University of Houston Athletics
Cougars Continue American Play at SMU on Saturday
1/2/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
| HOUSTON (5-8 • 0-2 American) at SMU (4-9 • 0-2 American) | |
|---|---|
| Home Game Tickets | BUY Tickets • Tickets Info |
| Questions? | Fan Guide |
| Time | 2 pm CT |
| Location | Moody Coliseum (8,000) • Dallas, Texas |
| Video | American Digital Network |
| Radio | UHCougars.com Jeremy Branham, PxP |
| Live Stats | |
| Series History | • Houston leads, 30-21 |
| Game Notes | • Houston Notes • SMU Notes • The American Notes |
| Social Media |   |
HOUSTON - The University of Houston women's basketball team is back on the road to face American Athletic Conference rival SMU on Saturday. Tipoff at Moody Coliseum in Dallas is scheduled for 2 pm CT.
Live video coverage of Saturday's game is available through the American Digital Network, and a free live audio broadcast is available through Houston's Stretch Internet Portal, with Jeremy Branham on the play-by-play call. Live Twitter updates can be accessed throughout the game by following the official UH women's basketball account, @UHCougarWBB.
Houston enters the game at 5-8 (0-2 American) after falling to Tulane, 70-40, in their final game of 2014. Marche' Amerson scored a team-high nine points against the Green Wave, while the Cougars matched a season high with ten steals.
SMU is 4-9 (0-2 American) after suffering a 77-64 loss to Temple on December 30. The Mustangs have lost their last six contests after opening the season by winning four of their first seven games.
Houston holds a 30-21 advantage over the Mustangs in 51 prior meetings. The Cougars have defeated SMU more than any other opponent outside of Rice (50 UH wins), Baylor (33) and Texas A&M (32).
 | LAST TIME OUT |
DECEMBER 30 • TULANE 70, HOUSTON 40 | Final Stats Houston dropped their first American Athletic Conference road matchup of the season, 70-40, to Tulane on December 30 in New Orleans, La. Amerson was the top Houston scorer, and Tyler Gilbert held her own in the low post, scoring seven points and finishing one shy of a career high with 10 rebounds.
Alecia Smith led the Cougars with four assists, marking the ninth straight game she has led the club in the category.
Senior Terran Alford continued her strong play off the bench, finishing with seven points, five boards and two steals. Freshman Mariah Mitchell also posted a strong effort in her second career start, with eight points.
| GILBERT EMERGES IN JUNIOR SEASON |
Gilbert has stepped up her game in a big way as an upperclassman, and she averages 6.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game through 13 contests.
The Missouri City native has developed a hard-nosed rebounding approach at the outset of American Athletic Conference play, as she finished with eight against UCF on Dec. 27 and 10 at Tulane on Dec. 30. She ranks seventh in The American in conference contests with 9.0 rebounds per game.
Shot-blocking has also been a forte for Gilbert, who has rejected at least one shot in 12 of Houston's 13 games. Averaging 1.8 blocks per game, Gilbert ranks fifth in The American.
| HOME SWEET ROAD |
In the first season of the Ronald Hughey Era, the Cougars have repeatedly demonstrated their toughness by winning difficult games away from Hofheinz Pavilion. Through Dec. 30, Houston has already won four games away from their home court.
The road success is another example of the improvements under Hughey. Houston won just three games away from home in 2013-14.
Houston opened the Hughey Era with a 46-42 road victory over North Texas on Nov. 14 in Denton, and they overcame a raucous on-campus environment to defeat Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 68-66, on Nov. 21.
The Cougars also won two neutral site games at the Athletes in Action Classic in Lubbock. Houston slid past UTSA, 56-53, on Dec. 19, and one day later they chalked up their most impressive win to date, a 65-47 drubbing of Nicholls State.
Amerson has been Houston's top scorer away from home, averaging 10.1 points per game.
| HUGHEY, JUNIORS LEAD RESURGENT SEASON |
Hughey is already making a profound difference on the Houston program, as the Cougars earned their fifth victory of the season on Dec. 20 in their 10th contest. Last year, Houston did not earn their fifth win until their 23rd game, on Feb. 8.
With the 65-47 win over Nicholls on Dec. 20, Houston improved to 5-5. The Cougars had not been .500 or better through 10 or more games since 2010-11.
Statistically, the Cougars have seen marked improvements in scoring offense, scoring defense, field goal percentage and three-point field goal percentage.
The junior class is a big part of the turnaround. Amerson has developed a deadly shooting touch this season, ranking sixth in The American with a 42.9 percent 3-point field goal percentage, and she's Houston's top scorer at 9.2 points per game.
Smith has shouldered the point guard duties in her third season and has her name in The American statistical rankings more than any other Cougar. Smith ranks fifth in the league in assists (3.9), eighth in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.1) and 15th in three-point field goals (1.4).
In American games, Smith is averaging 5.5 assists per game, a number that ranks second in the league.
Jessieka Palmer is a big part of the junior class, with 9.2 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Both marks are more than double than the 4.4 points and 1.6 rebounds she averaged last year and rank second on the team.
Gilbert ranks fifth in The American with 1.8 blocks per game, and she also averages 6.6 points and a team-high 5.4 rebounds. Gilbert blocked at least one shot in Houston's first 11 games, and over that stretch, she recorded more blocks than she had in her first 43 career appearances.
| 2014-15 AWARDS TALLY |
Two Cougars have already earned spots on the American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll this season. Palmer was honored on Nov. 24 after scoring a career-high 20 points in the win over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, and Mitchell took home the award on Dec. 22 after scoring 15 points in the Nicholls State victory.
Mitchell and Amerson were both honored with spots on the Athletes in Action All-Tournament Team for their play at the event. Both players averaged 8.0 points per game at the tournament, leading the Cougars to a 2-1 record.
| SERIES HISTORY vs. SMU |
Houston is 30-21 all-time against the Mustangs and won the first 19 meetings between the schools.
The Mustangs won both meetings over Houston last season, including a 67-50 victory on Feb. 15, 2014. Amerson paced the Cougars with 15 points, while Gabrielle Wilkins was the top performer among current SMU players, with nine points and eight rebounds. | Final Stats Houston's last win over SMU was a 65-58 victory on Feb. 24, 2013. Smith scored 18 points to lead the Cougars to a win. | Final Stats
| SCOUTING THE MUSTANGS |
SMU enters the contest with a 4-9 record (0-2 American) and losses in their last six games. The Mustangs have dropped their two American games, 96-45 to UConn on Dec. 27 and 77-64 to Temple on Dec. 30. | Final Stats vs. UConn | Final Stats vs. Temple Saturday's game is SMU's American home opener. They are 4-3 at home this season.
Houston and SMU have two common non-conference opponents this season, and both earned the same results. SMU beat North Texas, 62-55, on Dec. 3 and lost to Texas A&M, 70-62, on Dec. 9
Freshman Alicia Froling led SMU with a season-high 20 points in their loss to Temple, and for the season, she paces the club with 11.6 points per game.
Destynee Hives-McCray averages 10.4 points per game and ranks ninth in The American with a team-high 7.7 rebounds per game.
| QUICK HITS |
- Four of Houston's previous five victories came against teams from the state of Texas.
- Houston's last win at SMU was on Feb. 14, 2010, a 73-67 triumph.
- Amerson matched a career high with four steals in the Tulane game on Dec. 30.
- Mitchell also matched a career best, knocking down two three-pointers against Tulane.
| UP NEXT FOR THE COUGARS |
The Cougars are back at Hofheinz Pavilion on Wednesday, Jan. 7 to face Cincinnati. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 pm CT and tickets are available for just $8. | TICKETS
The matchup with the Bearcats opens a two-game home stand for the Cougars. Hughey's team hosts East Carolina on Saturday, Jan. 10, with tipoff in Hofheinz scheduled for 2 pm CT.
| STAY CONNECTED |
Fans can receive daily information and in-game updates by following @UHCougarWBB on Twitter. Fans can also catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at facebook.com/UHCougarWBB
| BUY SEASON TICKETS |
Fans can purchase season tickets for the 2014-15 women's basketball season by clicking here and visiting the official Athletics Ticket Office Page at UHCougars.com. Season tickets start at just $99.
To purchase tickets in person, fans can visit the Athletics Ticket Stadium Office located on the northeast corner of TDECU Stadium, just outside of Gate 1 off Cullen Boulevard. Parking is available in the TDECU Stadium parking garage with the first 30 minutes free of charge. Regular business hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m., to 5:30 p.m.
Under Hughey's leadership, the Cougars will play 11 contests against teams who qualified for NCAA postseason play a year ago with eight of those against American Athletic Conference rivals.
All UH main campus students are admitted FREE to regular season women's basketball home games with a valid student ID.
--UHCougars.com--
