Houston Battles Ragin' Cajuns Sunday
11/20/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
| HOUSTON (0-2) vs. LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE (2-0) | |
|---|---|
| BUY A SHASTA PASS | UHCougars.com/tickets |
| Date/Time | Sunday • 2 p.m. CT |
| Location | Hofheinz Pavilion • Houston, Texas |
| Live Video | Houston All-Access |
| Live Audio | UHCougars.com/wbbradio |
| Live Stats | |
| Series History | Houston leads, 7-1 |
| Game Notes | • Houston Notes • UL Notes • The American Notes |
| Social Media |   |
HOUSTON - The University of Houston Women's Basketball team closes out a two-game homestand Sunday, when they host Louisiana-Lafayette. Tipoff at Hofheinz Pavilion is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT as the Cougars battle the Ragin' Cajuns for the first time since 1999.
The Houston Fan Experience Headquarters is proud to offer the Shasta Pass, the best way to see Houston's 12 remaining regular season home games. For only $50, fans who purchase a Shasta Pass will receive general admission entrance to all 12 home games left on the schedule, including the Jan. 8 game against defending national champion UConn. The Shasta Pass also grants entry to every home game on the 2016 Houston Softball schedule. | CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE A SHASTA PASS | FULL SCHEDULE Single-game tickets are also available for Sunday's game and can be purchased at the Hofheinz Pavilion ticket office.
Fans who can't be at Hofheinz Pavilion Sunday can follow the matchup through a variety of platforms. Houston All-Access subscribers can watch live video of the contest, and free live audio is available at UHCougars.com/wbbradio, with Mark Johnson on the call. Also, will provide an up-to-the-second numerical breakdown, while the official Twitter account of Houston Women's Basketball, @UHCougarWBB, will post periodic updates. | LIVE VIDEO | LIVE AUDIO | | TWITTER
Houston is 0-2 after falling to Long Beach State, 47-41, Thursday at Hofheinz. The Cougars were heroic in their effort to dig out of an early 13-point deficit, and they tied the game twice in the third quarter. However, the 49ers held the Cougars to four points in the fourth quarter, denying Houston their first win of the regular season.
Louisiana-Lafayette is 2-0, including an 81-28 victory over Southern-New Orleans on Thursday night. The Ragin' Cajuns also own a win over Ole Miss, as they held off the Rebels, 82-78, Nov. 15.
 | THE STARTING FIVE |
Here are five names, numbers, news items and storylines that you need to know about the Louisiana-Lafayette game.
A SERIES CONTINUED - Houston and Louisiana-Lafayette played each other eight times between 1986-99 but have not faced off since. Houston is 7-1 in the series.
HOMESTAND CLOSER - The Cougars wrap up a two-game homestand Sunday and will not return to Hofheinz Pavilion until Dec. 12 against UNLV.
UNGRACIOUS HOSTS - Houston has won all four meetings with Louisiana-Lafayette at Hofheinz Pavilion, by an average of 25.0 points per game.
BLOCK PARTY - Senior Tyler Gilbert is continuing to strike fear in opposing post players. She rejected four shots at Charleston and two more against Long Beach State.
ALL ABOUT DEFENSE - Ronald Hughey's team has been a defensive juggernaut through two games. They're holding opponents to 30.3 percent shooting and 51.0 points per game.
| HOUSTON ONE-SHOTS |
Here's the one thing you need to know about each member of the Houston roster:
#1 - Chyanne Butler - Butler will be eligible to play the second semester after transferring from USC in January 2015.
#2 - Jacqueline Blake - Blake made her first start in a Houston uniform vs. Long Beach State and scored four points.
#3 - Bianca Winslow - Winslow started the final 13 games of the 2014-15 season. During that stretch she led Houston with 2.5 assists per game and 1.7 steals per game.
#5 - Dionna Collins - A finalist for the 2014-15 WBCA Junior College Player of the Year award, Collins will redshirt in 2015-16 due to NCAA transfer requirements.
#10 - Cenecia Newman - Newman averaged 15 points per game as a senior at Cedar Hill (Texas) HS and was named District 8-6A MVP at the end of the season.
#12 - Brianne Coffman - Coffman will redshirt in 2015-16 due to NCAA transfer requirements. She spent her first two collegiate seasons at Oklahoma State.
#15 - Alecia Smith - Smith has been Houston's most consistent offensive weapon through two games, including five combined 3-point field goals.
#21 - Jessieka Palmer - Palmer tallied a pair of career highs in the College of Charleston game, with four assists and four blocks.
#22 - Marche' Amerson - Amerson, who needs 126 points to become the 23rd member of Houston's 1,000-point club, scored seven points vs. Long Beach State.
#23 - Serithia Hawkins - In her first official collegiate game, Hawkins led the Cougars with 11 points at College of Charleston.
#24 - Mariah Mitchell - Mitchell steadily improved during her freshman season. She made all 16 of her starts vs. American opponents and averaged 7.3 points per game in league play.
#25 - Kierra Graves - Coach Hughey named Graves the Team MVP of the TAMIU exhibition after she scored nine points and snagged four steals.
#32 - Sharayla Brown - Brown logged eight minutes of court time in her exhibition debut against TAMIU, grabbing three rebounds.
#33 - Tyler Gilbert - Gilbert blocked 63 shots in 2014-15, the fifth-highest single-season total in Houston history, and swatted two more shots vs. Long Beach State.
#35 - Taylor Gilbert - Gilbert received a medical hardship redshirt due to career-ending knee injuries. She remains on scholarship and is an active part of team functions.
| LAST TIME OUT |
NOV. 19, 2015 • LONG BEACH STATE 47, HOUSTON 41 | Final Stats Houston dropped their regular-season home opener, 47-41, Nov. 19 against Long Beach State
Smith was named Player of the Game by Coach Hughey after an ironman effort. She played all but three minutes of the game and posted eight points, five rebounds, two assists and three steals.
After falling behind 15-2, Houston rallied to tie the game twice in the third quarter. The Coogs evened the score at 37-all with 1:46 left in the third, but LBSU scored on their next possession and held Houston off by allowing just four points in the final quarter.
Defense was what kept Houston in the game. The Coogs held Long Beach to 33.3 percent (14-for-42) shooting and forced the visitors into 21 turnovers.
Gilbert blocked two more shots and now has 88 for her career, still ninth in Houston history.
Long Beach State now owns the all-time series lead over Houston, 4-1, including a 2-1 mark in their trips to Hofheinz Pavilion.
| REGENTS APPROVE ARENA RENOVATIONS |
The University of Men's and Women's Basketball programs moved closer to a new competition home facility when school regents approved the start of the design process for the renovation of the Houston Basketball arena during its meeting Nov. 19.
Regents approved a project budget of up to $60 million with an anonymous donor pledging a $20 million gift to facilitate the arena's renovation.
Design work is scheduled to begin in March 2016 with construction starting one year later. Plans for the Cougars' home facility during the 2017-18 season have not been finalized and will be announced at a later date. The renovated facility is expected to be ready for game competition for the beginning of the 2018-19 season.
"This project has been long overdue, and we are grateful that Dr. Khator and our Board of Regents saw the need for this step with our basketball arena," Vice President for Athletics Hunter Yurachek said. "We look forward to starting the design process in the next few months and creating a facility that will provide the highest level of amenities to our fans and a significant home-court advantage for our Men's and Women's Basketball student-athletes."
Preliminary estimated capacity for the renovated arena will be reduced to 7,420 from its current seating bowl of 8,479. However, initial plans call for the court level to be raised three feet with fan seating moved closer to the court as part of an emphasis to improve the overall fan experience.
More than 2,000 premium seats will be developed to give fans the ultimate luxury seating options. That total includes a preliminary design of 1,750 club seats, 20 loge boxes with four seats in each, two open-air suites with 32 seats per unit and 90 courtside seats.
The arena's concourse level will be expanded to improve circulation with significant upgrades to the sound system, video board and arena seating.
| SERIES vs. LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE |
Sunday's game is the ninth in the series between Houston and Louisiana-Lafayette. The Cougars have dominated the series, with a 7-1 edge.
The last contest did go to Louisiana-Lafayette, 74-70, Nov. 23, 1999 in Lafayette.
The Cougars have won all four of Louisiana-Lafayette's trips to Hofheinz Pavilion by an average of 25.0 points per game. Included in the four victories is a 101-56 romp on Dec. 17, 1991.
| THE COACHES |
Houston head Coach Ronald Hughey is in his second season at Houston, with a career record of 6-26. This will be his first meeting against Louisiana-Lafayette.
Hughey accumulated a 163-154 (.514) career record in 10 seasons as an NCAA Division I assistant coach at South Carolina State, South Carolina, UCF, Rutgers, Texas and Florida State. He is a veteran of seven postseason tournaments (6 NCAA, 1 NIT) including two NCAA Second Rounds (2013, 2014), four NCAA First Rounds (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012) and one WNIT Second Round (2008).
A vaunted recruiter, Hughey orchestrated multiple national top-15 recruiting classes at both Texas and Florida State. At Houston, he signed an eight-player recruiting class in 2014-15, including two NJCAA All-Americans and four players rated as 3-star recruits by ESPN Hoopgurlz.
Hughey brought five more highly regarded recruits into the Houston program in the early 2015 signing period. Included in the group is Lufkin, Texas, native Natasha Mack, the first ESPN Hoopgurlz national top-100 recruit of his head coaching tenure.
Louisiana-Lafayette head coach Garry Brodhead is in his fourth season with the Ragin' Cajuns, with a career record of 49-49. Last season, he led UL to the Women's Basketball Invitational championship.
| SCOUTING THE RAGIN' CAJUNS |
Louisiana-Lafayette is 2-0 on the season after downing Southern-New Orleans, 81-28, Thursday night. Sophomore Simone Fields came off the bench to hit 6-of-7 field goal attempts and score a team-best 15 points Thursday.
The Ragin' Cajuns won their opener on the road, 82-78, in a nationally televised game at Ole Miss. Junior Jaylyn Gordon paced Louisiana with 29 points in the victory.
Gordon leads Louisiana-Lafayette with 19.0 points per game, while teammate Keke Veal chips in 15.5 points per game and Kia Wilridge averages 11.5.
Louisiana-Lafayette has used swarming defense to hold off their opponents, who are turning the ball over 23.5 times per game.
UL done a nice job getting to the line and averages 20 made free throws per game.
| LOCKDOWN DEFENSE |
Houston has morphed into one of the nation's toughest defensive teams through the first two games of the year.
The Cougars are allowing just 51.0 points per game through Nov. 19, the top mark in the American Athletic Conference. Opponents are shooting 30.3 percent, also best in the league.
Gilbert ranks second in the league with 3.0 blocked shots per game through Nov. 20 and is a huge part of the team's defensive resurgence. After one full week of play, the senior was tied for 11th nationally with 4.0 blocks per game.
| MARCHE'S MARCH TO 1,000 POINTS |
Amerson enters the Louisiana-Lafayette game with 874 career points and is just 126 points shy of Houston's 1,000-point club. At her current career pace of 9.4 points per game, she's on pace to cross the threshold in her 15th appearance of the season.
When she accomplishes the feat, Amerson will be Houston's 23rd 1,000-point scorer. Current Atlanta Dream standout Sancho Lyttle (2003-05) occupies the 22nd spot, with 1,092 career points, while Ann Moon (1977-81) checks in at No. 21 with 1,094 points.
| MILESTONE WATCH |
Amerson isn't the only Cougar who is climbing the Cougar record books in 2015-16, and her journey to 1,000 points isn't the only number to monitor this season. The senior from Bryan, Texas, enters the UL game sixth in Houston history with 92 career starts, eighth with 2,897 career minutes, ninth with 269 3-point field goal attempts, and 11th with 77 made 3-point field goals.
Smith is climbing the career 3-point record books, ranking seventh in made 3-pointers (116) and fifth in attempts (464). She is currently listed just outside the school's top-10 in minutes (2,648).
Gilbert's shot-blocking explosion from last season vaulted her high on Houston's blocked shots charts. She is currently ranked ninth in school history with 88 rejections and will match Lesslee Mason (2009-11) with five more blocks.
| GUY V. LEWIS BASKETBALL CENTER UPDATE |
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The Houston Men's and Women's Basketball programs are just a few short days away from moving into the Guy V. Lewis Basketball Center. Once completed, the $25 million facility will be the home base for both Cougar hoops squads.
Designed by DLR Group and Page, the new Development Center is located adjacent to Hofheinz Pavilion at the corner of Cullen Boulevard and Holman Street on the UH campus.
The 53,000 square-foot facility will provide the environment that the Houston Men's and Women's Basketball student-athletes need to excel throughout the season in all areas. The first level will house a dedicated practice court for each team as well as sports performance and sports medicine areas, which will be used by both programs.
The second level will feature the teams' areas, which include locker rooms and academic/film theaters. The team rooms contain spacious, modern lockers, multiple video screens for television and comfortable furniture. The third level will hold office space for both Men's and Women's Basketball coaching and support staffs.
| UP NEXT FOR THE COUGARS |
The Cougars will spend Thanksgiving weekend in Austin, Texas, at the inaugural Lone Star Showcase. The Coogs will face No. 22/20 George Washington Thanksgiving Day at 1:30 p.m., Wright State on Nov. 27 at 11 a.m., and No. RV/22 Iowa on Nov. 28 at 11 a.m. Ticket packages are available at CedarParkBasketball.com.
Houston returns to Hofheinz Pavilion Dec. 12, when they take on UNLV. Tickets are available at UHCougars.com/tickets as the Cougars and Runnin' Rebels share the court for the first time since Dec. 22, 1994, a 77-64 Houston victory.
| $50 SHASTA PASS NOW AVAILABLE |
The Houston Fan Experience Headquarters is proud to offer the Shasta Pass for the 2015-16 athletic season. For only $50, Cougar fans can purchase one Shasta Pass, which allows season-long general admission entrance to all remaining Houston Women's Basketball and Softball home games.
The Shasta Pass offers Houston fans a substantial savings as single-game tickets start at $8 for all four sports. To purchase a Shasta Pass, CLICK HERE.
| 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.
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