Box Score Houston, TX—The UC Riverside Men's Basketball Team struggled through one of its toughest shooting nights of the season Tuesday evening, and never quite found its rhythm as Houston Baptist upended the Highlanders, 72-59.

UCR (5-5) missed seven of its first eight shots, and committed six personal fouls in the first seven minutes, allowing the Huskies to take an early 15-6 lead. After a 7-0 Highlanders' run sliced the lead to two, Houston Baptist (4-6) rattled off nine straight and took a 10-point lead into the locker room, 33-23. That marked the lowest first-half scoring output of the season for UC Riverside.

The Highlanders had particular difficulty scoring from long distance where they missed all eight of their attempts in the first. Jaylen Bland, who ranks sixth in the nation in made three-pointers per game, was zero for three from beyond the arc in the first 20 minutes of play.

Although UCR put together a handful of mini-runs in the second, the Highlanders were never able to get closer than six. UC Riverside shot 32.8 percent from the field, and 15.0 percent from three-point range on the night—both season lows.

Anthony Odunsi came up just short of a triple-double for HBU with 18 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. Three other Huskies scored in double figures—Josh Ibarra (18), Jourdan Stickler (13), and Reveal Chukwujekwu (11).

Taylor Johns led the Highlanders with 16 points, followed by Bland with 14 and Gentrey Thomas with 10.

UC Riverside remains in the Lone Star State this week as they travel to Abilene Christian for a Friday, December 18 meeting with the Wildcats. TIp is slated for 5 pm PT.