University of Houston
(4-2)
Alabama
(2-3)
Defense the Key in Lady Cougar Win Over Alabama
1/4/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 4, 2003
HOUSTON - All-American junior Chandi Jones posted her third double-double of the season and Shondra Bush had a career-high 24 points as the University of Houston women's basketball team defeated Alabama 68-62 Saturday afternoon at Hofheinz Pavilion. The victory was the fifth in a row at home for the Lady Cougars (8-3, 0-0 C-USA), who now lead the all-time series against the Crimson Tide (10-3, 0-0 SEC) 2-1.
Bush led all scorers with a career-high 24 points and had five of Houston's 10 steals in just 25 minutes of play. Jones, a two-time 2002 Conference USA Player of the Week and the 2002 C-USA Player of the Year, posted her third double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Nicole Oliver was the other Lady Cougar to score in double figures, adding 10 points and six rebounds.
Alabama was led by Jamilah Johns who had a double-double of her own, shooting 8-9 from the floor and 4-4 from the charity stripe for 20 points and 10 boards. Katie Sipe was 4-9 from behind he arc for 12 points and Beth Vice added 10 points in the loss.
Houston took the lead early on a Tide turnover and the score remained within a basket until Alabama scored seven unanswered points to take the lead 20-15 at the 10:07 mark. Jones answered with five points of her own and the Lady Cougars regained the lead with four minutes remaining. Houston made four free throws and Bush nailed a three-pointer to give her team a six point lead, 35-29, at the half.
The Lady Cougars led by as many as nine in the second half as Alabama threatened late with a 6-0 run of its own and came within two, 62-60 with only four minutes to go. Bush repeated two good free throws and Houston kept the Tide scoreless for three and a half minutes. Both teams scored 33 points in the second half, but it wasn't enough for the Tide, who fell 62-68.
Defense was key for Houston, who racked up 10 steals in the contest and scored 28 points on 19 Crimson Tide turnovers. The Lady Cougars are 3-1 against SEC opponents this season, also defeating No. 20 Georgia and Florida and dropping to No. 13 Mississippi State. The win marked Houston's third in a row and fifth straight at home.
The Lady Cougars will travel to Tulsa, Okla., to face Oral Roberts Tuesday at 7 p.m. in non-conference match up. Action will return to Hofheinz as Houston hosts TCU in its conference opener Jan. 12 at 2 p.m.
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