University of Houston Athletics
Women's Basketball Begins Practice for 2011-12 Season
10/5/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Oct. 5, 2011
HOUSTON - The University of Houston women's basketball team held its first practice in preparation for the 2011-12 season Tuesday afternoon at Hofheinz Pavilion. The Cougars kick off the 2011-12 campaign by hosting New Mexico State on Nov. 11.
The squad worked at an up-tempo pace for more than two and a half hours, and head coach Todd Buchanan came away impressed with the team's work ethic on the first day.
"We may be young and inexperienced, but the team is very hungry and willing to be coached," Buchanan said. "They worked hard the entire practice. If we can continue to get that kind of energy and effort, we'll have a chance to get what we need out of them."
After leading a veteran squad to one of the most memorable seasons in school history a year ago, Buchanan's second team at Houston will look much different than his first with just five letterwinners and one starter returning.
"The excitement for me is always going to be high," Buchanan said. "As long as I'm privileged to be a Cougar, that will never change. Coming off of the first season and the year we had, it magnifies the excitement and energy, but one season will never make or define this program or the broad vision that we have in consistently building this program into a national power, year in and year out."
Porsche Landry is one of three seniors back for the Scarlet and White after earning First Team All-C-USA honors last season. Landry flourished in Buchanan's up-tempo style of play, averaging 14.8 points and 4.0 assists per game.
Fellow senior Roxana Button is also back for her fourth year and enters the season ranking second all-time at Houston in 3-point field-goal percentage (36.0), fifth in free-throw percentage (74.4) and sixth in made 3-pointers (87).
