University of Houston Athletics
University of Houston
Miami (Fla.)
Lady Cougars Advance to WNIT Quarterfinals with Win Over Miami
3/16/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
March 16, 2002
The University of Houston Lady Cougars entered Saturday (March 16) night's contest with a three-game winning streak against the visiting Miami Hurricanes, and with a strong defensive effort by the entire squad, highlighted by senior Val Muoneke's career-high four blocks, the Lady Cougars posted their second straight post-season win by downing the Hurricanes by a final of 83-76 in the second round of the 2002 Women's National Invitational Tournament (WNIT) at Hofheinz Pavilion.
With the win, Houston improves its overall season record to 24-7 -- their second-highest win total in school history -- and advances to the quarterfinal round and will travel to Valparaiso, Indiana, to take on the Crusaders of the Mid-Continent Conference on Wednesday, March 20, with tip-off time to be determined.
After Miami struck first and jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead from tip-off, both schools battled back and forth the remainder of the first half. Muoneke, who finished the night with her second consecutive double-double and fifth overall on the season with 18 points and 14 rebounds, bucketed 14 in the first half to aid in Houston's surge.
With Miami carrying a two-point advantage at 35-33 with just 21 second remaining to the half, Muoneke tipped in a missed shot by sophomore standout Chandi Jones to tie the contest at 35 a piece as both teams headed to the locker room.
Jones gave Houston their first lead of the night at 46-45 with 16:21 left in regulation on a trey, yet the Hurricanes would continue to battle. Freshman Shondra Bush, who for the ninth straight game racked up double figures in points with 20 on the night, once again tied the game, 50-50, on a lay up with 13:33 left.
As the clock wound down to the three-minute mark, Houston carried a slim 72-68 advantage as Miami's Shaquana Williams turned the ball over to Muoneke, who then passed the ball to Bush. Bush sailed in a three-pointer to put the Lady Cougars up by eight. With 1:18 left, Miami's Sheila James, who led her team with 18 points in the game, pulled the Hurricanes closer on a lay up before Jones, the game's leading scorer with 22 overall on the night, sunk another jumper.
Joining Jones, Muoneke, and Bush in double figures in points for the Lady Cougars was freshman KiKi Harris with 13. In addition to Jones' game-leading 22 points, she added a game-high seven assists and six rebounds. Meanwhile, sophomore Nicole Oliver, who returned to the court in Houston's win over Rice in the first round on March 13 after suffering a twisted ankle, shot 3-for-4 from the field for seven points and had two assists and two steals.
The win was Houston's 24th of the year, the most wins in a single season since posting a school record 26 (26-15) during the 1977-78 campaign. In addition, their current .774 winning percentage is the best in their 27-year history. The win also marks the first time Houston has won back-to-back games in five overall visits to the post-season.
