but just didn’t do a great enough job on the defensive end.”
After missing the first seven games of the season after a medical procedure, Hornsby led all scorers, shooting 10-of-17 from the field and 6-of-10 from behind the arc. Despite his sixth straight double-double, freshman forward Ben Simmons fouled out with 2:41 left in regulation, and Houston outscored LSU, 21-14, in the extra period.
“The past few practices, we’ve been going really hard on defense,” Hornsby said. “It’s unfortunate that we didn’t play very well on the defensive end tonight. The only thing we can do is try to get after it. We have to have more urgency. It seems like sometimes we give up too many possessions, and it’s going to have to start the next day.”
Due to an 11-day break for finals week, it was the Tigers’ first appearance since a 119-108 win against North Florida on Dec. 2 and just their second true road game after 70-58 loss at the College of Charleston on Nov. 30. 
LSU entered halftime trailing by nine points due to an 0-for-8 finish from the field in the final seven minutes of the half. The Tigers, though, went on 16-4 run to open up the second period, taking a 52-51 lead on a Hornsby triple with 15:14 left in the game.
Despite LSU’s best efforts on the offensive end, Houston led for the majority of the second half, responding to seemingly every advantage the Tigers had. In total, the Cougars (6-2) out-rebounded LSU, 46-33, and scored 20 second-chance points for the game.
“We’ve been struggling rebounding all season,” Jones said. “We’ve just haven’t done a good job…It’s an area we got to continue to address. We’re hopeful we can improve because that’s where we’re getting hurt. They had a 11 offensive rebounds at the half, and I thought that was difference in the halftime score.”
The Tigers were able to stay in the game late due to Houston’s 8-for-16 clip from the free throw line in the second half, including a miss from forward Devonta Pollard with 14 seconds left.
Pollard’s miss on the second of two attempts paved the way for Hornsby’s triple to push the game into overtime, tied at 84 apiece. 
“It was simple play,” Hornsby said. “Just something we do in practice, the type shot I shoot a lot. It was a good look, good screen. It’s disappointing. It was good shot, but we go into overtime and kind of settle a little bit. Part of that is on me.”
But Gray Jr., who finished 10-for-19 field and 9-of-9 from the charity stripe, scored 11 of his 31 points in overtime.
“[Gray Jr.] got couple good looks at the basket,” said junior guard Tim Quarterman. “Couple of good floaters. His jumper – you got to respect his jumper – so when you close out, he got a couple of tough drives. I guess the help didn’t come over quick enough. They all can shoot pretty well. He just got into the teeth of our defense and made plays.”
Houston center Danrad Knowles, who also fouled out, had 20 points and guard Damyean Dotson chipped in a double-double, offsetting a 27-point, 10-rebounding outing from Quarterman.
LSU sophomore guard Jalyn Patterson did not play due to a leg injury.