University of Houston
8-1
Louisville
8-5
Cougars Keep Rolling with 92-80 Victory Over Louisville
12/19/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 19, 2010
Stats | Quotes | Box Score (pdf) | Season Stats (pdf)
LAS VEGAS - Five players scored in double figures as the University of Houston women's basketball team won their fourth-straight contest with a 92-80 victory over Louisville Sunday afternoon at the Duel in the Desert Tournament in Las Vegas, Nev.
Porsche Landry led the Cougars (8-1) with 21 points off 6-of-14 shooting from the field and an 8-of-10 effort from the free-throw line. Landry handed out five assists, marking the sixth-straight game with at least five dimes, while also pulling down four rebounds.
Jasmine Johnson made a huge impact spelling Landry at the point guard position, posting a career-high 15 points in only 13 minutes of action. Johnson, who had only scored eight points in four games this season, was 5-of-7 from the field and 4-of-4 from the charity stripe.
Brittney Scott rattled off 16 points, going 5-of-10 from the field, including a 3-of-6 effort from 3-point range, and 3-of-3 from the free-throw line. Scott also handed out three assists and swiped two steals in 32 minutes.
Courtney Taylor missed a double-double for only the second time this season with 13 points and six rebounds, while Brittany Mason posted a season-high 10 points to go with a team-high eight boards.
Lesslee Mason chipped in with eight points and five rebounds, while Roxana Button and Allie Henderson each added four points apiece.
The Cougars jumped out to a 19-8 lead at the 13:55 mark of the first half behind back-to-back 3-point buckets from Button and Scott. The Cardinals quickly answered with a 14-2 run to take its first and only lead with 10:44 remaining in the opening half.
With the contest knotted at 32 points apiece with 6:50 remaining, the Cougars outscored Louisville by an18-5 margin and held the Cardinals to only one field goal over the final 4:23 to hold a 50-37 lead at the break.
Louisville (8-5) could only climb to within 11 points in the second half before Houston answered back to keep a comfortable lead.
With the Cougars leading 63-50, Johnson converted an acrobatic layup and Taylor followed with a trey to push the margin back to 18 points. The Cardinals battled back to 14 points before Taylor buried another shot from downtown to end the threat.
Houston led by as many as 25 points with less than six minutes remaining before the Cardinals made one final push to cut the lead in half.
Monique Reid led Louisville with 27 points and 10 rebounds, while Shoni Schimmel added 23 points.
The Cougars shot a season-high 50 percent (31-of-62) from the field and knocked down a season-best nine treys on 16 attempts (56 percent).
Louisville shot 43 percent (27-of-63) from the field, despite going just 4-of-16 (32 percent) from beyond the arc.
Houston lost the rebounding battle by a 42-34 margin, while forcing 21 turnovers on 11 steals.
The Cougars wrap up play in Las Vegas at 6:00 p.m. CT, Monday against Marist.
NOTES
*The Cougars improved to 8-1 this season, marking only the fifth time in program history Houston has won eight of its first nine contests.
*Todd Buchanan has tied for the best start for a first-year head coach, as Greg Williams' Cougars also began the 1985-86 season 8-1.
*The Cougars improved to 3-9 all-time against Louisville and 1-1 against the Cardinals at a neutral site.
*Senior forward Courtney Taylor made her 92nd-career start to move into third place all-time, while swiping three steals to push her career total to 177, which ranks eighth in Houston history.
*Senior guard made her 70th-straight start on Sunday, which dates back to the beginning of the 2008-09 season.
