University of Houston Athletics
Former Rivals On Cusp of Career Milestones
1/18/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 18, 2011
HOUSTON - University of Houston women's basketball senior Courtney Taylor is only seven rebounds shy of the all-time school rebound record, while teammate Brittney Scott needs just two 3-pointers to own the title. With the seniors closing in on these career milestones, UHCougars.com reflects back on when these two student-athletes first met.
By Alissa Bauer
Brittney Scott wouldn't mind if she forgot the first time she met Courtney Taylor.
Taylor was donning a Crockett High School uniform. Scott was across the court in her Orange Stark High School gear. Both were on the Sam Houston State campus in Huntsville, Texas, at the 2007 Texas 3A Girls' Basketball Regional Tournament.
Taylor was the Regional Tournament MVP. Scott was named to the Regional All-Tournament team. Taylor went on to play in the state championship. Scott's season ended that day.
At the hands of Taylor.
"Even our posts weren't guarding her," Scott said. "She was just jumping over people. I was mad the whole game."
Scott still shakes her head at Taylor, who rarely misses the opportunity to remind her of the winner on the tournament t-shirt Scott still throws on occasionally. The Orange, Texas, native broke down the regional playoff game quickly and easily.
"Courtney had people on her team that were scoring," Scott said. "I didn't."
The senior duo and members of the 1,000-point club on the University of Houston's women's basketball team enjoy a fantastic rapport as teammates, but their relationship started as enemies.
Appropriately for two of Houston's most successful players, the only time Scott's Mustangs and Taylor's Bulldogs met on the court was for the most important game of their high school careers.
The 2007 3A Regional Playoffs gave Taylor and her Crockett High School teammates the chance to play for a state title. Although her team came up just short of the honor and Scott's team ended their run at the regional, the two vividly remember that first meeting.
"I was mad about the game," Scott said. "But it was also nice to see that there was some talent coming to the University with me. I knew it was going to be something good."
The ladies weren't the only ones noticing each other. Scott averaged 36 points per game in her senior season, while Taylor claimed District MVP honors in the same year.
"After we played in that tournament, everybody in my family and my hometown said they thought it was good that I was going to play with her," Taylor said. "On my high school team, there was never a guard as good as her. I knew I would be able to come here and play just my position without worrying about somebody else's."
Taylor entered the prestigious 1,000-point club on January 24, 2010 with a 16-point performance against UAB. Scott joined her teammate during the last game of the season, when she led the team with 29 points against Texas Tech in the WNIT opener. The pair is the first 1,000-point scorers to play on the same team since the 1985-86 season.
Scott regarded hitting that milestone as an honor, while Taylor found it surprising.
"It's a good thing," Taylor said. "But it's something that I didn't even know that they did until people were like `Oh you reached 1,000 points!' I didn't even know there was something that goes in record books, I'm just glad that it means that we're contributing to the team."
Contributing to the team is a slight understatement for what this tandem has done. A two-time First-Team All-Conference USA member and last season's selection for C-USA Player of the Year, Taylor averaged a double-double a year ago (15.1 ppg, 10.0 rpg).
Scott has started 78 consecutive games and led the Cougars in scoring (17.3 ppg) during her junior campaign en route to being named Second Team All-Conference.
"Their chemistry together is really special," head coach Todd Buchanan said. "They're always looking for one another. It doesn't just end on the basketball court. It's incredible off the floor, too. That's truly a blessing and a key for us. Hopefully this year we'll send them out with what they deserve and that's a trip to the NCAA Tournament."
Buchanan was on-point with his description of the Cougars' off the court chemistry. Being around the pair leaves no doubt that their friendship is a solid one, strong enough to get after each other about what they're doing on the court and at home.
Taylor admitted that she's probably the closest with fellow senior and roommate, Brittany Mason, but that she "kind of likes" Scott.
"Those two are roommates, but they always like me to be around," Scott laughed. "They love me to death."
Mason fits in well as they admit to not doing much around the house during their down time aside from watching movies and cooking. Taylor and Mason will trade off on the cooking duties, but Scott's role is always the same.
"She just eats," Taylor joked. "If we're cooking, Brittney Scott is over. Even if we don't call her, she just knows and pops up right on time."
With their final season already halfway over, the girls temporarily put the jokes aside and find themselves having feelings similar to what they experienced the first time they met. Only this time around, the duo will be wearing Cougar red and playing for much higher stakes when that last game arrives.
"I have that same sense of urgency," Taylor said. "I felt like during my high school years as a freshman and sophomore, we had the best team ever and we still didn't make it. In my senior year, I knew it was my last go-round and we had to make it to state or else we wasted four years and didn't go.
"Now it's the same thing. I thought we had some of the best teams in my first three years here and we haven't made it to winning conference or the NCAA Tournament. So I have that sense of urgency to play hard."
Just as they do on the court, Scott fed off of Taylor. The pair who started as enemies now couldn't agree more.
"It's like what Courtney said," Scott declared. "Our senior year is our last chance. We don't want to have any regrets."
