HOUSTON – No. 7/6 Houston used a 19-1 run early in the first half to break the game open and rolled to an 84-31 win over ULM in the season opener Monday night at the Fertitta Center.
 
ULM led 4-3 in the early going on a bucket by Savion Gallion, but Houston unleashed the 19-1 run, closing it out with 14 straight points by Damian Dunn, putting the Cougars on top, 22-5, with 10:01 left in the first half. The Warhawks never got closer than 13, 23-10, on a 3-pointer by Tyreke Locure with 8:20 left in the first half.
 
ULM shot just 28% (11-of-39) from the field, 19% (3-of-16) from 3-point range and made just 6 out of 17 free-throw attempts (35%) while getting outrebounded, 46-30, and committing 25 turnovers. UH shot 43% (26-of-61) from the floor and knocked down 11 treys while turning the ball over just 11 times.
 
Houston's Emanuel Sharp led all scorers with 20 points, including a 4-of-8 mark from 3-point range. Dunn added 18 points. ULM was paced by eight points from Gallion and seven from Locure.
 
ULM visits Central Michigan at 12 p.m. EST/11 a.m. CST Saturday in the MAC/Sun Belt Challenge.