Dedan Thomas Jr. had 20 points and eight assists for the second straight game, and No. 10 Houston turned the lane into private property Sunday, beating California 86-68 in the inaugural Caesars Lake Tahoe Classic.
The lake got the postcards. The Cougars got the paint.
Houston outscored the Golden Bears 50-24 inside at Tahoe Blue Event Center and ended a drought that dated to Dec. 9, 1997, the last time it beat California, 54-51 at Hofheinz Pavilion. The Cougars (2-0) shot 52% and held California to 44%. They finished with 14 steals and seven blocks, and 16 California turnovers became 22 Houston points.
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Thomas, a senior point guard, matched his opening-night line. Senior forward Jo Jo Tugler scored 16 points and blocked four shots. Senior forward Delrecco Gillespie had 13 points and eight rebounds. Sophomore forward Chase McCarty made three 3-pointers and scored 11, giving Houston four players in double figures.
The Cougars led from the opening minutes and went up 43-32 at halftime. Midway through the second half, the margin reached 23. California (2-1) answered with a 14-4 run to cut it to 13, but Houston never let the lead drop below double digits.
Gillespie’s milestone arrived quietly. His layup early in the second half pushed him past 1,000 career points. The Benton Harbor, Mich., native scored 984 in four seasons at Kent State before transferring to Houston in the summer. He crossed the mark in his second game as a Cougar.
Graduate guard Chendall Weaver made his Houston debut with a legal asterisk. The Arlington, Texas, native was cleared to play after a Texas district court granted a temporary restraining order earlier in the week. He finished with six points, six rebounds, three of them offensive, and three steals.
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Mady Cooper led California with 19 points and five 3-pointers. Jordan Ross added 15 points and five assists. The Golden Bears made just 9 of 26 from beyond the arc.
Houston coach Kelvin Sampson improved to 831-361 in his career and 332-91 at Houston. He is 10-7 against California and has won four straight in the series. The victory moved him into a tie for 12th in NCAA history among Division I coaches with at least 10 seasons, alongside Cliff Ellis. It was his first meeting with California coach Mark Madsen.
Houston returns to Fertitta Center to host Jacksonville State at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11 and will air on ESPN +
