University of Houston Athletics
University of Houston
4-14 (0-7)
Tulsa
7-12 (4-4)
Cougars Drop 79-62 Decision versus Tulsa
1/20/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
HOUSTON. â€" Junior Kierra Graves and freshman Cenecia Newman led the Houston Cougar Women's Basketball with career-highs in points, but the Cougars fell 79-62 to Tulsa inside Hofheinz Pavilion on Thursday.
"Kierra always plays well. She gave up a few defensive assignments but also came up with good steals. She's one that we're going to continue to develop and push her to be the best that she can be. She has a chance to really do something special. Cenecia was one that we've been building up her confidence in practice, and we wanted to have the opportunity to showcase her at some point, and I was happy that she came out and responded. She works hard in practice every day. She pushes herself and does all the things necessary to be successful."
Houston came out strong in the first quarter, quickly building a 19-13 behind seven first-quarter points by senior Jessieka Palmer and 41.2 percent shooting by the Cougars. Tulsa responded by outscoring Houston 14-6 to take a 27-25 lead at the half. Palmer finished the contest with eight points, three rebounds and three assists.
THE BASICS
Score: Tulsa 79, Houston 62
Records: Houston 4-14 (0-7), Tulsa 7-12 (4-4)
Date: Friday, January 20, 2016
Location: Houston, Texas (Hofheinz Pavilion)
TURNING POINT
Tulsa found all the momentum in the contest when they came out to start the third period. The Golden Hurricane opened the second half with a 12-0 run. Houston fell behind by 19 points heading to the fourth quarter and were never able to recover.
TOP PERFORMERS
Houston: Junior guard Kierra Graves collected a career-high 15 points on 8-of-9 shooting in the contest to lead the Cougars in scoring. Graves added five rebounds, two assists and a steal to complete her night. Freshman Cenecia Newman also had a career-high scoring game with four points including 6-of-9 shooting from the field and 2-of-4 from behind the 3-point line.
Tulsa: The Golden Hurricane had five players in double-figures on the night including a game-high 33 from Ashley Clark who shot 14-of-21 from the field in the contest while collecting six rebounds and four assists. Kelsey Grovey added 12 points and five rebounds while Tyjae' Scales led all rebounders with 11.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Junior Kierra Graves shot 8-of-9 from the field for an 88.9 percent shooting. That mark is the highest single-game shooting percentage for the Cougars this season.
- The Cougars outscored Tulsa 19-18 in points off turnovers despite turning the ball over one more time than the Golden Hurricane.
- Houston got a big contribution off the bench as they outscored Tulsa 29-22 in non-starter scoring.
NEWS & NOTES
- The Cougars rebounded in the second half to shoot 50 percent from the field, including 44.4 percent (4-of-9) from 3-point land.
- Houston had six different players collect a block in the game including one from Tyler Gilbert marking 25 on the season.
UP NEXT FOR THE COUGARS
Following Wednesday night's game, the Cougars head out on their longest road trip in American Athletic Conference play during the 2015-16 season. Houston travels to Philadelphia, Pa., to meet Temple on Jan. 23, then leaves for Tampa, Fla., to face USF on Jan. 27, before ending the trip in Cincinnati, Ohio to battle Cincinnati on Jan. 30.
$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 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. Fans can save $126 alone during the Houston fall sports seasons. 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.
