University of Houston
-179, 95 CUSA
Tulsa
-719, 311 CUSA
Tulsa Spoils Women's Basketball Home Finale, 59-55
2/22/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 22, 2009
HOUSTON - The Conference USA Championship aspirations of the University of Houston women's basketball team took a major blow Sunday as the Cougars dropped a 59-55 decision to Tulsa at Hofheinz Pavilion during the team's home finale.
The setback drops UH's overall record to 17-9 this season and its C-USA mark to 9-5, one game behind SMU, Southern Miss and UTEP, who lead the standings with 10-4 league records. Tulsa, meanwhile, captured its first road win of the season to improve to 7-19 overall and 3-11 in conference play.
The first career double-double by sophomore forward Brittany Mason was one of the few bright spots for the Cougars on the day as the LaPorte, Texas, native scored 10 points and hauled down 10 rebounds. Sophomore forward Courtney Taylor was the only other UH player in double-figure scoring as she narrowly missed a double-double of her own with a game-high 18 points to go along with nine rebounds.
Early shooting woes plagued the Cougars as after Cobilyn Hill made a lay-up on the game's opening possession, UH misfired on its next eight field goal opportunities, leaving Tulsa up by a score of 6-2 with 17:12 on the clock.
Trailing 8-6 with 13:32 to play, the Cougars went on a 7-0 run to take a 11-8 advantage, but the momentum soon swung back to the visitors as they claimed seven of the game's next nine points to take a 15-13 advantage with 7:52 to play.
A Roxana Button three pointer put the Cougars back in front 16-15 on the next trip down the court and the teams exchanged the lead three more times in the half before both squads went to the intermission with the game deadlocked at 26-26.
Neither team was able to establish much offensive rhythm in the game's opening 20 minutes, which featured 21 combined turnovers, including 10 by the home standing Cougars. The shooting percentages for both squads were less than desired at the break, with UH making just 11-of-31 field goals (35.5 percent) and Tulsa converting 11-of-32 chances (34.4 percent).
Following halftime, the Golden Hurricane tried to wrestle control of the game away from the Cougars by retaking the court with intensity and outscoring Houston 12-2. The spurt left the Cougars down 38-28 15:10 and force a timeout by UH head coach Joe Curl.
Three straight TU turnovers allowed the Cougars to retake the lead at 42-41 on a Mason jumper with 9:10 to play, but the game remained a back-and-forth affair.
Porsche Landry's steal and lay-up put the Cougars up in the game again, this time 46-45 with 5:23 to play and a pair of free throws by Taylor pushed the home lead to three, but the Golden Hurricane would step up their game in the closing moments.
Tulsa, which had been 0-for-5 from beyond the three-point arc, good two big long distance shots from Tatum Beer and one from ReShawndra Jackson that highlighted a 14-7 Golden Hurricane run to end the game.
The Cougars shot just 35 percent (21-of-60) for the game, which featured nine ties and 13 lead changes.
Houston will conclude the regular season on the road next weekend as it travels to games at Marshall and East Carolina.
