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HOUSTON (AP) -- Oliver Lafayette scored 23 points, including eight straight in a span of 39 seconds, to lead Houston to a 77-67 win over BYU on Wednesday night in the first round of the NIT.
Houston (21-9) went on a 12-2 run to open a 48-30 advantage.
Lafayette connected on a 3-pointer, scored off an inbounds steal and nailed another 3-pointer to turn a 37-28 Houston lead into a 45-30 cushion just 2:35 into the second half. Ramon Dyer then followed with another 3-pointer for the Cougars.
BYU (20-9) was led by Trent Plaisted's 18 points.
Houston will face the winner of Friday's Stanford-Missouri State game.
The Cougars trailed by as many as six points in the first half, but used a 13-0 run to turn a 21-19 lead into a 34-19 cushion about three minutes before halftime. Lanny Smith scored five points during the run.
BYU scored the game's first six points and held Houston scoreless for the first four minutes but could never regain the lead after the quick start.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
