University of Houston Athletics
Jones Leads No. 17 Houston Past No. 13 TCU
2/27/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
HOUSTON (AP) - Chandi Jones scored 26 points and made four free throws in the final 24 seconds to help 17th-ranked Houston win the Conference USA regular-season championship with a 76-71 victory Friday night over No. 13 Texas Christian.
Houston (24-3, 13-1) trailed 50-38 with 17:03 left, but the Lady Cougars ended the game by outscoring TCU 38-21. The Lady Frogs (22-5, 11-3) lost despite 21 points, 19 rebounds and seven blocks by Sandora Irvin.
Houston took its first lead with 9:07 remaining when Nicole Oliver connected on two free throws.
The Cougars led by six points with 35 seconds remaining when TCU's Kim Ortega hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 71-68. TCU had a chance to tie, but Adrianne Ross threw up an air ball that Jones rebounded.
Jones hit two free throws on the other end, and after Tiffany Evans missed a 3-point attempt for TCU, Jones hit two more free throws to seal the win.
Sancho Lyttle added 14 points and seven rebounds for Houston, and Oliver scored 14 points. Ortega added 17 points for TCU.
TCU led by as many as 12 points in the first half and had a 43-34 edge at the break.
