While Harvard was led by the guy that Amaker has deemed “the best player” on the team, Saunders found consistent support from the role players that surrounded him, both on the perimeter and in the paint.

Moundou-Missi and Miller, particularly, gelled with Saunders on the court on Tuesday. While No. 14 Moundou-Missi had 14 points and 14 rebounds, the sophomore gunner drained four of the six three-pointers he attempted, totaling 12 points on the night.

For Miller, Tuesday’s contest looked as if it were the first time since returning from his two-year mission that he was truly in his shooting rhythm. And with the clock running down in the first period, he showcased the form that led him to be known as a sharpshooter three seasons ago.

With 20 seconds to play before intermission, Chambers held the ball near the half-court circle. The point guard handed off the rock to Saunders on the right wing, who missed a contested shot with just ticks remaining on the clock. Moundou-Missi was able to tip the rebound out to Chambers, who immediately sent it to Miller. The sophomore had been waiting on the right wing and didn’t hesitate to release the ball as soon as it touched his fingers. He let it go just in time, and the ball was still in the air when the halftime buzzer rang.  

“I thought that [shot] was big,” Amaker said. “That [led to] a momentum change…[to] momentum switching to our side.”

Moundou-Missi also made noise by hitting timely shots. After the Cougars had scored consecutive buckets to cut the Crimson’s lead to 11, Moundou-Missi matched his opponents by knocking in two straight baskets of his own. With 15:30 remaining in the game, Saunders drove on the baseline and found Moundou-Missi waiting in the opposite corner, about 17 feet from the hoop. Showcasing a deeper range than normal, the forward proceeded to sink the long jumper.

Then, on just the following possession, Moundou-Missi slipped behind Houston’s 6’10” big man Danrad Knowles to collect an offensive rebound, stuffing the ball home without ever touching the floor.

“I think when you think of Steve’s growth throughout his time here, I think of confidence,” Amaker said. “He’s playing like a senior…[and that’s] very encouraging.”

The Cougars didn’t come closer than 14 points the rest of the way.

—Staff writer Juliet Spies-Gans can be reached at juliet.spies-gans@thecrimson.com.