HOUSTON -- The Houston Cougars have been saying they have a team worthy of national consideration this year and tonight they will have a chance to prove it against the fifth-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes.
Houston and Iowa will meet in the finals of the Christmas Kettle Classic, having disposed of Mississippi State and Clemson Friday night.
The Cougars' high scoring guard, Rob Williams, tossed in 23 points to send Houston rolling past Mississippi State, 96-49, while Iowa came up with balanced scoring in having an easy time against Clemson, 80-68.
Iowa's cause could be hampered tonight since leading scorer Bob Hansen might have to miss the contest.
Hansen injured a foot late in the first half and was taken to a local hospital for precautionary x-rays. It was the same foot in which he suffered a stress fracture last spring.
The unbeaten Hawkeyes handed Clemson its first loss of the year with guard Kenny Arnold leading the way with 15 points. Seven Iowa players scored at least eight points.
Houston had to overcome a Mississippi State slowdown offense in the first half. But the Cougars ran off a 13-0 streak and then stormed past the Bulldogs, whose coach, Bob Boyd, was kicked out of the game with three technical fouls.
Boyd was ejected with 4:28 to go for arguing against Cougar players hanging on the rim following dunk shots. Houston was leading by 39 points when Boyd left the floor.
