March Madness 2022: Kyler Edwards scores 25 to power Houston past UAB in NCAA opener

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Houston looks like a problem again.

A Final Four team a year ago, the Cougars played like a group capable of making another deep run this March as they opened the NCAA Tournament with an 82-68 win over UAB on Friday night.

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Offensively, Houston can light up the scoreboard with highlight-reel plays. Defensively, these Cougars are pretty ferocious cats.

"Their reputation precedes them," UAB coach Andy Kennedy said. "They give you nothing easy. They’re tenacious off the glass. They’re disruptive."

UAB's Michael Ertel, center, looks to get the ball past Houston's Fabian White Jr. (35) and Kyler Edwards (11) as they defend during the first half of a college basketball game in the first round of the NCAA tournament, Friday, March 18, 2022, in Pittsburgh.  (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

They're moving on.

Kyler Edwards scored 25 points, Fabian White Jr. added 14 and Houston's defense clamped down in the second half to make things even tougher on UAB's leading scorer, Jordan "Jelly" Walker, who made 1 of 10 3-pointers.

Edwards, who played three years at Texas Tech before transferring to Houston this season, made six 3-pointers — the last an exclamation point in the final minute — and controlled the fast tempo along with Jamal Shead, who had seven assists.

The Cougars (30-5) advanced in the South Region and will play fourth-seeded Illinois on Sunday for a spot in the Sweet 16. The Fighting Illini rallied to beat Chattanooga 54-53 and avoid a second straight early-round exit.

Houston doesn't have a single starter left from last year's team, which lost to eventual champion Baylor. But that's hardly declawed